By Shernay Williams, Word In Black
With school closing for the holidays, many children may turn to the most popular streaming platform in the world for entertainment: YouTube. In 2024, U.S. kids spent an average of 86 minutes a day watching YouTube and 108 minutes a day watching YouTube Kids, according to a recent report.
But despite the platform’s sea of content, it’s not always easy for parents to find engaging, educational content that centers Blackness. We searched YouTube and found six Black creators producing edutainment and representation.
History
Kids Black History
https://youtube.com/@kidsblackhistory
Raiya, a young girl based in the UK, teaches viewers about various aspects of Black history, including geography, inventions, music, hair, and food.
Fitness & Confidence
Hey! It’s Mr. J
https://www.youtube.com/@heyitsmr.j
Certified health and physical education teacher, Dave Joisil, known as Mr. J, encourages children to move to high-energy songs while building confidence and emotional intelligence through various exercises. Designed for children ages 2-7.
Kids Songs & Nursery Rhymes
Jools TV
Animated music videos with hip hop-inspired beats teaching children fundamental skills, such as ABCs, colors, and affirmations. Designed by Chicago-based couple Justin and Patrice Brim for children ages 1-6.
Gracie’s Corner
https://youtube.com/@graciescorner
An animated, educational series launched by the Hollingsworth family that remixes classic nursery rhymes and educational content to enhance cultural relevance.
Learning with Ms. Houston
https://www.youtube.com/@learningwithmshouston
Engaging educational content led by state-certified educator and homeschool mom, Briana Houston.
Science
Mike Likes Science
https://www.youtube.com/@mike.likes.science
A long-running channel featuring science-inspired music videos for older kids to learn about topics like coding, math, and space.
This editorial was originally published in Word In Black.
Photo by Liliana Drew: https://www.pexels.com/photo/kids-in-animal-costumes-playing-on-a-tablet-8501713/
