KIDOGO is a one-stop, trusted YouTube home for New Zealand-made kids’ content.
A safe new corner of the internet is hoping to transform the way Kiwi kids consume content, with an emphasis on local stories told through a distinctly New Zealand lens.
KIDOGO is a YouTube channel dedicated to providing fun, educational, New Zealand-made content with a uniquely Kiwi voice. It offers everything from animated series to music, giving parents, caregivers and teachers a wide range of safe, informative and culturally relevant content to choose from.
According to NZ On Air’s latest research, 69% of children under 14 are using YouTube or YouTube Kids daily – that’s more than any other platform.
As viewing habits continue to shift away from traditional television, Kiwi kids are increasingly missing out on homegrown content, with only 50% of children engaging with it at all. Meanwhile, 43% of caregivers say they don’t know where or how to find New Zealand-made media amid the endless options.
This means children are often growing up with content that doesn’t reflect their lived experiences at home in Aotearoa, says NZ On Air Head of Funding Amie Mills – which can impact their identity and sense of self.
“What they see at this age is how they start to understand the world around them. It’s very powerful. If all you’re seeing is American and British [media] - and you’re not seeing and hearing Māori language, or you’re not seeing New Zealand landscapes – that shapes how you see yourself and your place in the world,” Mills says.
Many Kiwi parents say their kids are already picking up Americanisms like ‘Mom’, or slipping into British and Australian accents after bingeing global favourites like Bluey and Peppa Pig.
“They are our youngest viewers, and we need to provide tamariki with content that makes them see themselves in the world. The content itself is amazing, it’s never been a problem about the quality. The challenge is how we get that content in front of children.”
KIDOGO brings together a huge collection of local content in one easy-to-find place, giving families a single, reliable hub rather than scattered shows lost in the algorithm.
KIDOGO is designed for primary schoolers, and its companion channel, KIDOGO Junior, is geared towards preschoolers. KIDOGO features more live-action shows – from reality formats like Junior Dog Handlers to motocross – whereas KIDOGO Junior emphasises animated, entertaining content like the popular Kiri & Lou, a stop-motion claymation cartoon with songs, games and a focus on social-emotional learning.
“For KIDOGO Junior, I would say that content is geared towards repeat viewing,” says Mills.
“At that age – and I’m definitely living through this with my kids – they will watch the same episode of something, honest to goodness, 50 times in a row, whereas the older kids are much hungrier for a greater variety of content.”
Te Reo Māori representation is also crucial to KIDOGO’s mission, ensuring tamariki can enjoy stories that showcase their culture, language and identity. According to the research, 78% of caregivers who engage with Te Reo Māori content say it’s important for their child.
For preschoolers, Mills recommends Toi Time, an educational programme that explores concepts such as whānau, whakapapa, kākahu and Papatūānuku. For the older cohort, Mills suggests My Favourite Dead Person, a series where Josh Thomson is joined by tamariki to celebrate Aotearoa’s historical figures.
Mills acknowledges that parents may have questions about safety. For preschoolers, she recommends watching KIDOGO on YouTube Kids. The app delivers only age-appropriate content and it gives caregivers total control, including selecting specific channels and videos that can be viewed.
For children under 13, parents and guardians can also make use of the “supervised experience” feature, which allows them to manage their child’s YouTube account and limit the content that is available to them.
“We’re trying to make it clear that there are challenges with this platform, and we’re not naive to that – but we’re really clear that we can make a safe corner, and here’s how we’re going to do it,” Mills says.
Looking ahead, the goal is to continue growing KIDOGO’s catalogue, creating a go-to hub of age-appropriate, educational content that parents and teachers can trust - and kids genuinely enjoy.
“The intention is that we’re going to have new episodes across both channels, releasing every week throughout the year,” Mills says.
“We’re focusing on really high-value, evergreen content: content that can be re-watched, that has a long life, that can be used in schools, that parents can [depend on]. We’re focused on building a strong catalogue that parents and teachers know they can go to.”
Parents, caregivers and teachers can explore and subscribe to KIDOGO and KIDOGO Junior on YouTube via the handles @KIDOGOnz and @KIDOGOJuniornz.