How to Start a YouTube Blog for Kids: A Complete Guide for Parents

For those of you aiming to help your kids start their YouTube blog, here's some really good news. We've gathered 7 life hacks that have proven successful for our partners in the Kids & Teens YouTube category, helping them reach millions of subscribers. Today, we're thrilled to share these strategies with you.

We'll also guide you on how to create a YouTube channel for your kids under 13 and keep them safe while they start their own blog.

To give your motivation an extra push, consider this: even though YouTube is meant for users older than 13 years, kid-friendly content is super popular, with top channels hitting tens of millions of subscribers. Yes, it's a lot of work, but don't worry — we're here to make it easier for you.

Resource Statista.

Starting a YouTube Blog for Kids Under 13

If your child is under 13, they can't have their own YouTube channel. As a parent, you can create one for them using your Google account. This enables them to upload videos, engage with viewers, and showcase their creativity. For kids aged 13 to 17, they can have their own channel, but your parental permission is required.

How to set up a YouTube channel for your kid?

To set up a YouTube Channel for your kid, you only need to follow a few easy steps:

1. Get a Google Account if you don't have one. You can create it by either using an existing account or setting up a new one specifically for your child's channel.
2. Log in to YouTube: Use your Google account and make sure it's the correct one to associate it with your child's channel.
3. Open YouTube Studio: Click on your profile picture, and then select "YouTube Studio."
4. Create the Channel: In YouTube Studio, click "Create" > "Upload video." Follow the steps to set up your child's channel, keeping safety in mind by steering clear of personal information.

Extra Tip #1: Setting up a YouTube Channel for your kids is one thing, but putting their blog on YouTube Kids is a bit trickier. There is a guide under this link that will show you how to do it.

Now that your kids' channel is set up, let's move on to the most important part: kids' safety on YouTube. Here are some basic rules.

Help your child stay safe online

Remind them not to share personal info, use strong passwords, recognize phishing attempts, be cautious with strangers, respect others' privacy, and report anything that feels off. Your child probably already knows not to share private details like their address, name, or school. But it's important to watch out for subtle information hints, such as making videos in a school uniform or disclosing their location or plans. 

Remember to keep the conversation open—talk to them about their online experiences.

Consider Privacy Settings

You can choose to make the channel private or unlisted, limiting viewers to only those with the link. This ensures safety by restricting access to friends and family. However, keep in mind that these privacy settings might hinder building a successful channel as they limit a wider audience.

Extra Tip #2: You can also turn on YouTube's Restricted Mode for extra content protection.

Monitor Comments or Turn Them Off

Regularly monitor your child's video comments for safety. Teach them not only to appreciate positive comments but to respond to inappropriate comments and to report any concerns promptly. Consider turning off comments for added protection, especially if your child is still learning to navigate online interactions. 

Stay Involved

Actively engage in your child's YouTube experience. Review their channel, discuss content, address concerns regularly, and set some rules about their YouTube blogging. It could be something like:

1. They should get permission before featuring siblings or other people in their YouTube videos.
2. They can't upload videos on YouTube without showing you first.
3. They need approval from you for collaborations with other YouTubers.
4. They must not use stunts, challenges, or activities that might be unsafe.
5. They can't disclose specific details about your home, like room layouts or addresses.
6. They should not share harmful or offensive opinions.
7. They can't share passwords or give access to the YouTube account to anyone.
8. They must follow YouTube rules for content creators.

Once your kids' channel is secure and set up, it's time to guide them in building a successful blog. 

How to Help Your Kid Make a Successful YouTube Blog?

To kick things off, let's explore 7 tips for starting and growing a kids' blog on YouTube.

1. What Your Kid Can't Stop Talking About? Help Them Find a Topic

YouTube offers a ton of content type options, making it the number 1 video platform in popularity. But, choosing what to blog about can be a bit overwhelming. Simple advice: 

"Help your kid focus on something they love!" 

If it's enjoyable for them, the motivation will stick around. Encourage your kids to check out YouTubers they like for format ideas, but make sure they understand not to copy them.  YouTube is a chance for your child to show their own shiny personality that people would love to follow. So, help them be their authentic selves in their videos.

Extra Tip #3. To spark your creativity, we've put together a list of 18 content ideas for your kids' YouTube channel. Take a look for some inspiration!

2. All You Really Need is a Smartphone, But…

All you need to make videos is a working camera. It could be a smartphone, iPhone, Android, GoPro, expensive or cheap camera—anything works when you're starting. But for a pro touch, consider investing in:

1. Microphones. Here you can find more about how to make the voice sound better on YouTube.
2. Ring light.
3. Tripod Stand.

These will make your kid look pro, just like successful YouTubers.

3. Blogging is also about Planning

Teach your kid that YouTube isn’t just about posting random videos; it’s about consistent planning. You can sit down with them and help to create a content plan:

• What do they want to record?
• Where do they want to do it?
• When do they have time for it?
• Consider how much time the recording and editing will take.
• Maybe come up with a series of videos for their first playlist.

This way, your child will not only learn how to be a blogger but also absorb the skill of responsible planning.

4. Help Your Kid to Post Consistently and Stream it 24/7!

Being consistent on YouTube is key, aiming for 1-3 videos per week is a good start, especially when building an audience. The impact of regular posting is huge. Take Kids Diana Show, our partner, for example; they went from 0 to 112 million subscribers by posting 6-7 times a week in their first year.

Here's the good news: even if your posting schedule gets messed up, there's a trick – continuous streams! You can help your kid launch continuous streams with their videos to keep those subscribers coming. There's a handy tool for that called Gyre.

5. Keep the Videos Steady, Clear, and Smooth

There are hundreds of tips on how to record and enhance YouTube videos. It's easy to get lost in them, especially when you are just starting. So here are some ground rules for you to take under the belt and help your kids record good-quality videos.

1. Make sure the videos aren't shaky; viewers like a steady shot.
2. Move the camera slower; you can speed the video up later in editing.
3. Advise your kid to speak clearly so it's not gonna be hard for viewers to understand the content.
4. If there is background music, keep it low; loud music drowns out the voice.
5. You don't have to go crazy with editing; fancy effects aren't always needed.

6. Optimize Your Kid's Channel

YouTube is the world's second-biggest search engine. To make sure people find your child's videos, optimize them for keywords. Keywords are like tags that describe your content, so when someone searches, your video shows up. For instance, if you search 'try not to laugh', videos with these words in titles/descriptions pop up.

Extra Tip #4. You can use this complete guide on YouTube SEO to make the videos your child uploads on YouTube rank higher.

7. Keep Your Eyes on YouTube Analytics

Don't overlook the Analytics Tab in YouTube Studio—it's pretty useful. Sit down with your kid and analyze the channel, figuring out what's working and what isn't. Keep an eye on:

1. Comments
2. Likes
3. Shares
4. Watch-time

Having this data helps your kids do more of what resonates with their audience, making their channel more successful.

This is pretty much the scoop on starting your kids' YouTube channel. When you sense that your child genuinely enjoys it, and you'd like to support their channel's growth, just reach out to us! We've got tons of great strategies that have already helped others grow. Take the HZHtube Kids channel, for example – we translated their videos into 12 languages, and now they have over 54 million subscribers worldwide, even though the main channel has only 12 million. Your kids' channel could be the next big hit in fast growth!