Tweens & Teens Can Explore YouTube Safer Than Ever with New Updates

by Karly WoodFebruary 25, 2021

Keeping kids safe online is a goal of any parent and YouTube has just announced a brand new way to keep safety at the forefront. When your budding young adults have outgrown YouTube Kids, you’ll soon be able to give age-appropriate access to YouTube through the new supervised experience option.

Geared especially for parents who are ready to let their tweens and teens explore YouTube, you’ll soon be able to create a supervised Google account, which will come with content setting and limited features. YouTube is launching a beta version in the coming months so families can test and provide feedback as the experience improves.

The early options will include three content settings for parents to choose from. They include:

Explore: Perfect for the transition from YouTube Kids to YouTube, this setting has content suitable for viewers ages nine and older and includes vlogs, tutorials, gaming videos, music clips, news, educational content and more.
Explore More: This setting is for kids 13+ and will include an expanded set of videos and live streams.
Most of YouTube: Includes almost all videos on YouTube and sensitive topics that may only be appropriate for older teens but does not include age-restricted content.

Parents will also be able to manage watch and search history from within their child’s account settings, in addition to controls using Google’s Family Link. The supervised experience will feel like a regular visit to YouTube, but without personalized ads or ads in certain categories. Upon launch, all in-app purchases will also be disabled.

“Kids are online now more than ever, and their safety online is a top priority. National PTA appreciates YouTube advancing age-appropriate experiences, as well as implementing settings that enable families to choose an experience that feels appropriate for their child. We’re pleased that YouTube has responded to families’ needs and wants and we look forward to continuing our collaboration to bring awareness to families about these new options and how to choose an experience that’s best for them, ” says Leslie Boggs, president of National PTA.

Head to YouTube to learn more about the all-new supervised experience optioon.

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of YouTube

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Raddish Kids Offers 25,000 More Free Kits During School Closures

by Jennifer SwartvagherMarch 15, 2020

Amid coronavirus fears and school closings, parents are looking for ways to keep their kids busy. Many families are suddenly finding themselves trying to balance work with helping their kids keep up with school assignments. Kids culinary subscription kit Raddish Kids is lending a helping hand to families seeking fun, educational and entertaining activities for their children while schools are closed and extracurricular activities are restricted.

Raddish Kids (after giving away 10,000 free kits last Friday) is giving away 25,000 more free kits on Thursday, Mar. 19th at 9am PST.

Beginning today, families can visit Raddish to order their free kit and also access free content including an at-home cooking camp program, recipes your kids can make with pantry staples and additional learning extensions across science, geography, language arts, and more.

“As a working mom, I know firsthand the impact that school closures have on families,” said Raddish Kids Founder Samantha Barnes. “We hope these free kits are a helpful resource for parents and inspire family togetherness during this period of social distancing.”

The complimentary Raddish kit is called Swedish Eats and celebrates traditions and flavors from Sweden. Travel may be restricted right now, but kids can still explore the culture and traditions of other countries right from their own homes. The kit is geared towards children in elementary and middle grades and featured three laminated illustrated recipe guides for Swedish Meatballs, Scandinavian Smorgasbord and Nordic Cinnamon Buns. Additionally, each kit includes a kid-sized cooking tool, apron patch and fun learning activity.

“The kitchen is the perfect place to cultivate academic skills like math, science, geography, culture, reading, among other subjects outside of the traditional classroom,” said Barnes who is a former educator as well as a mother who has home schooled her kids. “Our kits weave in these subjects alongside key culinary skills that nourish the mind, expand the palate and empower kids in the kitchen and beyond.”

To order a free kit, visit Raddish.

UPDATE AS OF 3/13: Shipping is now $4.33

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Feaured photo: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

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The World Health Organization Issued Screen Time Guidelines & They Will Probably Surprise You

by Shahrzad WarkentinApril 27, 2019

The screen time debate seems endless. With so many conflicting studies and recommendations, it can be hard to know what’s best. For the first time ever the World Health Organization issued screen time guidelines for kids.

The new guidelines, which are somewhat similar to the recommendations issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, state that kids under five should not spend more than one hour per day watching screens and that kids under one should not have any screen time whatsoever.

photo: StockSnap via Pixabay

Some experts argue that the guidelines don’t take into account the benefits of certain digital media and that WHO is only considering time versus quality of content. “Our research has shown that currently there is not strong enough evidence to support the setting of screen time limits,” said Dr. Max Davie of Britain’s Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health. “The restricted screen time limits suggested by WHO do not seem proportionate to the potential harm.”

WHO didn’t get into the specifics of what harm could be caused by screen time beyond the recommendations, but explained that the guidelines were needed to combat the increasing amount of non-physical behavior among kids. The agency recommends that kids over one year should have at least three hours of physical activity every day.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

featured image: Annie Spratt via Unsplash

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This Mom’s Dollar Tree Laundry Room Hacks Are Just Brilliant

by Karly WoodJanuary 23, 2018

Ask any mom what her least favorite part of motherhood is and laundry usually tops the list. Never ending piles of dirty clothes, missing socks and a laundry room that’s usually at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to decor, all make this household chore less than fun. Laundry is just a fact of life and if you’re struggling with getting it done in a cramped space, YouTuber Hey Tonya has it all figured out. In one of her most recent videos, vlogger Tonya shows us how she transformed her laundry closet (yep, it’s not even big enough to be called a room) into an organizational dream.

If you aren’t already a dollar store shopper, we bet you’ll be one now! Budget is no object when it comes to making your laundry space workable when you shop at a dollar store, and you don’t have to sacrifice style for function either. Whether you own your home, or are restricted from major improvements because you rent like Tonya, your laundry room can still look like a million bucks. We love Tonya’s style from top to bottom: from the crisp white basket choices, to that amazing wall decal and stain removal guide. You may be asking yourself, “How come I never come across stuff like this when I shop at the Dollar Tree?” If there’s one piece of advice we can offer, it’s shop often! You never know what kind of treasures may await.

Check out more of Tonya’s tips on her blog, Hey Tonya.

Are you inspired? Tell us what you plan on organizing next in the comments below!

— Karly Wood

Best TV Shows to Watch with Your Family

By Melinda Heffernan

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

May 29, 2017

The internet and television channels are competing with each other to provide a treasure trove of entertainment. There are shows and movies for all tastes and all ages. And even then, finding a show that caters to all tastes and all members of the family is not easy. No worries. I have rounded up a list of 10 TV shows that you can watch with your entire family. They are some of the best shows that provide hours of fun and entertainment.

1. The Brady Bunch

Cast: Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis

Mike Brady has three boys and Carol Martin has three girls. The program shows how they unite and come to live together in one big family along with their housekeeper Alice. Their union creates an iconic American family rooted in values such as love and acceptance.

Why I love it

Well, who doesn’t want to live in a big family full of love? Brady Bunch portrays the ups and downs of living in a big family and proves that big families can be full of fun and love.

2. Modern Family

Cast: Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Sofía Vergara

This popular show is in its 7th season. It is about the three branches of a big family and shows how they face the trials and tribulations of life in their unique ways.

Why I like it

It is hilarious and inclusive.

3. Gilmore Girls

Cast: Lauren Graham, Keiko Agena, Alexis Bledel

This is a girly series that follows a single mother and her brilliant daughter. The mother and the daughter banter better than anybody else and provide wholesome entertainment for the entire family

Why I love it

Gilmore girls provide that perfect Netflix time for mothers and daughters. If you live in a country where Netflix is restricted, you can use a VPN to access it.

4. The Addams Family

Cast: John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Ted Cassidy

They may be oddly macabre, but at the same time, they are extremely loving. The Addams Family has some of the most eccentric characters of the television.

Why I like it

We like it because it has surrealism and American family drama in the right doses.

5. Full House

Cast: Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, John Stamos, Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen

Full House is the story of Danny Tanner and his three daughters. He is a widower struggling to raise his children. He then seeks the help of his brother-in-law Jesse ad his friend Joey.

Why I like it

We like it for the issue resolutions at the end of each episode.

6. The Wonder Years

Cast: Fred Savage, Daniel Stern, Dan Lauria

Kevin Arnold reflects on his eventful journey from adolescence to adulthood. The flashbacks portray his life in the 60’s and 70’s. The show deals with the period of social turbulence in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

Why I like it

It is all about growing up in the 70’s.

7. The Cosby Show

Cast: Bill Cosby, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Phylicia Rashad

The Cosby Show follows the everyday struggles and triumphs of a highly successful Afro-American family.

Why I like it

The show is a classic sitcom of the 80s.

8. Party of Five

Cast: Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Neve Campbell

It is a story of five siblings who are forced to find their own path in life after the tragic death of their parents. Party of Five breaks from the mould of a typical family TV show.

Why I like it

It is all about loving your sisters and brothers.

9. Family Ties

Cast: Michael J. Fox, Michael Gross, Meredith Baxter

This is another classic show from the 80s. Steven and Elyse Keaton are ex-hippies and life partners. They have two sons and two daughters and the story follows their lives.

Why I like it

Michael J. Fox stars in the show as a teenager and that is a good reason to love it.

10. Doogie Howser, M.D.

Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Belinda Montgomery, Max Casella

Doogie Howser, a teenager, has to deal with the usual struggles of growing up. He wants to be a doctor; he has a girlfriend and he also enjoys spending time with his friends. How he handles the pressures and demands of his life forms the crux of this TV show.

Why I like it

Doogie is a social activist and a crusader for justice. He wants to tackle issues ranging from AIDS to sexism.

Watching TV with your spouse and kids is a great way to spend some quality time together. The list of shows given here will appeal to a wide range of viewers and have the right mix of humour and sentiments. Watch them on the weekend with your children.

Melinda Heffernan

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Melinda Heffernan is a writer at Uphours.com. She likes to cover stories in careers and personal development. When not working, you can find her online chatting with her friends or reading parenting blogs.

Drop-In Childcare to Add to Your Speed Dial…STAT

by Meghan Yudes MeyersSeptember 29, 2015

A good babysitter is hard to find (we know, we’re totally preaching to the choir). And sometimes, when you need him or her most, she’s downright elusive. If you have pressing errands to do and no childcare, or you just are overdue for a date night, these trusty drop-in childcare options provide a last minute solution for a nominal fee.

Photo: Community Church via flickr

Småland
Your wee ones will have an umlaut of fun at this Swedish outpost. Children must be between 37” and 54” tall and potty trained. At the College Park, Maryland location, children can play for up to an hour. At the Woodbridge, Virginia location, play is restricted to 30 minutes.

Online: ikea.com

Family KidCare
Located at the Pottery Barn Court at the eastern end of the Westfield Annapolis mall, this play space offers supervised playtime for a nominal fee ($7 per child for two hours). For $50 a month, you can participate in their membership program which offers two hours of daily care for up to four children.

Online: westfield.com

Child Watch
The YMCA offers a Child Watch program that is free with membership. Age restrictions vary by location. Centers offer care ranging from 90 minutes to 2 hours. Parents must remain in the building while enjoying this free service.

Online: ymca.net

Ida Lee Park Recreation Center
If you don’t want to commit to a gym, but would enjoy a good stretch (and a dip in a pool), this Leesburg, Virginia facility offers childcare for children ranging from 3 months to 10 years of age for a rate of $5 for two and a half hours. Town residents pay $5.50 to use the facilities; non-residents pay $7.50

Online: leesburgva.gov

Community Church Date Night
Is it too early to plan for a February date? We don’t think so! This Ashburn, Virginia-based church offers free babysitting every Saturday during the month of February from 6 pm to 10 pm. Volunteers conduct camp-like activities to entertain your offspring while you enjoy four hours of kid-free bliss.

Online: datenights.org

WKids Fun Center
Enjoy 90 minutes of free childcare at the Dulles Centre Wegman’s in Sterling, Virginia. Children must be between the ages of 3 and 8 and must be potty-trained. Wegman’s offers on-site dining as well as a cafe-style lounging area. Kick your feet up, enjoy an on-premise slice of pizza while your kids have a blast in the play area.

Online: wegmans.com

Do you have any drop-in childcare secrets to share? Tell us about it in the comments section.

–Meghan Meyers

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