If you thought Netflix and Spotify were just for binge-watching marathons—like powering through Orange Is the New Black or Madonna's full catalog—think again.
While these platforms primarily entertain, they also deliver rich educational value, particularly for children. This approach can simplify parenting by swapping mindless reruns of shows like Dexter's Laboratory for truly informative content.
In this guide, drawn from years of helping families leverage streaming for learning, we'll walk you through using Netflix and Spotify to educate your kids effectively.
Netflix offers robust features to transform it into a top-tier learning tool for children.
Don't let kids roam freely on your main profile. Create dedicated ones for them instead.
This unlocks key benefits: Set maturity levels like Young Kids or Older Kids to ensure age-appropriate recommendations. Netflix tailors content accordingly.
Their profiles also train Netflix's algorithm on their preferences, delivering spot-on suggestions over time. How to Recalibrate Your Netflix Recommendations How to Recalibrate Your Netflix Recommendations Netflix's recommendation engine is pretty good most of the time, but it can go haywire sometimes. Here's how to recalibrate it to your changing tastes. Read More
The kid-friendly interface simplifies navigation with character buttons and child-focused categories.
To add a profile from a computer: Click the dropdown by your name, select Manage Profiles, then Add Profile. Fill details and check Kids?.
Hit Continue, then edit the new profile with the pencil icon to adjust maturity settings.
Kids today are tech whizzes. Without protection, they might stumble into scares like Stranger Things too soon.
Enable a PIN easily: From the top-right dropdown, go to Account > Parental Controls. Enter your password to adjust.
Use the slider for account-wide restrictions—no more inappropriate surprises.
With nearly 7,000 titles in the US library, finding gems takes strategy. Enter Netflix's secret codes.
20 Secret Netflix Codes Guaranteed to Help You Find New Content. 20 Secret Netflix Codes Guaranteed to Help You Find New Content. This is our list of the 20 secret Netflix codes that will help you find new content. Read more Use these for kids' catalogs by visiting www.netflix.com/browse/genre/[CODE]:
Or try www.netflix.com/Kids/category/[CODE] for kid-safe takes on adult genres.
Example: Science and Nature TV (52780) mixes BBC's Planet Earth with child-focused docs.
Educational genre codes:
Audio shines for car trips or when TV's occupied by your game. Spotify excels here too.
Skip explicit tracks like Eminem for little ones. Spotify hides explicit album art but supervise young kids closely—lyrics may fly over heads, but visuals matter.
Visit spotify.com/sing (web player) for content aimed at ages 0-5, with playlists tied to daily routines.
Melodic songs plus narrated prompts from stars like Fantasia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Wiz Khalifa build language skills. Spotify partnered with top early childhood experts for authenticity.
For older kids, explore Spotify's spoken word genre: Search spotify:genre:word (desktop) or play.spotify.com/genre/word (web).
5 Websites to watch educational videos that will expand your mind. 5 Websites to watch educational videos that will expand your mind. Watching videos is a fun and entertaining way to pass the time. If we were to watch all the videos available online, we could spend a lifetime. If you want to do more with your valuable... Read More Find language lessons (Spanish, French), Shakespeare audiobooks, history playlists, art lectures, and more.
This intro covers Netflix and Spotify basics, but creative uses abound.
Share your tips in comments—best hacks, alternatives like Hulu, or more? Netflix vs. Hulu vs. Amazon Prime:Which one should you choose? Netflix vs. Hulu vs. Amazon Prime:Which one should you choose? It's been years since we've compared the big-hit streaming services Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. And with changes in pricing, content, quality, and interface, we thought it was time to take a fresh look. Read more We'd love to hear how you blend fun and learning!
