What’s up with all the YouTube unboxing videos and why are kids so obsessed?

A bunch of L.O.L. Surprise! toys on display at the Walmart located at 1675 S. Christopher Columbus in Philadelphia, Pa. on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. The toy is one of the most popular this holiday season. (Heather Khalifa/Philly.com/TNS)

Unboxing videos are exactly what they sound like: People opening boxes and narrating their actions. Unboxing videos are very popular with kids, racking up millions of views and tens of millions of subscribers. 

Some unboxing videos, such as ones about toys and Kinder Surprise eggs are usually fine for kids to watch (with a few caveats). But the subject matter of some unboxing videos is not age-appropriate.