Many children are growing up with cell phones, laptops and tablets - the technological innovations of the past decade thrust into their tiny hands. It's no longer unimaginable for kids to log onto a computer and instantly stream their favorite shows either. Netflix is addressing this phenomenon with a newly-minted Just For Kids option.
The new tab, available now for PC and Mac users in the U.S and Canada, caters to the 12-and-under set explained Todd Yellin, Netflix Vice President of Product Innovation.
"I'm a dad of a five and seven-year-old who love to watch characters," said Yellin, who described the new functionality as a "more intuitive and enjoyable way for children to watch all of the great age-appropriate TV shows and movies available."
The tab's big new feature is the inclusion of clickable images of characters from popular kids show. Yellin believes that children know a show from its roster of characters more than anything else. "Kids can click on any one of more than one hundred of their favorite characters to find what they want to watch, when they want to watch," he explained.
Though with shows such as "Dora the Explorer" and "Thomas the Tank Engine" the company may have set the age bar a bit too high. Of course, searching by genre is also possible in those instances when a kid wants to try something new by hitting the "robots" category. Because talking animals are passé.
Netflix said it joined forces with Common Sense Media - a non-profit organization that supplies parents with information about and reviews of the content their children are consuming - to "prioritize the selection" offered by Just For Kids.
"Family movie night is a great way for parents to connect with their kids in our 24/7 media culture, and over the last few years, Netflix has recreated the concept, bringing kids and parents together around great, quality entertainment on multiple platforms," said Amy Guggenheim Shenkan, president and COO, Common Sense Media. "We've partnered with Netflix for many years and our work informs the overall quality and scope of the 'Just for Kids' experience, helping parents to make great media choices for the entire family."
Just For Kids will eventually hit the Nintendo Wii and iPad, Yellin confirmed. Other devices should receive support soon.
