We started using YouTube Kids last year thinking it would be a good way to give her some educational content. Now at 5 years old she literally asks for it the second she gets home from preschool. We've tried limiting it with the app timer but she throws a fit every single time. Started wondering if we introduced it too early. Anyone else dealing with this?
The hardest part is being consistent when you're exhausted, but yeah YouTube Kids can become a crutch fast. What other activities does she actually enjoy when the screen is off?
Five is still young enough to reset the habit. Maybe turn it into a thing where she earns screen time instead of it being automatic? We do that with movie nights on Friday and it works better than I expected.
Educational content is still screen time. We use it too but it's on a timer and there are plenty of other things available. When they've got other options and YouTube is just one thing, they naturally balance it better.
YouTube Kids is great as a tool but yeah it's designed to be engaging. The algorithm will always suggest the next video so of course she ignores everything else. You need limits built in from the start or it becomes the default activity.
The issue is that YouTube Kids is designed to keep them watching. The 'educational' part makes us feel better about it but it's still got that endless scroll problem. Maybe set it up so the app closes after 30 minutes or something concrete.
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We hit this wall with my 6yo too. Try scheduling specific screen-free time and replacing it with something she can choose, like building with blocks or cooking together. The transition is rough but worth it.