Scholastic Launches Free Streaming App for Kids – Is It Worth Downloading?

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for cheap or free kids’ entertainment. Today, we just got another option. Scholastic now has a free streaming service with kid-friendly favorites like “Barney & Friends,” “The Baby-Sitters Club,” and “The Magic School Bus.”

Upon first glance there’s not a lot here. The service has just 400 hours of content. It’s probably best for preschoolers who may want to watch endless episodes of one particular show.

When you start the app, you can choose from 4 libraries: Preschool, Younger Kids, Older Kids, and Family Favorites.

The service is only available on Roku and Fire TV devices right now.

When watching an episode of “Barney & Friends,” the first commercial break hit at 9:01. The ad break was 1:17, which isn’t necessarily bad, but the commercials were aggressive: Barbie, American Girl doll, and CoComelon.

When looking for children’s streaming options, I always prefer going ad-free or with as few ads as possible.

Instead of Scholastic, I recommend the wonderful and free PBS Kids and Kanopy if your library participates. Those services have an excellent lineup of kid-friendly shows and they’re free.