Is the Premium version worth the cost for a kid?

Probably not, unless your kid is a total weather obsessive. The main benefit is removing ads and those sensationalist videos, but for most families, the free version (with a little supervision) is plenty.

Does this app track my child's location?

Yes, heavily. To give accurate 'hyper-local' forecasts, it needs GPS data. If you're uncomfortable with that, you can set the location permissions to 'Only while using the app' or manually enter a zip code instead of using live GPS.

Are the 'Weather News' videos safe?

They are generally 'safe' in that they don't contain profanity or adult content, but they are designed to be dramatic. Footage of floods, fires, and storms can be intense for younger or more sensitive kids.

How accurate is the '15-minute' forecast really?

It's good, but not magic. It's great for knowing if you can squeeze in a quick dog walk before the clouds open up, but teach your kid that meteorology is still a game of probabilities, not certainties.

Weather – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Weather

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

app2016

72%

WISE Score

4.8

App Store

The gold standard for knowing if you need a jacket or an ark, though the free version is a bit of an ad-filled storm.

Weather

app

Everyone, 2016

72%

WISE Score

4.8

App Store

The gold standard for knowing if you need a jacket or an ark, though the free version is a bit of an ad-filled storm.

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Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

The Weather Channel app is the quintessential 'grown-up' utility that works perfectly well for a curious kid. It’s not trying to be a game, which is refreshing, but it does mean your kid is navigating a professional-grade tool built for adults.

If you can get past the data-tracking and the somewhat aggressive ad placement in the free tier, it's a solid way to introduce scientific literacy into daily life. It’s less 'fun' than something like Weather Kitty, but it’s far more useful for actually planning a weekend.

Age Fit

Best for kids 8 and up who are starting to manage their own schedules and outfits. Younger kids might find the interface too busy or the storm footage a bit much.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It is a utility app focused entirely on atmospheric data. No social toxicity, no conflict, and no mature themes beyond the occasional news report on natural disasters.

Imaginative

While looking at Doppler radar can feel a bit like exploring a map, this is a data-retrieval tool, not a creative sandbox.

Safe

The free version is cluttered with ads and 'news' videos that often lean into sensationalist disaster coverage, which can be unsettling for younger children. No unmoderated social features, though.

Enriching

Excellent for teaching map literacy, understanding barometric pressure, and learning how to interpret scientific data to make real-world decisions.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Doppler Radar is genuinely fun for kids to scrub through to see where the rain is moving in real-time.
Air Quality Index and pollen counts are great teaching tools for kids with allergies or asthma to manage their own health.
Hyper-local accuracy helps build independence, letting kids decide for themselves if they actually need those snow boots.
Sunset and sunrise times are handy for kids who are starting to negotiate 'staying out until dark.'

⚠

What to Watch For

The free version is heavy on ads and clickbaity 'Weather News' videos that can sometimes show scary footage of hurricanes or tornadoes.
Location tracking is basically mandatory for the app to function well, which might be a privacy hurdle for some families.
The interface is cluttered with 'Suggested' content that has nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with keeping you in the app.

Conversation Starters

"Look at the radar—based on the color of those clouds, when do you think the rain will actually hit our house?"
"Why does the 'Feels Like' temperature sometimes matter more than the actual temperature?"
"If the Air Quality Index is high today, how should we change our plans for playing outside?"
"How do you think people predicted the weather before we had satellites and apps like this?"

Deep Dive

Beyond the Temperature

Most of us use weather apps as a quick binary: rain or shine? But for a kid, The Weather Channel app can be a surprisingly deep dive into earth science. The 24-hour future radar isn't just a gimmick; it's a visualization of fluid dynamics. Watching a storm front rotate and dissipate teaches more about meteorology than a textbook chapter ever could.

The Ad Problem

Let's be real: the user experience on the free version has degraded over the years. You'll often find yourself dodging 'Top 10 Most Dangerous Roads' videos just to see if it's going to be 70 degrees on Tuesday. For a kid, these can be a major distraction or even a source of 'weather anxiety.' If your child is particularly sensitive to natural disasters, you might want to stick to the basic weather widget on their phone's home screen rather than letting them roam free in the full app.

A Tool for Independence

This is a great 'bridge' app. It’s one of those first pieces of digital utility that doesn't feel like 'kid tech.' Giving a child access to this data is a low-stakes way to give them agency. Instead of telling them to wear a coat, you can ask them to check the 'Feels Like' and make the call. It’s a small win for digital maturity.

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