Parents with young children now have a new option for tablet-based entertainment, as Google on Monday officially unveiled YouTube Kids, a new app for the video sharing site focused on enabling children to discover content for themselves.
YouTube Kids breaks video content down into four categories: Shows, Music, Learning, and Explore. The app also includes a search function to find specific videos, and YouTube says that it will only display content appropriate for children.
Google has secured content for YouTube Kids from DreamWorks TV, Jim Henson TV, Mother Goose Club, and Talking Tom and Friends, among others. A curated selection of videos from existing kid-friendly YouTube channels is available as well.
Parents can set limits for the length of time that children can use the app, and background music and sound effects can be disabled. The search function can also be turned off, restricting viewing to only pre-approved videos.
YouTube Kids was initially leaked late last week, and reports suggested that it would debut exclusively on Android, though that is not the case. The app is available now as a free, 45-megabyte download from the App Store.