A great way to spend some of your lockdown time is to watch some YouTube videos.
It's a fantastic way to learn and explore new things and just to let your hair down and have a laugh. YouTube videos can be enjoyed together or alone and there really is no limit to the type of content you can watch, so you'll find great videos regardless of your hobbies and interests.
It's a great way to talk to people who share the same interests as you and hear their opinions to create those all so important communities that we all need to foster during times like these.
There are so many different categories to explore including music, entertainment and travel, and there is sure to be one that your teen will feel perfectly suited to.
One great thing about YouTube is that they also provide recommendations from the videos you've watched.
So this guide is only the starting point for inspiration.
500 hours of video content is added to YouTube every hour so it can be difficult to find the best and most appropriate channels to subscribe to. Check out some of the ideas below to help you and your teen find your next favourite YouTube channel.
Is YouTube Safe For Teenagers?
Firstly, it's important to mention the suitability of YouTube for your kids and this will differ depending on your teenager's age.
It's likely that you have heard of the video sharing platform YouTube, but you might still have uncertainties about how safe it is for teenagers. YouTube clearly define their polices about what is allowed and not allowed on their site and they take their monitoring of unsuitable content seriously.
That's not to say there is more adult suited content so you might want to explore YouTube's restricted mode which allows you to have more control over the content you kids can see.
Your kids can also share content on YouTube so it's important that they also check out the YouTube policies. You know your own kids the best and there's an element of trust involved with anything online.
YouTube is a great platform for teenagers to watch fun videos and learn new things and it's easy to use safely.
We've separated the channels into categories below, to give you an idea of the kind of videos that are popular on YouTube. We've listed a handful of channels we think you might like in each category to give you plenty of suggestions.
Best For Music
Ariana Grande, Rihanna and Justin Bieber are some of the modern-day artists that have their own YouTube channels. It's not just modern-day music though; if your teen prefers to listen to older music, then they'll be happy to know that older artists like The Beatles and Pink Floyd also have their own channel.
There are also loads of fan-made ones, so you won't miss out on any of their music. Please check out below some of our favourite channels that every music lover should follow.
Vevo Music - With almost 20 million subscribers, Vevo Music is a must for any music fan out there. It has music videos for a whole range of artist so you can spend hours on this one channel alone.
Learn to play - Perhaps your teen is keen to learn some new songs on the guitar. There are endless tutorial videos to master your chosen instrument. If you play guitar, check out Marty Music, whose clear and precise tutorials make learning guitar enjoyable, so it's no wonder he currently has 2 million subscribers.
Rolling Stone - If you're keen on hearing the latest news on music then the popular Rolling Stone channel is an awesome place to watch music-focused interviews.
Best For Entertainment
Your teens should also be making sure they have some downtime during lockdown which is fortunate as there are so many things to watch for entertainment.
Talk Shows - Talk shows let you keep updated with your favourite celebrities' latest work and provides some laugh out loud moments at the same time. You can watch talk shows hosted Conan O'Brien, Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton, to name a few.
Unboxing - If your kids are into the latest gadgets, then they might find they will like the very popular unboxing channels. You can see presenters unbox and review the latest technology from around the world. Check out Linus Tech Tips and TechSmartt to see what all the talk is about.
TedEd - TedEd is a great educational YouTube channel which consists of bite-sized animations which explore a wide range of interesting topics. The incredible thing about TedEd is that it can be used to explore topics you already love or to discover something new. The videos are stripped of any over-complicated jargon so they are well-suited for a wide range of audiences.
Best For Lifestyle And Wellbeing
Vloggers - One way to encourage self-care and positive attitudes to mental health during the lockdown is to subscribe to some lifestyle and wellbeing vloggers. A vlog is an account where a person regularly posts short videos about themselves, and what they might be getting up to on an average day. The topics that vloggers discuss varies depending on the YouTubers but they all have entertaining content in hope to gain more fans through time. They might discuss fashion, take part in hilarious challenges, or answer questions that they've received from fans on the internet. Our favourites include Grace Victory and Lucy Moon because they encourage self-care and positivity and are perfect for older teens.
Study Tubers - If you looking for some tips on how to stay productive during lockdown or how to improve the way you revise then there are lots of study tubers who you can get inspiration from. They mostly create videos on how they stay productive and how to make the most out of your studying. Ruby Granger and Eve Bennett are good examples to start with and they healthily combine study content with fun and laughs too. Their content certainly isn't limited to education, but really offer interesting and insightful discussions around some key issues that most teenagers face. It's such a positive community to be a part of.
Travel - If your teen is already starting to fantasise about when your next holiday may be, there are some awesome travel channels to look out for to help your teen get inspiration for places to travel to around the world once the lockdown is over. Perhaps your teen is keen on having a break from their studies and taking a gap year at some point to see the world in the future. Take a look at MojoTravels, who share 'top ten' videos relating to travel. A popular video of theirs is their top ten must-see scenic routes on a Trans-America road trip, one that will definitely bring wanderlust to anyone. They are a fun way to gain some ideas for your next world adventure.
Create Your Own YouTube Channel
If your teen is the creative type, he or she might be interested in creating their own channel to post their videos. Just like other social media, you must be at least 13 years old to have your own YouTube channel.
For example, they can post music performances, tutorials and gaming videos. They then get likes, comments and subscribers from each video.
If their videos get really popular, they could even start earning an income from it! There really is no limit to what YouTube has to offer for our curious teens during lockdown.
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As a lover of art and crafts since childhood, Eleanor moved to London from Bath to study for a Fine Arts degree from the Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. She enjoys exploring the city and visiting galleries in her spare time, and also loves outdoor adventures and travel. Eleanor is always on the lookout for new destinations to discover.
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