The algorithm picks what your kids watch next.
We use YouTube Kids at home too, and we still lost control of what our kids watch.
Built to hook kids
Hyperactive characters, neon colors and nonstop noise keep kids staring. Many of these videos teach nothing, and kids copy what they see.
Blocking can't keep up
Block one channel and the feed finds three more just like it.
You lose track of what they watch
The feed picks what plays next. You find out what they watched after they watched it.
Yesterday
Blocked
So we took the algorithm out.
SafeShelf has no feed and no recommendations. You pick every channel and video, your kids see that list and nothing else, and search only looks inside it. If a video isn't on the shelf, they can't reach it.
- No trending, no suggested videos from outside the list.
- Kids can ask a parent for a new channel with one tap.
- Leaving the shelf needs your PIN.
Feed vs. shelf
Three steps. Then the TV is theirs.
Pick on your phone
Search YouTube, then add the channels and videos you trust. Start with a few. Add more any time.
Sort into categories
Learning, Science, Music, Stories. Kids tap a category and find what they want in seconds.
Let them watch
Link your TV with a QR code or a short code. Your child picks a friend and starts watching their shelf.
Calm controls on your side of the screen.
Parent mode looks different from the kids' app, so nobody gets confused about which one they are in.
Channels and videos
Add whole channels or single videos. We mark which ones YouTube says are made for kids and flag videos that cannot play outside YouTube.
Categories
Drop each channel into a category.
Parent PIN
A 4-digit PIN guards parent mode on every device. Forgot it? Sign in again to reset it.
Time limits Plus
Set a daily limit and a bedtime for each child. When time is up, the friend says goodnight.
Weekly report Plus
See minutes per day and per category. SafeShelf counts watch time itself.
A shelf for each child Plus
Up to 5 children, each with their own friend, age range and limits. Free covers one child.
Every child picks a guide.
The friend says hello by name, cheers when things go well, and makes "no" feel kind.
Bao
Calm and cuddly
Remy
Clever and friendly
Hoot
Wise and watchful
Bolt
Cheerful and techy
One shelf, on every device.
Android TV
Big tiles, remote friendly, full screen playback.
Tablet
Android and iPad, with the same shelf and the same friend.
iPhone and Android
Kids watch on the go. Parents manage the shelf from here.
One account
Sign in with Google, or Apple on iPhone. Link a TV with a code.
Good questions, short answers.
Do I need a YouTube account?
No. You sign in with Google, or Apple on iPhone, so we know who you are. SafeShelf only reads your name and email, and never asks for YouTube permissions.
I already block channels. Why isn't that enough?
Blocking removes one channel, and the recommendations keep finding similar ones. SafeShelf starts from an empty shelf. Nothing shows up until you add it.
Can my child reach anything outside the shelf?
No. There is no home feed, no outside recommendations and no links out. Search only looks inside the list you made. Up next shows videos from the same shelf.
Will my child see ads?
Videos play in YouTube's own player, so any ads YouTube shows can appear. SafeShelf does not block or change them. We mark videos made for kids and play them with tracking turned off.
Does it work on my TV?
It runs on Android TV and Google TV. Open SafeShelf on the TV, scan the QR code with your phone or type the short code, and the TV links to your account.
What do you keep about my child?
A child profile holds a first name, a friend and an age range. You can delete it any time, and a PIN protects deleting.
Build their shelf tonight.
It takes about five minutes to add the first channels.