Free Children's Media

As a student in the School of Media Arts and Studies at Ohio University, I have found that accessibility to movies, television, and music has been lacking due to companies putting art behind paywalls and subscription fees. This results in streaming services keeping money that should go towards supporting artists, musicians, and directors, as well as others who have worked on shows and movies and music that we all enjoy. My peers and I are learning about what to expect when we begin our careers post-graduation, and that these aren’t easy, money-making careers, which is why I am so passionately advocating for keeping public media for the public. Specifically, I hope that all children can have access to media meant to inspire and teach them about the value of knowledge and creativity.

Sesame Street on Netflix

Sesame Street had a home on HBO Max until recently, when Netflix bought the rights to all previously aired 50 years of television. Sesame Street is home to lovable characters like Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Big Bird, and has taught many of America’s children how to count, how to read based on how letters sound (phonetic reading), and the importance of diversity within a community.

However, this sparked a debate about putting children’s media behind a paywall. 

Sesame Street is loved by both kids and parents (and grandparents due to the deep history of the program). No other children’s television program had been as long lasting and culturally influential as Sesame Street. But there are less than 10 episodes up on PBS Kids, a website that hosts a number of skill building games and clips from episodes. However, there are some consequences to putting media behind a subscription or paywall.

Consequences of Profit-Driven Media

While many studies of paywalls and their effects on media focus on news and journalism, much of the evidence these studies find, can apply to the comparison between public media and for-profit media.

For instance, Megan Figueroa discusses how podcasting breaks through both the psychological paywall of linguistics and the literal paywall of subscriptions in her 2022 article, Podcasting past the paywall: How diverse media allows more equitable participation in linguistic science. Subscription-based media alienizes those who are less privileged and don’t have the extra money to put towards a subscription based service. Also, much of scientific research is behind a subscription fee, full of niche language, and is written with very little diversity in voice or emotion. 

Podcasts are typically available for free, but podcasters do profit off the views and listens they get on streaming services, as well as any subscription-based extra content via sites like Patreon. Their discussions are generally born of genuine interest with language that is less policed than academic articles, making the information more digestible for the average person.

So, with much of children’s television behind a paywall, it poses the risk for a gap between cultural, scientific, and historical knowledge and curiosity of children in different socioeconomic backgrounds.

Where do we go from here?

I’m so glad you asked! I want to lead you on a journey of nostalgia and research to find children’s programming for little to no cost to you and your family. A little disclaimer, though, I am only listing ways to find shows that are free and marketed towards children. I am not here to list content warnings or to say which shows and programs are the best to watch if you want your child to grow up to be [insert personality].

Ways to ensure Shows are Kid-Appropriate

If you want to see what content is included in a children’s show, or see what lessons and messaging your children are getting from their media, there are many websites that list those warnings for parents. This list includes, but is not limited to:

• Parents Television & Media Council,

• Common Sense Media, and

• Kids-In-Mind

THE LIBRARY!

First on my list, and always, ALWAYS at the top: your local library!

Here, in Southeast Ohio, we have several public libraries scattered around the area. And there is almost always a library located in your county seat, if you live in a more rural area in Ohio. Most of their catalogues include children’s movies and TV episodes on DVD. I have fond memories of checking out every Max & Ruby DVD at my local library to watch while I was in preschool.

There is a stipulation with this: you need a DVD player and a TV (sometimes your library will lend out a DVD player, just ask your local librarian).

But, if you have a mobile device or a TV and Roku, you can use Hoopla Digital! When you sign up for a library card, most public libraries allow you to link your card with the website to stream  movies and TV shows. This is a great option for when you don’t have immediate access to a library or transportation. Even better: Hoopla has a Kid’s Mode. “When you turn on Kids Mode, you’ll only see content recommended for kids 12 and younger.” Hoopla was also a lifesaver for me when I had a homework assignment to watch a documentary that was blocked by a paywall.

Athens County Public Libraries also lets you use your library card to connect to Kanopy, a similar website and app. A unique feature with Kanopy, though, is the abundance of storytimes with well-known kid’s books and kids-centered media, but no well-known television. They also have feature films for parents, so it can be your one-stop shop for entertainment. 

If you’re outside of Athens County, check your local library’s website for their information.

(P.S. If you don’t have Wi-Fi or internet at home, some libraries might even have Wi-Fi routers that they can lend for short periods of time!)

Public Media and Production Companies

Next up is the production companies themselves!

Media companies like National Geographic, Nickelodeon, and PBS have their own websites for children’s media. If you have a Roku or smart TV, you will also be able to download the apps onto the TV. However, where the websites and mobile apps have games and videos, the Roku app only has videos.

NatGeo Kids has video series and games available for kids to learn and play with. While there are no actual TV shows produced by National Geographic on the website, there are a lot of options to engage your kids! If your children are into watching sports and competitions, you can watch the Animal Showdown collection. Their animal videos are organized by how animals are classified (prehistoric, mammals, reptiles, etc.), but they also have science and history videos under “Explore More”!

Nick Jr. is also another option that maintains their videos for free online. They have a portion of their website dedicated to their younger children. It’s filled with Dora, Peppa Pig, and PAW Patrol videos and games. However, when looking for videos, you might have to sort through Nickelodeon’s entire video collection of clips for younger kids, but also video clips for older children and younger teens (Spongebob Squarepants, Henry Danger, and Wylde Pak).

As we circle back around to PBS Kids, they seem to have the largest selection of video clips catered towards children under the age of 10, and they also have full episodes available on the website. Wild Kratts, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and Curious George are just a few of the recognizable shows available to view.

An issue with these websites is that you may not have the option to view the entire series, either because the selections are also available behind a paywall or because the selections have already been archived by the media company. Using the Roku and Smart TV apps helps make the process of finding programs to watch easier, and you can take the remote with you, so the kiddos don’t explore past the app. One benefit of using these websites are the games for kids to play based on the characters and plot of the episodes, so they can practice and develop the skills displayed in the show.

YouTube Kids

Lastly, and one of the most accessible options, is YouTube Kids. YouTube has videos for any age, any interest, and (usually) any language. The downside, however, is that anyone can post, edit, and adapt any media and post it as their own creation. I suggest watching through the videos before letting your children watch them, too. Be cautious of jumpscares, mature content and language.

Youtube allows you, as a caregiver or guardian, to set up multiple kids accounts according to the tastes of each of your children. YouTube advertises the kids account as something you have control over, so you can handpick which videos your kids can watch, how many videos your kids can watch, and how long your kids can watch. You also have the option to turn off the algorithm and prevent YouTube from suggesting videos that you have not approved. The kids accounts will also be present on your devices the next time you login to your account. Some popular channels include Blippi and Ms Rachel. There are also videos from popular shows, like Mickey Mouse and PAW Patrol. 

Please use your discretion to determine if the media your children are watching and engaging with align with the values you have for your family. Also, note that going screen-free is also an option, in which case media would include music and books, which can be accessible through YouTube and your local library as well!

Figueroa, M. (2022). Podcasting past the paywall: How diverse media allows more equitable participation in linguistic science. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 42, 40–46. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190521000118