Overview
If you’re familiar with what’s popular on YouTube, you know that challenge videos reign supreme. These are essentially videos where people come up with a game or challenge that’s either difficult, weird, expensive, or a combination of these. The Try Guys have built their channel of 8 million subscribers off these challenge videos and after five years, they’re still going! It’s actually been longer than that because the Try Guys originally started doing these challenges on BuzzFeed before they split to make their own name.
So the question for parents is, what exactly do the Try Guys try and is it safe for my child to watch? We took a deep dive into their channel to answer that for you!
Harmful Content ❗️
In the grand scheme of things, the Try Guy channel doesn’t have the most harmful content on YouTube. But if you’re looking for a channel that will grow your child’s knowledge or skill in any way, this is probably not what you’re looking for. The videos are purely for fun and don’t generally focus on any educational value.
True to their name, they have tried an activity or challenge in just about every area you can think of. Their videos range from wholesome content like “The Try Guys Try Crocheting” to more mature content like “Try Guys Try On Women’s Thongs”. Generally, the topics of their videos are more on the harmless side, but as we’ll see, their humor is often too adult and inappropriate for young kids. They also do a lot of outlandish things for the sake of the video that is definitely not advisable for kids to emulate. Some videos do feature substance use of alcohol and marijuana.
Language
Their videos frequently have adult language such as F-bomb, “s**t”, “damn”, and “hell.” Sometimes they’re censored, sometimes they’re not. If this goes against your family values, this channel is likely not a fit for your family.
Sex
It is not out of the ordinary for there to be a sexual joke (or multiple) in a Try Guy video. Some of their videos reflect this, such as “Try Guys Try Pole Dancing” or “Try Guys Recreate Fan Fiction” — which has tons of innuendos for sexual scenes.
Violence
YouTube viewers wouldn’t describe the Try Guys channel as violent, but some of their videos may have some intense topics or depictions. For example, they have videos where they simulate dangerous situations, such as driving drunk or trying to escape a kidnapping. In both of these videos, they make sure to emphasize the seriousness of these scenarios. But a young or immature viewer may not be able to grasp that and just see it as a funny video.
Positive Value 💫
While the Try Guys may not add a lot of educational value, they certainly add a lot of laughs. It’s always refreshing to see people who don’t take themselves so seriously and are willing to do weird things just for a good chuckle. Again, there is certainly more harmful content to be found on YouTube. However, parents should be aware of the less family-friendly side of the Try Guys before allowing their children to watch them.
So, should my kid watch it?
The Try Guys channel is likely appropriate for ages 14 and up. But be sure to account for your child specifically and their maturity level. We hope this review can help determine whether the Try Guys are worth a try for your family!
