BBC launches iPlayer Kids app
April 12, 2016
The BBC has launched its new BBC iPlayer Kids app, available for free on iOS and Android phones and tablets, as well as Kindle Fire.
The new child-friendly app is safe and easy to use. With over 10,000 episodes being made available this year alone, it has all of BBC Children’s content in one place, allowing kids to discover and enjoy both new and old CBeebies and CBBC favourites including Wolfblood, Blue Peter, The Dumping Ground, Topsy & Tim and Go Jetters.
The BBC iPlayer Kids app will give children even easier access to their favourite programmes, while parents can be confident they’re watching shows appropriate for their age and free from adverts.
The BBC iPlayer Kids app lets you:
- Set a profile –the app allows up to four profiles on one device, so siblings can easily use it on a shared family mobile or tablet. Choose from one of the eight characters and add a name to get started
- Select your age – tell the app your age and it will serve up age-appropriate content for you from CBeebies and CBBC; pre-school children (under five) are only shown CBeebies content, while children over five are shown both CBBC and CBeebies content (customised to be suitable for their age)
- Watch whenever and wherever with downloads – parents and kids can download programmes over Wi-Fi to then watch on the go without an internet connection – perfect for a long car journey or holiday. Programmes will be available to download and stream for up to 30 days
- Quickly find favourite shows – kids who know exactly what they’re looking for can quickly find a programme with the search option. This feature automatically filters out CBBC programmes for children under five. There’s also a ‘Shows’ A-Z list of all programmes available
- Choose accessibility options – the app has been developed to work with native screen readers and assistive technologies. Episode pages show the availability of audio-described and signed versions of the programme, and subtitles can be turned on for programmes that you stream or download
- Stay safe – ad and in-app-purchase free, the app has been designed with the aim that children should be able to use it (as much as possible) without parent intervention. It uses a ‘safety lock’ to keep kids within the app, for example, if they try to access any BBC links, or settings
Alice Webb, Director of BBC Children’s, says: “Children have always been a priority for the BBC. So launching the BBC iPlayer Kids app is a really exciting moment for us – and we can’t wait to see millions of children get excited about it too. The BBC iPlayer Kids app meets the needs we know are absolute deal-breakers for kids and parents. We’re offering choice and control, wrapped up in a child-friendly design and the largest range of home-grown UK content on a platform parents can trust. In a nutshell, the app is CBBC and CBeebies in their hands – a BBC iPlayer re-designed for a new, digitally savvy generation. It’s free of charge, free from commercial influence, and brand new today.”
Dan Taylor-Watt, Head of BBC iPlayer, added: “We know from research that parents value having a version of BBC iPlayer that’s guaranteed to be free of programming aimed at adults, and that kids love a version of iPlayer that’s designed specially with them in mind. BBC iPlayer is available on over 10,000 devices in the UK for free and we’re thrilled to launch this app so kids can enjoy their favourite shows whenever and wherever they are, in a safe and fun space, packed with amazing content.”