TL;DR: Smarter Every Day is the gold standard of "Good YouTube." Hosted by aerospace engineer Destin Sandlin, it’s a deep dive into physics, engineering, and nature that manages to be high-energy without being manic. If you’re tired of the "brain rot" of Skibidi Toilet or the endless "Ohio" memes, this is the intellectual palate cleanser your kids need. It’s safe, fascinating, and actually makes the adults in the room feel smarter, too.
If you haven't stumbled into this corner of the internet yet, Smarter Every Day is a long-running YouTube channel hosted by Destin Sandlin. Destin is a literal rocket engineer from Alabama who has a contagious, borderline-obsessive curiosity about how the world works.
Unlike a lot of "educational" creators who talk down to kids or use flashy editing to hide a lack of substance, Destin treats his audience like fellow researchers. He’ll spend 20 minutes explaining the fluid dynamics of a twisting cat or three years filming the way a grain silo collapses. It’s slow-burn curiosity meets high-production value (think ultra-high-speed cameras and NASA visits).
Kids are naturally drawn to the "how" and "why" of things, and Smarter Every Day hits that sweet spot of "cool stuff exploding/moving fast" and "actually explaining the mechanics."
- The "Slow-Mo" Factor: Destin often uses Phantom high-speed cameras. Watching a baseball hit a wall at 1,000 frames per second is inherently satisfying for an 8-year-old (and, honestly, for me). It’s similar to the appeal of The Slow Mo Guys, but with a heavy dose of "here is the physics of why that happened."
- Authentic Hype: Kids can sniff out a fake "influencer" personality from a mile away. Destin isn't doing the "WHAT IS UP GUYS" scream. He’s genuinely stoked about a snatch block or a laminar flow in a water stream. That authenticity is magnetic.
- The "Big Kid" Vibe: For middle schoolers who feel like they’ve outgrown "kids' shows," this feels like adult content that is actually accessible. It’s a bridge between PBS Kids and a college engineering lecture.
We talk a lot about "active" vs. "passive" screen time. Scrolling TikTok for an hour is passive; watching a Smarter Every Day video and then trying to build a pulley system in the garage is active.
Destin models intellectual humility. One of his most famous videos is about the Backwards Brain Bicycle, where he tries to learn to ride a bike that steers in the opposite direction. It takes him months. It’s a perfect lesson for kids in "the power of yet" and how hard it is to unlearn old habits. He shows the struggle, the frustration, and the eventual payoff.
You don't have to watch these in order, but there are some "greatest hits" that define the channel.
This is the "gateway drug" for the channel. Destin proves that even if you know how something works, your brain might not let you do it. It’s a fantastic conversation starter about neuroplasticity and why learning new things is hard. Ages: 6+
I never thought I’d be excited about pulleys, but here we are. This video is so popular it spawned its own merchandise. It explains mechanical advantage in a way that makes you want to go out and lift a car with a rope. Ages: 8+
Destin spent several days on a U.S. Navy nuclear submarine under the Arctic ice. This is top-tier documentary filmmaking. It covers everything from how they breathe to how they navigate without GPS. It’s longer-form and perfect for a family movie night alternative. Ages: 10+
Using a glass-head engine and a high-speed camera, he shows the actual explosions happening inside a motor. It’s mesmerizing and makes the "magic" of cars feel like understandable science. Ages: 7+
While the content itself is almost universally "G-rated," the complexity of the topics varies.
- Elementary (Ages 6-9): Focus on the nature videos (like the archer fish) and the slow-motion physics. They might not catch every engineering term, but the visual "wow" factor keeps them engaged.
- Middle School (Ages 10-13): This is the sweet spot. They can handle the math, the engineering logic, and the longer-form deep dives into space or military tech.
- High School (Ages 14+): Destin’s videos on social media manipulation and algorithms are mandatory viewing for this age group. He breaks down how bots and bad actors manipulate what we see online. It’s digital literacy at its finest.
Smarter Every Day is one of the safest channels on the platform. Destin is a family man, and while he occasionally mentions his faith or his family, it’s done in a way that is respectful and integrated into his life rather than being "preachy." There is no profanity, no "prank" culture, and no "flexing" on the audience.
The real danger is the YouTube algorithm itself.
You might start with a video about supersonic baseballs and, four clicks later, your kid is watching some weird, AI-generated "Elsagate" clone or a high-stress MrBeast knockoff.
If you have younger kids, I highly recommend watching Smarter Every Day on the big screen in the living room rather than letting them go down the rabbit hole on a personal tablet. Or, use the YouTube Kids app and specifically whitelist his channel.
Destin is part of a "squad" of science YouTubers who often collaborate. If your kid likes Smarter Every Day, they will likely enjoy:
- Mark Rober (The former NASA engineer known for glitter bombs and squirrel obstacle courses).
- Veritasium (Deep physics and philosophy).
- Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell (Beautifully animated science and existential questions).
These creators represent a shift in how kids learn. They aren't just memorizing facts for a test; they’re watching the scientific method in real-time. They see Destin fail, adjust his hypothesis, and try again. That is a much more valuable lesson than just knowing the speed of sound.
Smarter Every Day is a rare 10/10 in the digital wellness world. It’s content that respects your child’s intelligence and encourages them to look at the world with more curiosity.
If you’re feeling guilty about screen time today, put on the Smarter Every Day Space Station series and call it a win. You’re not just "watching a video"—you’re basically attending a guest lecture from the coolest engineering professor on the planet.
- Watch the "Backwards Brain Bicycle" video with your kids tonight.
- Ask them: "What's something you thought was easy but turned out to be really hard to learn?"
- Check out our guide on how to move from YouTube to hands-on STEM projects to keep the momentum going.
- If they start saying "Ohio" is "mid," just show them a video of a supersonic baseball cannon and reclaim your status as the cool parent.