Google this week launched Kids Space—a new digital platform featuring apps, books, and videos to keep children entertained, engaged, and educated.
Simply log into your child’s Google account to get started; create an avatar and choose interests—animals, crafts, science, stories, cooking, music, etc.—to build a personalized experience.
“Kids Space is designed with your kid at the center of the experience and made for them to become explorers of the things they love,” according to Mindy Brooks, user experience director for Google Kids and Families.
Open the Play tab to access age-appropriate applications like Code Karts, My Very Hungry Caterpillar, Endless Alphabet, and Scooby-Doo Mystery Cases; or browse Google’s library of more than 400 free books via the Read tab. Visual learners can visit the Watch and Make tabs, which showcase creative clips from YouTube Kids and encourage off-screen activities including drawing, constructing, and various life hacks. For even more customizations, download additional content from Google Play.
“Kids are natural explorers and when they have access to great content, it can be a magical experience,” Brooks said. “They can read up on their favorite dinosaur, watch videos on how to bake a treat, or discover new hobbies.”
In 2017, Google introduced the Family Link app, allowing parents to dynamically adjust how much their children can access the household’s Android devices. One part kids’ account and one part parental control, the application can also be used on Chromebooks to set screen time limits and establish bedtime hours. “Family Link was created and built into our core products to give parents the tools they need to stay involved and help manage their child’s online experiences,” Brooks wrote. But the internet is a vast place, and adults often need help finding content that is enriching and engaging.
Enter Kids Space, a one-stop shop for “teacher-approved” programming for children of all ages. The Google Play program is currently available globally on select Lenovo tablets (including the new Smart Tab M10 HD Gen 2), and rolling out soon to more Android devices.
