Bite-sized educational videos of all topics for teens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a little
Some videos discuss topics that may be scary or overwhelming for younger viewers or viewers with different sensibilities. Some of these topics include war, natural disasters and their aftermath, slavery and hate crimes, and mood and personality disorders, which include mention of suicide.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
A video titled "Let's Talk About Sex" contains informative discussions about sex, sexuality, and sexual desire from a scientific perspective. Video includes animations, some of which seem gratuitous (while there isn't any graphic nudity, simple animations are seen moving in ways that depict them having sex). Other videos discuss human reproduction and anatomy. Some videos may make brief mention of romantic relationships, but are not otherwise graphic. Make sure to keep an eye on suggested videos underneath these specific videos, since there can sometimes be inappropriate content suggested outside of the channel itself.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Supporters, including PBS and people who donate via Patreon, are listed at the beginning or end of some videos. Some episodes are sponsored and the sponsor is named at the end of the episode. The channel store sells a select variety of posters. The YouTube platform is subject to pop-up ads that sometimes interrupt the video. These ads are not always vetted to be age-appropriate.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
There's a lesson discussing addiction. Medications for certain ailments and psychological disorders are discussed (how they work in the body to help).
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
The purpose of this channel is to add educational value for viewers of different age ranges. The channel covers a wide array of topics like history, STEM, mythology, philosophy, economics, psychology, literature, public health, business and more. Some topics are more geared toward older teenagers, like a video series helping high schoolers prepare for college. Episode descriptions include a link to a document that has all the sources of information from the video. Videos tend to be short, so it can feel like there's a lot of information and terminology packed in to a small amount of time, which can feel overwhelming. Some of the hosts speak fast, so it can be hard to keep up. Luckily videos have time stamps to show when certain topics were discussed so you can go back and rewatch segments. Related courses are available on the Crash Course app.
Positive Messages
a lot
Encourages and supports curiosity and willingness to learn. Learning can be fun and accessible, not just boring lectures that go on for hours. The community section of the channel engages viewers by posing questions and asking for viewer opinions. They also post helpful links and information, including opportunities for scholarships for teens and college students.
Positive Role Models
a lot
The hosts are enthusiastic, well-spoken and clearly well-versed in the topics they're discussing.
Diverse Representations
some
Though the channel started in 2006 with mainly White men as expert hosts, the channel has since diversified. There are both women and men experts hosting various topical videos as well as experts who are Black Indigenous People of Color. Clint Smith hosts the "Black American History" series, which includes over 50 videos that highlights important Black change makers and the Black experience in the United States. Dr. Shini Somara hosts "Crash Course Physics". Some of the thumbnails and animated illustrations for videos are problematic. For example, in the video about mood disorders and the thumbnail for personality disorders, the animated characters look wild and disheveled, feeding into dangerous stereotypes about these disorders. However the information given in the videos is accurate.
Parents need to know that CrashCourse is a YouTube channel with educational videos for tweens, teens and adults. A variety of subject-matter experts present information about a wide range of academic and social topics through lecture-style videos coupled with animated graphics. Topics include STEM, history, philosophy, economics, psychology, literature and more. A video titled "Let's Talk About Sex" contains informative discussions about sex, sexuality, and sexual desire from a scientific perspective and includes some gratuitous cartoon animations with characters mimic the motions of having sex. There are also some videos that deal with content that may be scary to some viewers, including war, natural disasters and their aftermath, slavery and hate crimes, and mood and personality disorders (with mention of suicide). Though these videos are informational, adults may want to watch with their teens in order to answer any questions they may have. The channel encourages and empowers curiosity and learning. Crash Course also has a YouTube channel for elementary-age kids -- Crash Course Kids.
I personally love the Crash Course series, whether it is science, economics or history. But the dialogue runs fast and covers a lot of territory. I would use it as an end piece to a topic after the child has completed the material rather than as an introduction or substitute. It does a fantastic job of bringing all of the pieces together and fitting them in a larger context that makes it connect with us today. But you need to have at least a basic grasp of the events and people they talk about.
What’s It About?
CRASH COURSE is an educational YouTube channel that focuses on teaching a wide array of topics in bite-sized videos. There's no shortage of topics explored -- psychology, Black American History, STEM, college preparation, media literacy, and so much more. The channel can serve as a good entry point to several topics teens may or may not be learning in school or can help support their current learning in a fun and engaging manner. Some videos may be overwhelming since they pack so much information and terminology into such a short period of time, but luckily all video descriptions include time stamps that show when certain topics were discussed in the video, allowing viewers to go back and watch certain parts of the video. The various videos are supported by quizzes and flashcards on the Crash Course app.
If your teen is looking for an engaging way to learn more about a specific academic topic, this YouTube channel is a great resource. Created by Vlogbrothers hosts John Green and Hank Green (who also hosts SciShow), Crash Course has a seemingly endless library of informative, interesting and insightful content. Its pro and con is the length of its videos. They're short enough to get interested in certain topics and digest key takeaways, but too short to fully comprehend the topic at hand with just one viewing. This is why these videos are a good complement to topics teens are already learning about or preparing to learn in school. Although the animations are a bit questionable and don't always add to the learning experience, the value the channel adds clouds this minor flaw.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Crash Course can help support tweens and teens with what they're learning in school. How using YouTube as a learning tool be helpful? What are the challenges?
Often times we focus on the negatives of technology and social media, but let's turn our focus to some potential positives. How have social media and video platforms changed the way people get their information? How can this help the next generation be more informed and impactful?
This channel empowers and encourages curiosity. Why is this an important character strength, especially when it comes to learning.
Some of the animations in the video may be a bit over the top, inaccurate or somewhat inappropriate. When to visual images and animation add to learning? When do they distract? How can you tell the difference?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Laura Ordonez
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
