Forget traditional media deals—savvy creators are building multi-million view channels by creating content directly for kids on YouTube

Special report from KIDSCREEN Summit 2025 in San Diego, CA

Michael Blum, Owner and CCO of Pipsqueak Animation, didn’t mince words when moderating an industry panel at the KIDSCREEN Summit 2025 in San Diego: “If you go the traditional route of development and then selling it to a streamer or a network, you will ultimately be giving away your IP in one way or another.”

This stark reality has pushed a new generation of content creators to bypass traditional gatekeepers entirely. In an engaging panel discussion, successful kids’ content creators shared their playbook for building YouTube channels that generate both massive viewership and substantial revenue.

The New Media Moguls

The panel featured creators at various stages of their YouTube journey:

• Adam Walters of English Tree TV boasts 100 million monthly views across eight channels after a decade on the platform.
• Cory Williams, creator of Silly Crocodile and a 20-year YouTube veteran who claims the title of “first professional YouTuber,” generates between 20-60 million views monthly.
• Claire Dodin, a relative newcomer with three years of YouTube experience creating The High Meows Singing Cats channel.
• Julian Bryan, Strategic Partnerships Manager on YouTube’s Youth team, who provided the platform perspective.

The $10,000 Per 10 Million Views Reality

When asked directly about monetization potential, Williams was refreshingly transparent: YouTube kids’ content creators can expect to earn approximately $10,000 for every 10 million views their content receives.

“On an average month, I’ll get anywhere between, like, 20 to 60 million views,” Williams shared, translating to substantial six-figure annual earnings for a solo creator.

Bryan confirmed that while kids’ content has lower ad rates than general audience content (due to stricter advertising restrictions), the potential audience size makes profitability achievable with scale.

Breaking the Production Paradigm

These creators aren’t just bypassing traditional distribution—they’re reinventing production processes too.

Williams revealed he creates real-time animation using Unreal Engine 5, allowing him to perform as animated characters and interact directly with children worldwide. “I can call kids in different classrooms around the world. I can create cameos and actually get that live feedback from the kids and the parents,” he explained.

Walters, who personally handled all animation for his channel’s first seven years, eventually partnered with Animasia Studios in Malaysia after establishing profitability. This “bootstrap first, scale later” approach appears common among successful creators.

Strategic Content Planning: The Batch Approach

Rather than producing traditional 22-minute episodes, these YouTube entrepreneurs think in terms of content that can be fractured and repurposed.

“If you want to try a two-minute video or a five-minute video, that’s actually like 20 uploads on YouTube,” Walters explained. “You can cut that into 10-second shorts and get dozens of uploads and stretch it out and schedule it over many months or even a year just for five or ten minutes of content.”

This approach allows creators to maintain consistent posting schedules with minimal production costs—a crucial consideration before monetization kicks in.

Market Research via Real Kids

Unlike traditional media, which relies on focus groups and executive opinions, these YouTube entrepreneurs test their content directly with their target audience.

“I go to local fairs and I go and meet with the kids and I interact with them and show them the characters,” Dodin shared. “I also have some teachers in preschool who are playing my songs in class, and then they’re playing with the kids and then they give me feedback.”

This direct-to-consumer feedback loop allows for rapid iteration based on actual audience response rather than speculation.

The YouTube Algorithm Reality Check

Bryan demystified YouTube’s often-misunderstood recommendation system: “If you’re thinking about the algorithm, change that word in your head to the audience because ultimately the algorithm is the audience.”

This perspective shift has significant implications for content strategy. Rather than trying to “game” a system, successful creators focus on audience signals and engagement metrics.

The Timeline to Profitability

For entrepreneurs considering entering this space, the panel was candid about the patience required.

Even apparent “overnight successes” like Ms. Rachel posted content for years before breaking through, according to Bryan. He estimates most channels need at least 1-2 years of consistent posting before achieving significant traction.

Claire Dodin, the newest creator on the panel, confirmed this reality: “My channel is making money, but it’s not yet bringing in enough money to repay what it costs.”

The Bottom Line

For content creators willing to play the long game, YouTube offers an unprecedented opportunity to build owned intellectual property while generating revenue directly from audience engagement.

As traditional media companies struggle with declining viewership and challenging economics, these YouTube entrepreneurs are building sustainable businesses by serving children’s content needs directly—no network executives required.

The message was clear: success is possible for those willing to focus on audience needs, consistently deliver content, and exercise patience while building their channel. But perhaps most importantly, as Dodin emphasized, “Make sure that when you create content, you’re creating content that you love. Because it’s not going to be a one-time thing with YouTube.”