The BBC launches the iPlayer Kids app for Smartphones and Tablets

If your little one, or ones for that matter, have access to a phone or tablet, it can be a chore making sure they only watching content that is appropriate to their age. While age-appropriate channels such as CBBC and CBeebies has been available via the BBC’s iPlayer app, the UK broadcaster has now released a kids-only version of the app, imaginatively called iPlayer Kids App.

There are over 10,000 episodes of kids programmes available on the iPlayer Kids app, ranging from Blue Peter, Go Jetters to Wolfblood and Topsy & Tim, among many others, which should keep the youngsters entertained for hours.

The app allows you to create up to 4 profiles on the app, so that siblings can share the device (haha). When creating the profile, the app will ask for the viewers age and then provide a range of monster-ish characters to select as an avatar. Once the profile is created, only age appropriate content can be viewed. This means that if the child is below 5 years of age, the app will only show CBeebies content. Older children will be able to view both CBeebies and CBBC content, although access can be customised if necessary.

Much like the main iPlayer app, the iPlayer Kids app allows for content to be both streamed and downloaded for later viewing, which means you can download the programmes onto the device via the WiFi at home so that the kids have something to watch on those long journeys. The app includes accessibility features such as subtitling and availability of programmes with audio descriptions or sign language.

The BBC has thought of online safety aswell, there are no In-App-Purchases (IAP’s), no advertising and the app also includes a ‘safety lock’ that enables parents to keep kids within the app and not allowing them access to settings or external links. The BBC also states that the app doesn’t need any personal data to be given.

The iPlayer Kids app is available for Android smartphones and tablets via the Google Play Store (link below), Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets as well as on devices running iOS.

Play Store Link