How to set up a YouTube channel designed for children
Creating a YouTube channel for kids requires a Google account, but the account itself does not have to belong to the child. Most parents create and manage the channel from their own account, then decide what content restrictions and viewing limits to put in place. YouTube offers YouTube Kids — a separate app with built-in parental controls — and also lets you create a standard channel with manual restrictions applied to it.
The fastest route is to sign into your existing Google account on YouTube.com, click your profile icon in the top right, select "Create a channel," name it, and customize the banner and description. From there, you control what videos upload, who can comment, and whether the channel is public or unlisted. If you want a more restricted environment from the start, YouTube Kids is a free app available on phones, tablets, and some smart TVs that pre-filters content by age group and lets you set screen time limits.
Key Takeaways
- You create a YouTube channel through your own Google account, not through a child's account, and you remain the owner and manager.
- YouTube Kids is a separate app with built-in age-appropriate filtering and parental controls, available free on most devices.
- A standard YouTube channel can be restricted by turning off comments, disabling recommendations, and marking it as made for kids in the channel settings.
- If you mark a channel as made for kids, YouTube limits data collection and disables personalized ads, but you lose access to some features like Super Chat.
- You can change privacy settings at any time — switching between public, unlisted, and private — without losing the channel or its videos.
Creating a standard YouTube channel and applying restrictions
Start by signing into your Google account and going to YouTube.com. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Create a channel." You will be asked to name the channel — this is the name viewers see. Choose something clear so parents and guardians know what the channel contains.
Once the channel exists, go to the channel settings by clicking your profile icon again and selecting "Settings." Under the "Basic info" tab, you will see a checkbox that says "Is this channel made for kids?" Check this box if the channel will feature content intended for children. When you do, YouTube restricts data collection and turns off personalized ads, but it also disables features like Super Chat and channel memberships. This is a legal requirement under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) if your content is directed at children under 13.
To further restrict the channel, go to "Community" in the left menu and turn off comments entirely, or set comments to require your approval before they appear. Under "Advanced settings," you can disable recommendations and notifications. These steps prevent strangers from contacting children through the platform and reduce the chance that the algorithm suggests unrelated content.
Using YouTube Kids for a pre-filtered viewing experience
YouTube Kids is a free app designed specifically for children and comes with parental controls built in. Download it on iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, or Chromebook. When you first open the app, you create a parent account and then add child profiles within it. Each child profile can be set to one of four age ranges: Toddler (under 4), Preschool (4–5), School (6–8), or Older Kids (9–12).
The app pre-filters videos based on the age group you select, removing content with violence, profanity, or mature themes. You can further customize what your child sees by blocking specific channels or videos, and you can turn off search entirely so your child can only watch videos you have approved. YouTube Kids also lets you set daily screen time limits — once the limit is reached, the app locks until the next day.
YouTube Kids does not show ads in the traditional sense, but it does display promotional content for YouTube products and other family-friendly services. The app does not collect personal data for advertising purposes, which is a key difference from the standard YouTube platform.
Managing who can comment and interact with your channel
Comments are one of the biggest safety concerns on any public channel. To control comments on your channel, go to Settings, then "Community," and choose one of three options: allow all comments, hold all comments for approval, or disable comments entirely. For a kids' channel, holding comments for approval or disabling them is the safer choice.
You can also block specific users or words. In the Community settings, there is a section for "Blocked words" where you can add terms you do not want to appear in comments. YouTube also has an automatic filter that catches common spam and offensive language, but it is not perfect — manual approval gives you the final say.
If someone leaves an inappropriate comment before you see it, you can delete it and block the user from commenting again. Viewers can also report comments, and YouTube will review them. Keep in mind that if you disable comments entirely, you lose the ability to build community engagement, but you eliminate the risk of unwanted contact.
Setting privacy levels: public, unlisted, and private
Every video on your channel has its own privacy setting, separate from the channel's overall privacy. When you upload a video, you choose whether it is public (anyone can find it through search and recommendations), unlisted (only people with the link can watch it), or private (only you and people you invite can watch it).
For a kids' channel, unlisted is often the best middle ground. It lets you share videos with specific people — parents, teachers, or family members — without making them searchable or recommendable to strangers. If you want even more control, you can keep videos private and send the link only to people you trust.
You can change a video's privacy setting at any time after uploading. If you upload a video as public and later decide it should be unlisted, simply edit the video, change the privacy setting, and save. The video stays on your channel; only the visibility changes.
Choosing between a channel you manage and a child's own account
YouTube's terms of service require users to be at least 13 years old to have their own account. If your child is younger than 13, you must create and manage the channel yourself. If your child is 13 or older, you have the option to let them create their own account, but you can still supervise it using YouTube's Family Link feature.
Family Link is a Google tool that lets you set screen time limits, restrict search, and see what your child watches — all from your own account. You link your child's account to yours, and then you can adjust their settings remotely. This approach gives your child some independence while keeping you informed.
For children under 13, managing the channel yourself is the only legal option. You upload videos, respond to comments, and control all settings. Your child can appear in videos or help create content, but the account belongs to you.
Understanding COPPA and why it matters for kids' channels
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a U.S. federal law that restricts how websites and apps collect data from children under 13. YouTube enforces COPPA by requiring creators to mark channels as "made for kids" if their content is directed at children. When you do this, YouTube disables personalized ads and limits data collection.
If you do not mark your channel as made for kids and YouTube later determines that your content is directed at children, you can face fines. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has issued fines to creators and platforms for COPPA violations. The safest approach is to mark your channel as made for kids if any of your content features children, is educational for children, or uses animation, toys, or other content typically appealing to kids.
Marking your channel as made for kids does have trade-offs: you lose access to Super Chat, channel memberships, and some other monetization features. However, if your goal is to create content for children rather than to earn money, this is a reasonable choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my child have their own YouTube account?
YouTube requires users to be at least 13 years old to create an account. If your child is younger, you must create and manage the channel yourself. If your child is 13 or older, they can create their own account, and you can supervise it using Google Family Link to set screen time limits and restrict search.
What is the difference between YouTube Kids and a regular channel with restrictions?
YouTube Kids is a separate app with pre-filtered content by age group, built-in screen time limits, and no personalized ads. A regular channel with restrictions gives you more control over what you upload but requires you to manually manage comments and settings. YouTube Kids is simpler for younger children; a restricted regular channel is better if you want to upload specific content.
Do I lose my channel if I mark it as made for kids?
No. Marking your channel as made for kids does not delete it or remove videos. It changes how YouTube treats the channel — disabling personalized ads and limiting data collection — but the channel remains yours to manage. You can change this setting at any time.
Can people comment on videos in YouTube Kids?
No. YouTube Kids does not allow comments at all. This is one of the safety features built into the app. If you want to allow comments on a regular channel, you must approve them manually or disable them entirely.
What happens if I do not mark my channel as made for kids when it should be?
YouTube and the FTC can issue warnings or fines if your content is directed at children but not marked as such. The safest approach is to mark your channel as made for kids if it features children, educational content for kids, or animation and toys typically appealing to children.