Digital Kids Show at Event City Manchester #DigiKids

We were invited to attend the Digital Kids Show held at Event City in Manchester this weekend. This brand new event showcases the latest in kids' tech, toys, games, apps and devices, alongside lots of exciting activities and opportunities to meet and greet some of the UK's best YouTubers.

Both 7 year old Freddy and 14 year old Kezia came to the event with us, and we spent the whole day there (with an hour taken at lunchtime to pop to the Trafford Centre for food - the catering at the event wasn't great for vegetarians).

There are lots of stands at the event with exhibitors such as YouTube Kids, Scalextrix and CBBC.

You can learn about internet safety, discover new STEM toys, listen to stories, play with apps, do some crafts and try yoga. There is an inflatable planetarium where Freddy learned about the star constellations and he visited the moon using a VR headset with Google Expeditions.

Much of the show is dedicated to gaming and whether you want to do some retro gaming, play Minecraft, test drive racing games, experience VR or try out the latest games on the XBox One, there is something for everyone.

The main stage had a line up including Q&A's with YouTubers such as Netty Plays, Smallish Beans, Ethan Gamer, Ash Dubh, LD Shadow Lady and Amy Lee. There were performances from BGT finalists Mythical PSM and Boogie Storm, which we enjoyed. There was also organised meets and greets for autographs and photos with the vloggers.

Highlights of the day included the inflatable Wipe Out equipment which Freddy loved. It was great to get him doing some physical challenges, competing against other kids in such a fun environment.

The Young Driver lessons were brilliant. Freddy drove a Firefly designed for kids aged 5 to 10 and Kezia drove a real full size car, giving her a taste of the road. They both did really well behind the wheel. What a fantastic opportunity and all included in the ticket price!

Freddy discovered Magformers a new construction STEM toy that uses magnetic geometric shapes to build 3D structures. He loved it so much we bought him a set (review to follow). It is a great educational toy that sparks imagination and helps brain development.

We enjoyed a full and action packed day. There was some queuing involved, as is the case with any event and the wi-fi wasn't great inside the venue, but aside from that it was a great experience giving both Freddy and Kezia a chance to try new things. I liked the mix of physical activities alongside the gaming and tech opportunities. There was lots to see and do and learn.

Full and half day tickets are still available for tomorrow (October 30th) priced from £12.50. Most activities are included and Dick and Dom will be there too.

Find out more at: http://www.digitalkidsshow.co.uk/

The Launch of YouTube Kids - a safer place for kids to watch online videos #YouTubeKids

Yesterday, we spent the day at London Zoo to celebrate the recent UK and Ireland launch of the new YouTube Kids app. We had been trying out the YouTube Kids app for a few days beforehand with 6 year old Freddy, and were excited to spend the day with the YouTube team along with some favourite TV characters and some real life animals from the zoo.

The YouTube Kids app is a bright and colourful, kid-friendly version of YouTube for tablets and smart phones, available for free from Google Play or the App Store. With access to videos featuring nursery rhymes and songs, educational videos on topics such as maths, science and space as well as TV favourites such as Peppa Pig, Morph, Talking Tom, Postman Pat, Thomas and the Octonauts, there are countless hours of quality videos available. With large images and bold icons it is easy for little ones to navigate, allowing them to safely search and explore exciting content to entertain and educate them. An impressive voice search feature allows children to search for their favourite characters and shows, allowing independence and giving them access to a world of possibilities.

Content is listed in four categories: Shows, Music, Learning and Explore, bringing a host of family-friendly entertainment into an easy to browse format. Children can browse channels and playlists or search for something of particular interest to them.

Freddy loves being able to access his favourite videos and search for things that interest him such as Minecraft, Annoying Orange and Battle for Dream Island! He even did a search on London Zoo, the night before we attended the event, so he knew what to expect. As a parent, I am confident that he won't accidentally stumble across anything inappropriate (such as the 18 rated, expletive ridden, dubbed episode of Dora the Explorer we found him watching at age 3!) The platform is safe, age appropriate and, as it doesn't need the child to have an account, allows them to have a logged out experience free from the dangers of interacting with strangers online.

The YouTube Kids app has built in parental controls allowing the grown-ups to take charge of their child's experience by controlling broader search settings or using a built in timer to limit a child's screen time. As no platform can be guaranteed 100% perfect, there is an option to flag up anything that may concern you, making YouTube Kids safer for everyone. YouTube Kids can also be viewed on the TV using a Chromecast, Apple TV, games console or a smart TV, so the whole family can watch together.

The event at London Zoo was every bit as bright, bold, colourful, interactive and entertaining as the app itself!  Ian and I, along with Freddy, Megan and Kezia arrived at the zoo early and spent a lovely hour wandering around the Bug House and the Penguins before checking in to the event itself. The venue had been transformed into a child-friendly wonderland with a wild animal theme, which was so inviting and exciting for the little ones. We were spoiled with some delicious food, given marvelous animal make-up and kept well and truly entertained.

Freddy absolutely loved taking part in all the activities. He met reindeer, a llama, meerkats, an armadillo and an owl in up close animal encounters. He met and hugged Postman Pat, Talking Tom & Ginger and Captain Barnacles. He had his face painted with an incredible tiger design and dressed up in a tiger costume. He played in an Octanauts themed ball pond, challenged his dad to a game of Hungry Hippos, played with some great cuddly toy animals, sat in the musical singing bus, enjoyed some really fabulous food and of course played on the YouTube Kids app on the special iPads. It was a brilliant family friendly event!

The YouTube Kids app is designed for children between 3 and 8 years old, providing a safe online experience with rich content especially for younger viewers. It is fun to use and easy to navigate. I am really impressed with the app and love that Freddy can explore video content independently online, discovering new shows, learning new things and accessing videos on topics that interest him safely. It is great for when we are out and about, visiting grandparents or away for the night, guaranteeing that he has something fun to watch to keep him entertained whenever needed. I applaud YouTube for creating such an exciting and interactive app that kids will not only love using, but will also help keep them safer online, protecting them from viewing inappropriate content.