As a step to help parents find good apps that would be useful for their kids now that the coronavirus pandemic has forced everyone to stay home, Google has added a dedicated Kids tab on Google Play Store with “Teacher approved” apps.
“We decided to launch the Kids tab a bit earlier than planned because parents who have tried it out told us that it’s been helpful, especially now with their kids home from school and spending more time with screens”, wrote Google in a blog post.
Apps are curated in the Kids tab based on several factors like age-appropriateness, quality of experience, enrichment, and delight. For every app on the Kids tab, you’ll see a section that explains why it is included in the list.
Google says these “Teacher approved” apps are chosen by academic experts and teachers across the US. The lead advisory board has Joe Blatt from Harvard Graduate School of Education and Dr. Sandra Calvert from Georgetown University.
From what it looks like, the Kids tab will replace the Family tab that’s currently present. If you’re a Google Play Pass subscriber, you’ll see these new teacher-approved apps within “Apps and games for kids.”
The new Kids tab will be available in the US within the next few days. The initial rollout is limited to the US but Google plans on expanding it globally in the coming months.
Several companies including Amazon, Apple, Airtel, Spotify, YouTube, Hotstar, and even Harry Potter’s author J.K. Rowling have taken steps to keep kids engaged during these trying times.
