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The Kid Should See This
There’s just so much science, nature, music, art, technology, storytelling and assorted good stuff out there that my kids (and maybe your kids) haven’t seen. It’s most likely not stuff that was made for them…
But we don’t underestimate kids around here.
2020 Webby Award Winner
The Kid Should See This is a Webby Award-winning collection of 6,000+ kid-friendly videos, curated for teachers and parents who want to share smarter, more meaningful media in the classroom and at home. And thanks to our members, it’s free and available for everyone.
Selections are grown-up-friendly, too. TKSST champions smart STEAM, history, and culture-focused content by museums, organizations, and creators who celebrate curiosity, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, kindness, and other essential themes for all ages.

 

Enjoy around 10 to 15 newly-added videos every week, browse the collections, and search topics in the archives. Founded in 2011, The Kid Should See This is curated and maintained by me, Rion Nakaya.
The internet is full of amazing content…

Sometimes it’s just challenging to find it! TKSST spotlights a wide variety of short and engaging videos that can start conversations, spark questions, & inspire offline exploration for all ages.

What kind of videos are on this site?

TKSST’s video selections are driven by wonder, enthusiasm, and “wow!” moments. We cover all topics under and beyond our sun, with a special focus on STEAM—science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

TKSST is also on a mission to share information about subjects that are often misunderstood, like evolution, climate science, and clean energy solutions, and look for opportunities to amplify women and people of color who work in STEAM fields.

Browse the main navigation and TKSST’s collections, find related topic tags below every video, or search the site for specific content.

“Not made for kids… but perfect for them”?

YES! Frankly, a lot of kid-targeted media is mind-numbingly difficult to watch, often full of simplistic narration, smart-alecky dialogue, or wacky noises. Instead, TKSST surfaces media that’s not made specifically for children, but that can be meaningful to anyone of any age. Each video on TKSST is selected to contribute to a kid-friendly corner on the internet that doesn’t underestimate what children can learn or what they might be interested in.

Adults can learn new stuff, too.

…or as my (then) 6yo said, “You know, there are actually no adults. It’s just that adults are the oldest kids.”

When videos appeal to kids and adults alike, it’s a lot more fun to sit down and watch together, and it’s easier to model curiosity and critical thinking. Parent and mentor involvement has a lasting impact on kids, helps build a shared vocabulary, and provides an opportunity to demonstrate that learning doesn’t stop as we grow older.

We’re huge fans of co-viewing. Author Anya Kamenetz has written some insightful guidelines from her research on this. Inspired by food writer Michael Pollan, she advises: “Enjoy screens. Not too much. Mostly together.”

Click play and start a conversation.

Every video is just the beginning of the story. New questions, continued discussions, related reading, googling, and writing, and trying out new things can all be next steps in exploring our changing world. Featured videos can also play a part in Genius Hour, inquiry-based learning, flipped classroom activities, integrated studies, and inspiring hands-on experiments, projects, challenges, and experiences.

A note on internet safety…

The Kid Should See This has a reputation for being a safe place to find kid-friendly videos. That’s a big deal to me, especially with some of the disappointing news surrounding YouTube and YouTube Kids.

That said, TKSST.com is not a closed ecosystem. Though we work to reduce distraction and keep the focus on curated content, please be aware that auto-promoted videos by YouTube and Vimeo are not always hidden from view, specifically in full-screen mode. Unfortunately, we can’t control video ads. We also link to other sites and resources to help provide more information.

We recommend watching videos with kids or staying within earshot to make sure they’re sticking with media you’re comfortable with, as well as pre-screening for younger viewers just in case TKSST curation doesn’t quite match up with your family or classroom goals. If you have any feedback, please let us know.

Related reading: What is media literacy, and why is it important?

Our gift guide + your support…

In November 2014, I launched The TKSST Gift Guide to connect our readers with smart books, games, toys, and more that we genuinely like and use, and/or have been featured on TKSST, and/or are on our wish list. It’s enjoyed praise from Jason Kottke, Recomendo, Austin Kleon, and other awesome supporters.

As of April 2020, I’ve started sharing TKSST book recommendations at Bookshop.org in support local independent bookstores. Please consider this option when shopping for smart books.

We’re also fans and customers of Kiwi Co’s STEAM activity kits for all ages.

Affiliate links are included in the gift guide and on this site. These help us earn a small percentage of the purchase total. The more you spend, the more you support the many hours and associated costs of running TKSST all year round. Thank you!

Membership

In June 2020, my costs to run TKSST doubled. Sudden high traffic during this unprecedented crisis—evidence that TKSST and the videos we share are needed by educators and parents—combined with a severe drop in ad revenue, and so I launched TKSST Membership, another way for readers to support the site.

If you’re able to, please become a sustaining member of The Kid Should See This. Your help keeps TKSST online and free for everyone.

Additional resources:

Edutopia and KQED MindShift have a treasure trove of excellent articles about innovation in education. We rely on Common Sense Media regularly. Wide Open School is a wonderful resource. We also highly recommend your local Maker Faire, and these wonderful kid-friendly podcasts: But Why, Tumble, Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Everything Under the Sun, and The Past & The Curious to start…

TKSST elsewhere…

Read about how the site got started at Lifehacker and Design for Mankind, listen to an interview on Wisconsin Public Radio, watch seven favorite STEM videos for kids on RiChannel, and get hands-on with Fun Summer DIY Projects on Edutopia.

The Kid Should See This has also been mentioned in Real Simple, and on Mashable, Makezine, Boing Boing, The Next Web, Kottke, SwissMiss, GeekDad, Brain Chase, The Times of India, Graphite, EdLab, and Cool Mom Tech.

Thank you so much for visiting and supporting The Kid Should See This.

rion

Rion Nakaya, TKSST Founder

Founder and editor Rion Nakaya loves storytelling, sustainable tech, well-designed spaces, libraries, and wandering the halls of small museums and science centers. She’s produced educational videos for kids, curated kid-friendly digital content for non-profits, and mixed brand strategy and UX into interactive projects for museums, Fortune 100 clients, digital collections, and startups. Rion (sounds like Ryan) started TKSST in Oakland, California, in 2011. Say hello.

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