For those parents with children who want their kids to be able to enjoy Spotify’s music in a safe way, there is an exciting new option: Spotify Kids. Described by Spotify as a “playground of sound,” this app was made available for the first time in Ireland as a beta test in October 2019, and has since launched in various markets around the world.
As of the end of March 2020, it is now ready for download in the U.S. and Canada. The use of the app is available exclusively for subscribers of the Spotify Premium Family subscription, so if you’re only on the Premium Individual plan or the free version of Spotify, you will need to upgrade in order to take advantage of it.
Spotify Kids Features
The Spotify Kids app is the first of its kind. Before, children would sign in with a different login to their parent’s account in order to stream and listen to their music. Now, kids have an entire app just for them. Spotify for kids is ad-free and offers playlists, songs, and artists that are hand-picked by editors who ensure the content is clear of any lyrics that aren’t age appropriate, allowing parents to have peace of mind when their child is streaming music. Spotify also assures that their newest app is formed with years of research and consultation with child content experts and child-focused organizations such as the National Children’s Museum in Washington D.C.
Spotify Kids is advertised as being geared towards kids aged 12 and under, and can be customized to the age of the child. It can even evolve as your child grows, starting with preschool-appropriate songs such as nursery rhymes, lullabies, and sing-alongs, and moving towards popular songs and artists tailored for every age group. Additionally, it gives kids an entire music streaming experience by appealing to their visual and cognitive skills. They’re enjoy bright colors, fun graphics, artwork, and more. Navigation is simple, illuminated by easy-to-understand boxes and uncomplicated text.
Music
The app now offers more than 8,000 songs for kids to choose from and the library will continue to grow. Kids can access beloved Disney songs and stories, as well as other fairytales and short story audiobooks. Half of the content is also curated based on what is popular in the country where you live.
For U.S. users, the app reflects the diverse and multicultural population of the country. In addition to the usual content, it offers genres such as motown, country, christian, and latin music. Spotify has even made sure to prioritize educational content with a playlist hub titled “Learning.” Here, children can explore topics like counting, the ABCs, science, and even songs about personal hygiene, such as Pinkfong’s “Wash Your Hands with Baby Shark.” Many parents have stated that they love using the app during bedtime, when they can play calming music, soothing sounds, bedtime stories, and lullabies.
Settings
In the settings, each child is able to choose both an avatar for themselves and a color theme. Parents can enter the child’s name in the account so that they’ll be greeted with their name upon entering the app. You can also edit their date of birth. Under the “Parental Settings” category within each account, parents can adjust the PIN number and can select between “Audio for older kids” (ages 5 – 12) and “Audio for younger kids” (ages 0 – 6). This can help them to decide what their child listens to. They can also add or delete kids’ accounts as needed.
As for the future of the app, Spotify reports that they intend to increase the amount of parental customization available, so that parents can fully personalize and tailor the app for their child’s needs. They also plan to eventually introduce more stories, audiobooks, and even podcasts, modifying them as needed based on parent and caregiver feedback.
Currently, a Spotify Premium Family plan costs $14.99 and offers up to 6 different accounts. You can compare this to a Premium Individual subscription, which is valued at $9.99 and only includes one account. Besides the Kids app, the family plan also offers a playlist called “Family Mix.” It’s music that the entire family can listen to together. Families might want to consider upgrading to see if it works for them. Spotify Kids is the perfect option for worry-free, kid-friendly streaming.
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