TikTok is a video hosting social media platform boasting over 1 billion users in 150 countries and the app has been downloaded over 200 million times in the US alone. It is used to create various short-form videos from genres like dance, comedy, and education, ranging from 15 seconds to three minutes.
A large percentage of the TikTok audience, 41%, are young people between the ages of 16 and 24. While a significant volume of content is focused on current app trends and often comedic, educational content is also abundant, with TikTok supporting through its #LearnOnTikTok initiative.
And though it may seem like an app just for teens, there’s a fantastic community of teachers on it who share tips, advice, and hilarious everyday moments. Here are my top recommendations of teachers putting out fun, encouraging, and relatable content worth following.
And though it may seem like an app just for teens, there’s a fantastic community of teachers on it who share tips, advice, and hilarious everyday moments. Here are my top recommendations of teachers putting out fun, encouraging, and relatable content worth following.
@MrsLukesLab
An elementary school science teacher, @MrsLukesLab, creates fun science experiments and how-to videos for kids and parents and explains simple science concepts. She recently wrapped up an entire series of summer science experiments.
@theblackfoodscientist
“Food Scientist Teaching You {Food} Science in Sixty Seconds.” — Food scientist Brittany Towers from Chicago posts 60-second food science lessons from making ice cream without an ice cream maker to answering random and burning questions like why bananas turn brown. She creates excellent content about gastronomy and kitchen chemistry.
@billnye
Bill Nye is a well-known science popularizer, and has been explaining scientific facts to kids for decades. And, according to his TikTok account, he doesn’t intend to stop. He continues to share his experiments and unexpected scientific occurrences with his 7.5 million followers.
@styro_pyro
Drake Anthony is a self-certified “Professional Mad Scientist,” posting fascinating scientific occurrences and machines that help replicate them. His content drives kids interested in science and engineering.
The face behind @NasaBlueberry1 with over 100k followers, Alyssa Carson, is a scientist and an aspiring astronaut best known for being the first person to attend all three of NASA’s international space camps. She teaches followers about the history of space exploration, offers how-to videos for fun family science experiments, and talks about different ways to pursue your interests in space and technology.
@signofdatimes
@signofdatimes, another education known only by her TikTok handle, aims to bridge the gap between deaf and hearing culture through education and the arts. She is an expert in American Sign Language (ASL) and uses her skills as a theater educator to share content for the deaf and hard of hearing. Her TikToks have even inspired other users, including students, to use ASL in their videos.
@mrs.b.tv
@mrs.b.tv, whose real name is Nancy Bullard, is a science teacher whose content features instructions for a kid-friendly science experiment or an engaging mini-lesson on science topics like the human body, properties of matter, and even the chemistry of candy. She often delivers anatomy lessons using preserved organs like the brain or lungs, so parental discretion is advised for sensitive younger viewers.
@minuteearth
@minuteearth had now made its way to TikTok from the video-sharing platform Youtube. The minute-long videos are created by a team of researchers and writers devoted to answering all random questions about history, science, and the world around us. The engaging illustrations and easy explanations will keep kids interested.
@coolchemistryguy
If you’re interested in seeing fun reactions between various substances, @coolchemistryguy is worth the follow. He shows off the most exciting interactions materials have while teaching you about their properties in the process.
@mythicalkitchen
Bid boring cooking videos goodbye! @mythicalkitchen will have your kids asking for all kinds of ingredients to make out-of-this-world recipes like Pop-Tart lasagna, Doritos Pasta, Grilled Cheese Cereal, and more.
@mrpapetti
Mr. Papetti is a Math teacher whose hilarious and down-to-earth TikToks are sure to make any student more enthusiastic about Math. His TikTok content features Math puns, everyday teacher humor, and Pi day celebrations.
@iteachalgebra
An Algebra 1 & Geometry Teacher from New Jersey, @iteachalgebra splits her time on TikTok between uploading math shortcuts and formulas with relatable memes about education and remote learning.
@mrs.collins13
Teachers love making jokes about their subjects, and Mrs. Collins is no different! She’s on TikTok to share punctuation jokes on whiteboards with her nearly 13,000 followers. She also used her account to interview fellow staff at her school before transitioning into distance learning.
@thejaxtutor
The Jax Tutor is an online math tutor who brings the most common and interesting problems to TikTok, explaining various mathematical concepts with his trusty whiteboard.
@instituteofhumananatomy
Who said learning about the human body is boring? The person behind the Institute of Human Anatomy TikTok account tells fascinating facts, and answers common yet interesting questions about the human skeleton, muscles, and organs.
“Childproofing” Tiktok
Not all of TikTok’s content is appropriate for kids, as it has millions of users sharing everything from dance trend videos, political rants, edgy comedy skits, and pranks. If you’ve never used the app yourself, be aware that videos play automatically. The “For You” section, acting as the app’s homepage, also shows content randomly. I highly recommend supervising your kiddos while using the app – plus I find it fun to watch too.
The app also offers a limited version more appropriate for kids under 13, restricting mature content. Another way to keep viewing safe is by downloading the app on password-protected devices so children can only access it with adult supervision. You can also set the app to restricted mode and use the “following” tab only for a curated experience (you’ll only be able to see content from trusted users you follow). If you have a teen with their own account, utilize Family Pairing within managing privacy and safety settings. I’m a fan of this platform and although utilizing it for marketing and advertising isn’t right for every business, there are many out there that are taking advantage of this captive community.
Happy scrolling!