🧸 Early learning (ages 2-6)
Kanopy (Kanopy Kids)
By Kanopy, Inc. (policies published by OverDrive). Visit Kanopy (Kanopy Kids)
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
Kanopy is a video streaming service that public libraries and universities pay for, so members watch free with a library card. It carries documentaries, festival films and The Criterion Collection. Kanopy Kids is a separate section of shows and films for young children, which one library guide describes as for ages 2 to 8, with parental controls. Adult titles use a monthly allowance set by each library, while Kanopy Kids viewing is unlimited.
Our take: A good free, ad-free video shelf for young children when a parent sets up Kanopy Kids; check whether your library subscribes.
| Ages it suits | Kanopy Kids: about 2-8; main catalog: teens and adults |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Terms say users must be over 18 or the age of majority; younger people may use it only with a parent's or guardian's involvement. The privacy policy adds that children under 13 may not use it unless parental consent comes through the library or school that provides it. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free with a participating library or university card (Oct 2026). Adult titles use monthly credits set by each library; Kanopy Kids is unlimited. |
| Works on | Web, iPhone and iPad, Android |
| Account | A parent's account |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | No AI. |
What's good
- Free with a library card
- No ads
- Kanopy Kids plays are unlimited
- Parental controls for kids' viewing
Watch for
- Not every library offers it
- Main catalog includes films for adults
- Terms put use by anyone under 18 on a parent
- Collects location and analytics data
Data and privacy
Kanopy's privacy policy (revised June 2022) says it does not sell personal information and does not knowingly collect it from children under 13 without parental consent. It uses cookies, Google Analytics and device location data, and sends marketing only to users who opt in. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No independent study found; the maker presents Kanopy Kids as age-appropriate, educational viewing.
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Where these facts come from
- https://www.kanopy.com/
- https://www.overdrive.com/policies/kanopy-terms-and-conditions
- https://www.overdrive.com/policies/kanopy-privacy-policy
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kanopy/id1205614510
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kanopy&hl=en_US
- https://guides.wpl.winnipeg.ca/kanopykids
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.