Children around the world are currently trying to decide which toys to put on their Christmas list. Some browse catalogues for inspiration or look in toy shops and watch TV adverts, while others are turning to toy unboxing videos to make up their minds. What is the appeal of these videos, and are they in any way harmful? For nine-year-old Verity, the unboxing videos have been a great way to work out which toys she really wants this Christmas. In these videos, children, or in some cases just a pair of hands, take toys out of their packaging and play with them.

Verity particularly likes watching Shopkins, Lego and Harry Potter toys being opened on YouTube, which is the main platform for this type of content. "It gives you more information than just seeing an advert. It's more interesting because these videos give you more details about how something works and then they show you how it works."

Verity, who lives in St Albans in Hertfordshire, also likes to make her own videos, but only for family and friends to watch. "I don't want everybody to see them because they might make fun of them and make bad comments," she says. "People can be mean."

BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-49975644

Children around the world are currently trying to decide which toys to put on their Christmas list. Some browse catalogues for inspiration or look in toy shops and watch TV adverts, while others are turning to toy unboxing videos to make up their minds. What is the appeal of these videos, and are they in any way harmful? For nine-year-old Verity, the unboxing videos have been a great way to work out which toys she really wants this Christmas. In these videos, children, or in some cases just a pair of hands, take toys out of their packaging and play with them.

Verity particularly likes watching Shopkins, Lego and Harry Potter toys being opened on YouTube, which is the main platform for this type of content. "It gives you more information than just seeing an advert. It's more interesting because these videos give you more details about how something works and then they show you how it works."

Verity, who lives in St Albans in Hertfordshire, also likes to make her own videos, but only for family and friends to watch. "I don't want everybody to see them because they might make fun of them and make bad comments," she says. "People can be mean."

BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-49975644

Children around the world are currently trying to decide which toys to put on their Christmas list. Some browse catalogues for inspiration or look in toy shops and watch TV adverts, while others are turning to toy unboxing videos to make up their minds. What is the appeal of these videos, and are they in any way harmful? For nine-year-old Verity, the unboxing videos have been a great way to work out which toys she really wants this Christmas. In these videos, children, or in some cases just a pair of hands, take toys out of their packaging and play with them.

Verity particularly likes watching Shopkins, Lego and Harry Potter toys being opened on YouTube, which is the main platform for this type of content. "It gives you more information than just seeing an advert. It's more interesting because these videos give you more details about how something works and then they show you how it works."

Verity, who lives in St Albans in Hertfordshire, also likes to make her own videos, but only for family and friends to watch. "I don't want everybody to see them because they might make fun of them and make bad comments," she says. "People can be mean."

BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-49975644