OK, kids are very interested in making YT videos and I wouldnt mind learning either. Occasionally I have projects where the YT how-to's are total crap and I think I can do better.

Need software recommendation that 12yr olds will be able to work the basics and Dad wont give up after 10 minutes because something that looks like it should click&drag requires a masters to figure out.

Free would be nice, too.

 

Ive heard good things about kinemaster on adroid OS, if you have a good android tablet.

I use Adobe Premier Pro (PC) because I hate myself

 

I have heard good things about Davinci Resolve.
iMovie is still pretty easy and something I enjoyed using assuming you have a mac computer.

 

Davinci Resolve.

It DOES have a learning curve. But honestly, if you want to know how to do something, like a transition, a title, merging clips, voice overlay, exporting ect. just youtube search it and watch the shortest video.

Importing media, putting it in a timeline, and doing basic editing like trimming clips is pretty intuitive if you've used a computer before.

Also, keep in mind that if you're editing new gopro footage, or footage from some of these high end phones you may need a half way beefy computer. The video quality these days is not the easiest stuff to render.

 

PC based, open source, still being updated and fairly easy to learn.

Open Shot Video Editor

 

iMovie

 

I recently tried GoPro Quik and was pleasantly surprised. 10 bucks for an annual subscription. Plus, if your kids want to use it, they can mess with it on phone or tablets. Unless you're making really complex videos, the biggest hurdle is just transferring large files back and forth. Taking a few clips from a phone, and editing right there on the fly is nice. Less hassle for you to manage the kids' files too if they have their own devices.