The holidays are upon us, and that means endless hours of keeping the kids entertained. When they've had enough sun, they'll want to relax with their favourite shows. But no responsible parent wants to let their kids loose on YouTube with no parental controls. Here are some safe and family-friendly options for streaming top kids shows. Fun for them, peace of mind for you! 

1. YouTube Kids

YouTube's kids' version filters all its content and allows you to put on tight parental controls. That means no dodgy versions of Peppa Pig or inappropriate follow-on videos. There's also a bunch of nice educational content to encourage kids to read and learn colours, numbers and so on.  The app features big images and lots of colour for kids to use and topics that appeal to a young audience. It's free and can be downloaded here.

2. Showmax

Showmax is packed with great movies and series for the whole family. From the app homepage, you can navigate easily to Collections aimed at kids of different age groups, which makes it super easy to find what will appeal. Some of the highlights include most of the big Disney shows, like Sophia the First, as well as Lego and Barbie Collections. They also have educational content. Download the Showmax app, and remember you can pay for your subscription super simply via your Vodacom account. See how to set up Showmax's tight parental controls here - you can create separate profiles for members of your family, and protect them with a PIN.

3. Netflix

If you don’t have a Netflix account, add one now to your Vodacom bill and set up a Netflix Kids account at no additional charge. Children are able to safely browse through movies and series made for them. The app features its own original kids shows like The Boss Baby, Big Mouth and many more. To ensure your little ones are watching appropiate content, Netflix allows you to set up parent controls. Click here to learn more.

4. Play Kids

Play Kids is another popular app choice. It has over 3000 kid-friendly videos to watch, as well as educational games and books for kids under five years old. You can install this app freely on your mobile, although there is limited content available without a paid subscription. Click here to get the app.

5. Nickelodeon

With popular shows like Spongebob Squarepants, The Fairly Odd Parents and others, most kids will find something to love on this app. As well as watching episodes and clips of popular shows, kids can also play games and even participate in polls. Click here to get Nickelodeon.