Spotify Launches New Kids App Designed To Give Parents Peace Of Mind

Spotify, a popular music streaming service, has long been a top resource for parents who love sharing music with their kids. But since the original app is geared toward adults, there has been some concerns about whether it's OK for kids to use without parental supervision. In response to this issue, Spotify launched a new kids app that is specifically designed for families, giving customers ages 3 and up the opportunity to explore their musical tastes safely. Not only is all of the content curated by trusted experts, but it gives kids the opportunity to exercise their independence.

Spotify Kids launched in Ireland Wednesday, and will soon be available to all Family Premium members in the near future. Premium Family, in case you didn't know already, is a monthly subscription giving customers "six premium accounts for family members under one roof" at the cost of $14.99. And if you've been on the fence about getting a subscription, now might be the time to go all in. That's because this new kids app sounds just perfect for music-loving families who also value safety.

The app has multiple content categories, including:

• Movies & TV shows
• Top hits
• Activities (play time, party time, bedtime and homework)
• Genres
• Seasonal
• Spotify Originals
• Artists/groups
• Stories

Each content category (which adds up to 6,000 tracks) features personally selected picks from trusted experts, as a press release outlined: "Our editors have nearly 100 years combined experience curating safe content for children and come from some of the most well-respected companies in this space including Nickelodeon, Disney, Discovery Kids, Universal Pictures, Public Service (Sweden) and BookBeat (family and kids-oriented audio streaming service)."

Best of all? There are no ads becaus it's apart of Premium Family, and parents can select privacy controls (“Audio for Younger Kids” or “Audio for Older Kids”) to ensure their kids are getting the best content.

To top it all off, the new app is full of color and features fun art for kids to enjoy. Kids can also pick from 12 cute monster avatars, adding another layer of entertainment.

As a former teacher, what sticks out to me about Spotify Kids is its focus on independence. Once you select your preferred parental control, kids can search for their own music or browse through albums at their own discretion. And I think it's an awesome way for kids to develop their musical tastes and interests, especially since it's so safe.

National Children's Museum President and CEO Crystal Bowyer applauded Spotify for its efforts in this area, stating, "We appreciate the thoughtful approach Spotify has taken to encourage safe, independent play and artistic enrichment for children in their new Kids App."

Then there's the topic of security, which is also important. Spotify "won’t collect location data and will allow parents to delete their children’s account data," according to The Hill, and it won't share any data with third parties.

For those who value safety and security, Spotify Kids sounds like a great option for music-loving families. Happy listening!