BBC launches children’s iPlayer experience

The BBC has launched a children’s version of its iPlayer.

Housed within the iPlayer app, the service promises to “bring together the best from CBBC and CBeebies, and other suitable BBC programming, all in one place.”

The new children’s iPlayer doesn’t offer any new content, but rather curates the broadcaster’s kids shows – such as Hey Duggee and Gangsta Granny – in one place. The broadcaster said that it has been designed to  “give confidence to parents and carers that kids are watching suitable shows,” with more ‘child-friendly’ categories that let kids pick and browse between Trending, Drama, Funny and Cartoons.

Accessed through a monster shaped ‘children’ button, the service has been given a bright and bold design to make it distinct from the main iPlayer experience

Alice Webb, director BBC Children’s and Education, said: “Keeping children informed, educated and entertained at home during these unprecedented times is going to be even more important than ever. Whether it’s being a number detective with the Numberblocks, going on a global adventure with Go Jetters, or learning about the planet’s deadliest animals with Deadly 60 – this new experience gives children of all ages a place to go to do that. We can’t promise to solve sibling tiffs over what to watch – but we can make it even easier to bring families and kids an incredible choice of shows and films on iPlayer. Children and parents can be assured the BBC will be for them during these challenging times.”

Dan Taylor-Watt, director of product, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, said: “We know more and more iPlayer viewing is happening on the biggest screen in the home. We’re now making that experience even better for children – so they have a safe place to enjoy their favourite shows, discover new ones – and learn more, especially at the moment. And over time, this experience will get even better, with recommendations increasingly tailored to them – making sure they get the best kids experience possible.”

Last week, the BBC announced a “wide-ranging package of measures” to help it and the nation deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Measures introduced specifically for children include the aforementioned iPlayer portal, along with a daily education programme for different key stages, an expansion in BBC Bitesize content, an increase in education programming on the BBC iPlayer, and the creation of two new daily education podcasts (one for primary, one for secondary).