Recently, schools in Glasgow made headlines after banning primary school children from accessing YouTube on school iPads. The move came after reports of pupils being exposed to inappropriate content during lessons.
However, this decision has sparked a wider conversation, not just about classroom technology, but about how children use YouTube at home too. After all, YouTube is one of the most popular platforms for kids. But with the good comes the not-so-good content that may not always be suitable for young eyes.
So, what does this mean for parents? And how can you keep your child safe while still allowing them to enjoy the educational and fun side of YouTube?
What This Means for Parents at Home
Just like in the classroom, children at home can easily click on something unsuitable, even by accident. Unlike school iPads, your child’s device might not have filters or restrictions in place, making it important for parents to step in.
5PracticalTips to Keep Your Child Safe on YouTube
Use YouTube Kids: download the YouTube Kids app, designed specifically for children under 12. It filters out inappropriate content and allows you to set parental controls.
Turn On Restricted Mode: on regular YouTube, enable Restricted Mode in settings. While not perfect, it hides most adult or flagged content.
Set Screen Time Limits: agree on a daily or weekly limit for YouTube use. Encourage balance with reading, outdoor play and creative activities.
Watch Together: sit with your child during screen time. Use it as an opportunity to discuss what they’re watching and build critical thinking skills (“Is this video safe? Is it true?”).
Teach Digital Safety: remind your child never to share personal information in comments.
Explain why some videos aren’t suitable and reassure them it’s okay to come to you if they see something that upsets them.
The Glasgow YouTube ban is a reminder that while technology can be a powerful learning tool, children need guidance and boundaries to use it safely. At home, parents play the most important role in shaping how kids experience digital platforms. By combining tools like YouTube Kids, parental controls, and open conversations, you can help your child explore online content safely, without taking away the fun and learning that YouTube can provide.
Are you looking for some screen free activities to do with your child at home? Check out our STEM activity flip book. Minimise the number of times you hear ‘I’m booored!’ with our flip book of 32 fun and easy Science Technology Engineering and Maths activities and experiments. They’re great for entertaining the kids and can help to reduce screen time. Our unique pack of 32 STEM activities and Experiments are simple and fun and can be created with everyday items from the supermarket.
Our daughter started school last September, so we know first-hand that starting school is a big milestone, for both children and parents! As little ones step into the world of classrooms, uniforms and new friends, parents often wonder, how can I keep my child curious and excited about learning outside of school?
The truth is, while teachers play a large role, what happens at home is just as important. By creating a supportive, playful and curiosity-filled environment, you can help your child develop a lifelong love of learning.
Here are some simple, effective ways to nurture that spark now your child has started school.
1. Make Reading a Daily Ritual
Reading is one of the most powerful ways to fuel a love of learning, when our daughter started school, the main focus initially was on her reading. We recommend setting aside 10 to 15 minutes every day to read together. We found initially our daughter was tired when she got back from school, so we found reading while doing her hair in the mornings worked for us. She was awake and more alert to practice her reading and phonics. Repetition builds confidence, vocabulary and comprehension. But does your child actually understand what they’re reading? Comprehension is important, asking open-ended questions like “What do you think will happen next?” or “Why do you think the character did that?” helps to encourage deeper thinking.
2. Celebrate Questions, Not Just Answers
Children are naturally curious. When they ask “why?”, it’s an opportunity to explore together rather than rush to a quick answer. If your child asks, “Why does the moon change shape?”, turn it into a mini project, look it up together, watch videos, or draw the moon’s phases. This teaches them that curiosity leads to discovery.
3. Connect Learning to Everyday Life
School lessons come alive when they’re linked to real life; maths becomes fun when measuring ingredients for baking and Science comes alive in the garden while spotting insects.
4. Encourage Creative Play
Not all learning comes from books or worksheets. Building with blocks, role-playing with toys, drawing and storytelling all strengthen problem-solving, imagination and critical thinking.
5. Praise Effort, Not Just Results
Children thrive when their effort is recognised more than the outcome. Instead of only celebrating a correct answer, say things like; “I love how hard you tried” and “That was a clever way to solve the problem.” This helps to build resilience and a growth mindset, helping children embrace challenges instead of fearing mistakes.
6. Stay Curious Together
One of the best ways to encourage a love of learning is to model it yourself. Share your own interests, read books alongside your child, or try a new skill together, like learning a recipe, a craft, or even a language. When children see that learning doesn’t stop with school, they’ll naturally follow your lead.
Sparking a love of learning doesn’t mean piling on extra homework, it’s about making curiosity, creativity and discovery part of everyday life. With small, consistent steps, you’ll help your child see learning as an exciting adventure, not a chore.
At Little Scholars Playground, we believe that education should be fun, accessible and inspiring. Explore our range of learning resources designed to make learning at home joyful for both children and parents. Shop here.
In many towns and cities, outdoor play spaces for children are shrinking. Housing developments, parking lots and safety concerns mean kids have fewer safe places to run, climb and explore. For parents, this raises an important question, if outdoor play is harder to come by, how do we make sure our children still enjoy the benefits of active, creative play? At Little Scholars Playground, we believe the answer is simple, nurture indoor play for kids with activities that spark imagination and joy.
Why Outdoor Play Is Declining
Fewer playgrounds and green areas – urban planning often favours housing over parks.
Screen time overload – with less access to outdoor spaces, children spend more time on tablets, TVs, and phones.
Safety concerns – parents worry about traffic, crowds, or unsafe neighbourhoods.
This decline in free outdoor play means children may miss out on valuable opportunities for physical activity, social interaction and creativity.
The Power of Imaginative Indoor Play
Indoor play can never replace fresh air completely, but it provides:
Creativity & problem-solving – scavenger hunts, pretend play and puzzles spark curiosity.
Family bonding – printable kids’ games bring siblings and parents together.
Confidence & learning – play-based learning builds resilience and independence.
With the right activities, a living room can transform into a magical adventure zone. If outdoor spaces are limited, our STEM activity cards bring the fun indoors, keeping little ones busy and excited to learn new things and spark their curiosity.
Little Scholars Playground’s Commitment
We’re passionate about helping families find affordable, fun and educational printable kids’ activities that; encourage learning through play, keep kids entertained indoors and reduce screen time while boosting creativity and learning. Even if outdoor spaces are shrinking, your child’s imagination doesn’t have to.
Looking for fun, affordable ways to keep your child busy indoors? Explore our collection of STEM activity cards. Minimise the number of times you hear ‘I’m booored!’ with our STEM flip books. They’re great for entertaining the kids and can help to reduce screen time. Shop our STEM activity flip book here.
Author
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, women in STEM and the Montessori practice.
When it comes to choosing the right school for their children, today’s parents are doing things differently. Gen Z parents (adults born in the late 1990s through the early 2010s) are bringing their digital-first habits into the world of education. Instead of relying only on traditional inspection reports or word-of-mouth, many parents are turning to TikTok, parenting forums and even AI tools like ChatGPT to guide their decisions.
This shift is transforming how families gather information and it’s also reshaping how schools need to present themselves to the next generation of parents. Gen Z parents are digital natives. They’ve grown up searching, scrolling and streaming for everything from recipes to financial advice, so it’s no surprise that they’d approach school readiness and school selection the same way.
Some of the ways they’re making decisions include:
Watching TikTok videos of classrooms, playgrounds and teacher Q&As.
Reading parent experiences in Facebook groups and Reddit forums.
Using AI tools to compare curriculums, summarise Ofsted reports, or find local school ratings.
For many, this feels faster, more relatable and more tailored than reading a lengthy official report from Ofsted.
So, what are the benefits of digital school research?
Done well, this trend can actually help parents feel more confident and connected in their school choices:
Real parent voices – First-hand experiences can reveal what day-to-day life at a school is really like.
Simplified information – AI can turn jargon-heavy Ofsted reports into easy-to-understand summaries.
Accessible content – Short videos and online guides fit into busy family schedules.
There are risks to watch out for
However, there are also challenges to this digital-first approach:
Misinformation – Not all reviews or videos are accurate or balanced.
Algorithm bias – Parents may only see content that apps wantthem to see.
Digital divide – Families with limited internet access could be left behind.
That’s why it’s important to cross-check digital insights with official reports and in-person visits, before making a final decision.
Author
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, women in STEM and the Montessori practice.
