YouTube: What Kids Are REALLY Watching
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Lamarr Wilson. A former educator and technology consultant, Wilson uses his engaging personality to entertain families with taste tests, skits, and awkward questions. He's most famous for his unboxing videos of totally random stuff such as gummy worms, amiibos, and Loot Crates (mail-order collections of toys and games).
Challenges
YouTube challenges have become a genre unto themselves. Some of them are risky, such as the duct-tape challenge and the cinnamon challenge. These YouTubers regularly film themselves taking some of the less- risky challenges (such as eating food while blindfolded).
Rosanna Pansino. This bubbly baker's YouTube show Nerdy Nummies (think: pizza cake) is so popular, Pansino got a cookbook deal out of it. She often attempts cooking-related challenges such as using someone else's arms to decorate a cake.
SevenSuperGirls. Billing themselves as the largest all-girl collaboration on YouTube, the ladies of SevenSuperGirls are actually unrelated YouTubers who share a channel and trade off posting. They love taking challenges, such as the Tin Can Challenge where they sample food from unmarked cans.
Shane Dawson. This YouTube veteran is famous for his colorful characters, outrageous songs, edgy videos, and funny first-person vlogs. He frequently appears on others' YouTube channels to take challenges (such as the one on Trying Mexican Candy with Miranda Sings, another popular YouTuber). Language and content can be an issue.
Joey Graceffa. A budding musician, actor, filmmaker, and gamer, Graceffa is also an active vlogger who loves taking challenges, including Tasting Weird Goldfish Flavors. Language and content can be an issue.
Makeup and Fashion
The makeup and fashion category is bursting with talented, versatile hosts who make skits, explain their morning routines, and share advice. The downside with this category is that the videos can present impossibly idealized images of what a young girls' life should look like (complete with impeccably lighted bedrooms and perfectly matched bedding), and many of the videos push products (some of which are given to the vlogger for promotion). On the plus side, lots of these videos also offer DIY and crafting ideas and spoofs of their own content.
My Life as Eva. This California college student has become a full-fledged lifestyle guru, offering tips on everything from packing for a trip to rocking a fur jacket. She also models for Kohl's.?
Niki and Gabi. Beautiful, smart, savvy identical twins Niki and Gabi make cool style seem effortless with their polished videos that include ideas for an easy "morning routine," DIY Halloween costumes, and photo ideas.
Rclbeauty101. Rachel Claire Levin is the 20-something brunette behind this channel that features insider beauty tips, lifestyle advice, funny skits, and more.
CutiePieMarzia. Kids know Italian beauty Marzia Bisognin as PewDiePie's gamer girlfriend, but she's a vlogger in her own right, specializing in makeup, "haul" videos (where she shows viewers what she's bought), cooking, and more.
Bethany Mota. A young YouTube pioneer, Mota vlogs on fashion, beauty, shopping, and DIY tips. She achieved mainstream fame and fortune by appearing on Dancing with the Stars and by creating a line of clothes for Aeropostale.
Funny Stuff
What passes for funny on YouTube may not be your cup of tea, but somehow the folks below have hit upon formulas that draw millions of viewers. Language and content can be an issue on many of these channels.
NigaHiga. Higa loves creating parodies of movies, ads, and songs, and he has a strong bent for personal confession and articulate tirades on topical subjects.
Tobuscus. Actor, musician, gamer, and comedian Tobuscus (Toby Joe Turner) posts a hodgepodge of entertaining videos ranging from stop-motion video to original songs to Let's Plays.
Smosh. These 20-somethings perform silly skits, funny songs, and pranks. The comedy isn't necessarily highbrow (and they bleep swear words), but it's mostly harmless.
Good Mythical Morning. With their friendly banter, silly skits, and amusing challenges, the two male hosts of this show (Rhett and Link) entertain without being edgy.
The Fine Brothers. Brothers Benny and Rafi started with "React" videos (showing kids, teens, senior citizens, and other groups watching and commenting on YouTube videos). These videos are great tools for teaching kids to be critical of media. Many of the Web series and other videos produced by the Fine Brothers--while funny and creative--are not necessarily age-appropriate.
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Reprinted with permission from Common Sense Media.
