Welcome to a new era of ITV’s children’s entertainment: ITVX Kids, the latest addition to ITV’s streaming service, is officially here.
This new platform, which has been quietly rolling out on select devices over the past few weeks, is now fully operational, marking a significant shift in ITV’s approach to children’s content.
The new Kids section on ITVX is set to feature a host of new and exciting shows, including Lego Dreamzz, The Gamers 2037, and Friendzspace, among others. So, whether your kids are into animation, live-action, or sports, ITV is offering something for everyone.
ITVX Kids replaces the traditional CITV channel, offering a dedicated streaming destination with a vast library of programming. CITV will therefore no longer be available on Freeview and Freesat, once it shuts down in a few months.
The new ITVX Kids homepage will show kids content aimed at them, and while it’s easy enough to use once you set it up, setting up the initial ITVX Kids profile is somewhat confusing (and can only be done on certain devices) – so see our full guide below.
What Is ITVX Kids?
ITVX itself, if you need a refresher, is a free-to-watch (with adverts) service that’s replacing the long-running ITV Hub app as a full-fledged streaming destination.
In addition to the on-demand content, you can also stream all of ITV’s live channels via the app, as well as several “themed” ad-supported live channels that are dedicated to a single series or theme (but not on Freeview Play devices and some TVs).
ITVX is available on most of the streaming devices and Smart TVs sold in the UK (except for several older boxes and TVs, as well as on Virgin Media’s TV boxes, Sky Glass, Sky Stream and Sky Q as well (but ITVX Kids is only available on some of these boxes – see below).
ITVX Kids is a dedicated homepage on the ITVX streaming service that brings together over 100 titles, with over 1,000 hours of programming to choose from.
Like ITVX, ITVX Kids is free with adverts, but parents who prefer an ad-free experience for their children can opt for ITVX Premium, which costs £5.99/month or £59.99/year (and also adds BritBox and Studio Canal+ to the main ITVX service).
The ITVX Kids homepage features a wide range of titles, including brand-new programmes dropping monthly on the service.
This new content will span a wide range of genres and subjects including comedy, gameshows, live-action, animation, and sports.
The range of new shows will complement existing favourites, including Lloyd of the Flies, Lily’s Driftwood Bay, Claude, Mumfie, Mystery Lane, and The Rubbish World of Dave Spud.
New Shows On ITVX Kids
ITVX Kids will feature a host of new and exciting shows, many of which are already available to stream or are coming later in July:
Lego Dreamzz, a show about a young boy who must defend the real world from the creatures of his nightmares, will see additional episodes.
The Gamers 2037 features three former friends who must overcome their differences and beat an unbeatable virtual reality game or risk being trapped inside it forever.
Friendzspace is an animated comedy about a trio of human kids committed to making friends with alien kids across the universe and posting cool selfies.
Tara Duncan, a beautifully animated series featuring Tara, an ordinary girl from Earth who discovers that she’s the heir to a magical empire and must travel to a distant world to awaken her superpowers, will also launch on ITVX.
For those seeking inspiration to get active this summer, ITVX Kids will offer the first series of All Round Champions, which features ten of the best teen athletes at the top of their game as they step outside their comfort zones to compete against each other.
The very first series of American Ninja Warrior Junior will also stream, featuring real kids taking on the iconic obstacle course.
How To Get ITVX Kids
Setting up an ITVX Kids profile can get a bit confusing, as it’s not supported on web browsers for some reason. Furthermore, once you do set up the profile – it will only be supported on selected devices.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a kids’ profile on ITVX:
Step 1: Launch ITVX
When you launch ITVX for the first time on a device that supports profiles, select the “Create profile” button.
If you’ve already launched ITVX, you can select your profile on the main navigation and then tap the “+ Kids profile” button.
Step 2: Name the Profile and Set Up Parental Controls
You’ll be asked to give the profile a name. You’ll also be asked whether you want to protect your main profile and restricted content with a Parental Controls PIN.
This is an optional step, and you can always create a Parental Controls PIN later if you decide not to set one up at this point (see below).
Devices That Support ITVX Profiles
Currently, profiles are available on the following devices:
- Sky Q and Sky Glass
- Amazon Fire TV
- iOS devices
- Samsung
- Freeview Play
- Roku
- Now TV Smart Box / Stick
- iOS phones and tablets (iOS 14 and above)
- Android phones and tablets
Virgin Media’s devices are absent from this list for now – but we’re told they will be added soon.
For browsers, you can switch between profiles that you have previously created on another device. However, you can’t create, delete, or manage profiles on a browser.
This means you have to create the Kids profile on one of the OTHER supported devices – and only then open it on a computer browser, if that’s where you want to watch.
How To Set Up Parental Controls on ITVX
Setting up Parental Controls on ITVX is a simple process that provides an extra layer of security for your child’s viewing habits.
If you skipped this process when you first installed a Kid’s profile – Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it later:
Step 1: Access Profile Settings
If you’ve already launched ITVX, you can set up Parental Controls on your profile at any time. Use the sidebar to select the profile icon. On the “Who’s watching” screen, click on the “Edit profiles” button.
Step 2: Set Up Parental Controls
Choose your main profile. Switch Parental Controls to ON. You’ll be asked to create a PIN. Your PIN will then be required to access your main profile and all G-rated content.
Note, however, that If you previously had a Parental Controls PIN to protect access to restricted (or G-rated) content, this PIN will no longer work on devices which support profiles. However, it will still work on devices that don’t support profiles.
The PIN you set up on any device that supports profiles will work on all devices that support profiles. This means that once you set up a Parental Controls PIN, it will provide a consistent level of protection across all your devices.
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