Google announced today that it is adding kids profiles to Google TV, the first in a series of new features aimed at families.

“From Google Kids Space on select Android tablets to teacher-approved apps in Google Play, we’ve already made a lot of progress in helping our kids explore online, but the work isn’t over,” Google’s Saleh Altayyar writes. “That’s why today, we’re taking our first step in delivering family features on Google TV with the introduction of kids profiles.”

If your kids have Google accounts, you can use those, of course. But if not, you can simply create a new profile using just their name and age, no account required. Parents can pick which apps their kids can use, and the recommendations that Google TV displays will feature kid-friendly apps. Using Google Play Family Library, parents can also share access to TV shows and movies they’ve already purchased on other devices. Kids profiles will also feature fun, kid-friendly themes, and kids will soon be able to choose avatars based on their interests as well.

As you might imagine, this feature will work with Google’s parental controls, so parents can set screen time limits and manage this access from the Family Link mobile app. “From your phone, you can see how much time your kids are spending in their favorite apps, block and unblock apps, control app activity[,] and more,” Altayyar says.

This feature will roll out on Chromecast with Google TV and other Google TV devices in the U.S. starting this month, and will expand globally over the next few months, Google says.

Tagged with Chromecast with Google TV