Parents' Guide to

BabyFirst Video

By Amanda Bindel, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 2+

Stream or download baby-oriented shows, but with balance.

App iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire Free to try Education
BabyFirst Video Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • BabyFirst Video App: Screenshot #1
  • BabyFirst Video App: Screenshot #2
  • BabyFirst Video App: Screenshot #3
  • BabyFirst Video App: Screenshot #4
  • BabyFirst Video App: Screenshot #5

Community Reviews

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age 2+

Based on 2 parent reviews

AZmama6
AZmama6 Adult
October 12, 2019
age 2+

Great channel...until tonight

We normally turn to BabyFirst TV when our younger children (2-yo and 5-yo) want to watch TV. They love the shows, dance to all the songs,...or relax to the bedtime episodes. They have been great. Until now. This evening at 7pm when their show So Yummy aired episode "Top Down Challenge-Michelle Khare Tries to Recreate Penguin"...my husband and I were shocked at the language used by the women in the video. Had this been another channel, or a MUCH later time, the language wouldn't have been such a big deal. But to hear grown women telling each other to "shut up", calling the other a "b****", and finally one bleeped "f***"...let's be real. It was as 13-min episode...was the language necessary? But more importantly, do our children really need to be exposed to that on a BABY CHANNEL?? The people on shows BabyFirst TV airs represents their channel. Apparently we cannot guarantee that if we leave the room for a minute, their channel will continue to air appropriate content for our children. Which is disappointing because besides this channel, we've only been able to trust Disney Junior to be fully child appropriate. After tonight, we will no longer be watching BabyFirstTV. We cannot support a station which appears to cater to babies and condones such disrespectful and degrading behavior...especially while most children are still awake and possibly watching their shows.

This title has:

Too much swearing
Kwmayan@gmail.com
[email protected] Adult
August 8, 2018
age 2+

Options are not available despite the app claiming so.

Maybe it is me, but the app states you can download content. I cannot seem to download anything. The app is so simple that there are not very many places to check. I think i need to use a different app for travelling without wifi connections, and forget trying to use the BabyFirst app.

This title has:

Too much consumerism
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

BABYFIRST VIDEO presents kids with large pictures representing each program available with a subscription. Free content is marked with a red badge. Kids scroll through the pages of shows and tap their choices. Then they can select a specific episode. From there, the show plays continuously, automatically starting new episodes, until a parent stops it. Dozens of programs, such as Harry the Bunny, Color Crew, and Rainbow Horse, are included, with multiple episodes of each. Many shows revolve around colors, letters, words, and numbers.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Though BabyFirst Video offers a nice selection of shows for the youngest viewers and some controls parents will find helpful, it's missing a few controls that some parents may want. Parents can select languages and choose which shows are available to kids, but there's no way to pause a show in progress or limit viewing to one show or a specified length of time. The biggest standout for parents on the go is the ability to download shows for offline viewing. As for the content, it's pretty standard fare for toddlers, with mostly animated shows and a few live-action and puppet shows. The "Fan Favorites" selection includes four popular shows, easily accessible in one place. New episodes are added frequently to keep content fresh and are marked with a red badge. Marketing any media as educational for babies is tricky, as experts assert that a screen just can't teach the way a caregiver can, so be aware that any possible educational benefits for babies and toddlers are likely limited and screen time should always be balanced with interaction and real-world activities.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what they see on the shows. Use the images on the screen or the situations the characters face as a conversation starter; remember that TV programming billed as "educational" still isn't necessary or important. The youngest kids will learn the language and concepts they need to from listening to you talk and observing the world around them.

  • Find tips on choosing your baby's first videos in our article 5 Tips for Picking your Preschooler's First TV Shows.

  • Use our media tips for little ones and consider how much screen time you want to give your child.

App Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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