Maka Kids redefines kids' screen time with a streaming app focused on well-being

In a media landscape dominated by viral kids' content like Baby Shark and Skibidi Toilet, one startup is taking a bold step in reimagining children's media. Maka Kids, a new streaming app for children aged 0-6, is focusing on well-being over watch time, a refreshing approach that's gaining traction with parents and investors alike. Maka Kids has secured $3 million in seed funding to scale its platform, which features content designed to support healthy development in young children.

The app, founded by Isabel Sheinman and Tanyella Leta, doesn't rely on recommendation algorithms, ads, or auto-play, instead offering a predictable experience that fosters learning, creativity, and emotional growth. Sheinman and Leta, who previously founded the non-profit Nabu, bringing children's books to over 15 million kids across 26 countries, were inspired to create Maka Kids after hearing concerns from parents about the impact of screen time on their children's well-being. Through hundreds of user interviews, they developed a solution that puts well-being at the forefront of their streaming app.

The Maka Kids platform features content evaluated using Maka Imprint, a patent-pending developmental framework created in collaboration with researchers at the Yale Child Study Center. This framework maps seven core domains of early childhood development across over 650 developmental indicators. The app's catalog includes slower-paced, lower-stimulation content with genuine narrative arcs and stories from around the world, licensed directly from IP holders and individual creators.

The founders believe that stories can play a vital role in supporting language development, emotional regulation, and curiosity in young children. "Stories can support language development, emotional regulation, curiosity, and give kids a sense of how wide the world is," says Leta. "Children's media at its best is one of the most powerful developmental tools families have, when it's designed with this intention." The app allows parents to create profiles for their children, selecting channels focused on topics like kindness, STEM, or emotional regulation, and setting preferred session lengths.

Maka Kids is running a private beta on iOS this summer and plans to launch publicly this fall on iPhone and iPad, with casting support via AirPlay. The app will operate on a subscription model, priced at $11.99 per month, with a discounted annual option. With thousands of families already on its waitlist, Maka Kids aims to become the trust layer for every digital experience children have, with a vision to embed its Maka Imprint framework into games, edtech products, and shows.