Screens pervade the lives of young people and much of the content is culturally not ours. It usually comes from a Western paradigm.
Since the programmes are dotted by various types of adverts – many of them neither age appropriate nor in line with the viewing content or parents' ethics – viewing cannot go unsupervised.
For this reason savvy parents are customising their media offerings.
PVR, Netflix and YouTube allow you to watch what you want when you want. You can package educational programmes for your kids on a cellphone or tablet or stream them to your TV.
We rounded up the top 10 online kiddies channels, based on their subscriber base:
ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs
Subscribers: 7718757.
ChuChuTV is designed to engage children through upbeat nursery rhymes and educational songs with colourful animations.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheChuChuTV/featured.
Ryan Toys Review
Subscribers: 6185375
Join Ryan to see him play with toys and review toys for kids.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChGJGhZ9SOOHvBB0Y4DOO_w/featured.
Super Simple Songs
Subscribers: 4929105
Learn and explore through song and movement with Super Simple Songs.
https://www.youtube.com/user/SuperSimpleSongs/featured
EvanTubeHD
Subscribers: 3762102
Toys, challenges, animals, video games, science experiments, special effects, animation and attractions.
https://www.youtube.com/user/EvanTubeHD/featured.
HobbyKidsTV
Subscribers: 2257990
Share learning, fun and popular toy reviews by kids for kids.
https://www.youtube.com/user/HobbyKidsTV/featured.
DohMuchFun
Subscribers: 901465.
A family-friendly channel aimed at kids.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp8OJimQWM728_ZU0iQpBUQ/featured.
Kids TV Channel
Subscribers: 430607
Kids TV Channel is an online kids channel that is dedicated to making preschool learning fun for kids.
https://www.youtube.com/user/edukatetv/featured.
Baby Max
Subscribers: 233782
Baby Max goes on lots of adventures with his brother Donut the dog and his best friend Little Donny.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVFKfZppODLk4oj5N9Qypdg/featured.
BabyFirst
Subscribers: 582242
On BabyFirst TV, your baby can learn everything under the sun, from ABC to animals, colours to shapes.
https://www.youtube.com/user/BabyFirstTV/featured.
CBeebies
Subscribers: 221432
CBeebies YouTube channel is aimed at adults watching with children and offers a safe environment where CBeebies content is readily accessible with no inappropriate links or adverts.
https://www.youtube.com/user/cbeebiesgrownups/featured.
There isn't much in the way of South African or African offerings, so if you want to expose your children to more local entertainment here are a few options:
HooplaKidz Recipes
Subscribers: 440105
The channel showcases easy-to-follow tutorials that enables kids to discover their inner culinary connoisseur.
https://www.youtube.com/user/HooplaKidzRecipes/featured.
Disney Channel Africa
Subscribers: 224345
The home for Disney Channel on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/DisneyChannelZA/featured.
Rob The Ranger Wildlife Videos
Subscribers: 93770
The latest wildlife sightings feature animals seen on safari such as lions, leopards, elephants and hyena and many more African animals.
https://www.youtube.com/user/iduberobtheranger/featured.