It seems like new social media platforms are popping up all over the place these days, but one platform that has stood the test of time is Instagram. This photo sharing and visual blogging app is popular with all ages, but recently it has become popular with younger and younger kids. For children and teens, it’s a new and fun way to socialize and share directly from their phone.

The ease of Instagram makes sharing what kids are up to only a few taps away on their phone. Kids can be their own photographer and photo editor by using their phone’s camera and then cropping, editing and adding filters to pictures. They can also express their creativity by adding interesting captions to their posts. Kids and teens are also able to interact with their friends by commenting on their posts.

For parents who may be concerned when it comes to their kids and Instagram, there are a few things to go over. The social media platform does have a minimum age for usage, which is 13, but they don’t specifically ask users to confirm their age or date of birth. When it comes to Instagram safety, parents should talk to their kids about what photo content is age appropriate for them to be posting. Parents should also know that although having a “public” profile may bring your child a large amount of followers and give theirre posts more exposure to a wider audience, this can also open the door for inappropriate situations for their children. It is recommended that children keep their profiles on “private”, which can be accessed in the settings section of the app.

Who Should Your Kids Follow On Instagram?

If you are worried about what content your child is seeing, here are some hand-picked accounts that you should make sure they are following are full of kid friendly content:

@soulpancake

Why We Love It: Soul Pancake’s mission statement says it all: “We create content that explores life’s big questions, celebrates humanity and champions creativity. And we do it with integrity, heart, and humor.” Their Instagram account is a curated page full of inspirational quotes, unique projects and daily humor safe for all ages.

@animalplanet

Why We Love It: Who doesn’t love a little daily dose of cute animals? This is the official account for the trusted Animal Planet TV channel. Kids can see all of their favorite cute and cuddly animal friends while also learning about new exotic animals.

@ireadya

Why We Love It: This account is perfect for any young tween and teen readers. This division of Scholastic books helps bring young adult books to their audience. From fun contest and Author spotlights, it’s the perfect way to get your kids interested in reading books and off their phones.

@dictionarycom

Why We Love It: This is the official account for the world’s leading digital dictionary. Help your kids expand their vocabulary and learn something new each day with their unique #WordoftheDay.

@discoverychannel

Why We Love It: Help your kids explore a world of travel, culture and science with these stunning images. Kids can experience far away places and cultures they never even knew about straight from their phones. The Ddiscovery Channel’s official account offers an amazing collection of images your kids will surely enjoy.

@lego

Why We Love It: Your kids can enjoy the world of Lego without you worrying about stepping on one of those pesky bricks! Kids can see what’s new from the famous toy company, and even see examples of projects they can expand upon with their own imagination. Followers can also see their favorite characters come to life with fun animations.

@onecampaign

Why We Love It: This account aims to campaigns for action of some of the biggest problems the world is facing today. Your kids can see some of their favorite cCelebrities joining in to work for a good cause.

@amypoehlersmartgirls

Why We Love It: This is the brainchild of comedian Amy Poehler and her friend and producer Meredith Walker. This account aims to be funny first and informative second. Smart Girls is dedicated to helping young people be themselves by celebrating curiosity, intelligence and imagination. Their feed is full of inspirational quotes and encouraging content for children of all ages.

@thegoodquote

Why We Love It: This account’s goal is simple: to spread good vibes worldwide. Their feed is simple and clean, and filled with daily quotes of inspiration sure to help children of all ages.

@iamkidpresident

Why We Love It: This little guy has built up a presence of imitating our former president but is still on a daily mission to help kids help people. From comical short videos to quirky quotes, this account will surely have your kids laughing and want to do some good of their own!