Ms. Rachel

{{Infobox YouTube personality

| name = Ms. Rachel

| logo =

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| birth_name = Rachel Anne Griffin

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|11|30}}

| birth_place = Biddeford, Maine, U.S.

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| occupation = {{hlist|YouTuber|social media personality|educator}}

| education = {{plainlist|

| spouse = {{marriage|Aron Accurso|2016}}

| children = 2{{cite web |title=Ms. Rachel and Husband Aron Quietly Welcomed Baby No. 2, a Girl: 'We Are So in Love' |first=Hannah |last=Sacks |date=April 8, 2025 |url=https://people.com/ms-rachel-quietly-welcomes-baby-no-2-a-girl-with-husband-aron-11711129 |website=People |access-date=April 8, 2025}}

| website =

| pseudonym =

| channel_handle = @msrachel

| channel_display_name = Ms Rachel - Toddler Learning Videos

| years_active = 2019–present

| genre = {{hlist|Children's music|education}}

| subscribers = 15.1 million

| views = 11 billion

| stats_update = June 3, 2025

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| language = American English

| silver_button = yes

| silver_year = 2021

| gold_button = yes

| gold_year = 2022

| diamond_button = yes

| diamond_year = 2024

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}}

Rachel Anne Accurso{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnqsEUxgSBQ&t=1471|quote="My middle name is Anne. My full name is Rachel Anne Accurso."|date=August 15, 2024|people=Accurso, Rachel|title=Ms Rachel & Elmo Get Ready For School - ABC Song, Numbers, Colors - Toddler & Preschool Learning|time=24:31}} ({{née|Griffin}}; born November 30, 1982), better known as Ms. Rachel, is an American YouTuber, social media personality, singer, songwriter, and educator. She is best known for creating the YouTube series Songs for Littles, a children's music series focused on language development for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Early and personal life

Accurso was born in Biddeford, Maine, and raised in Sanford, Maine. She attended Sanford High School, where she participated in theatre, and the University of Southern Maine.{{cite web |last1=Goldberg |first1=Lee |title=Former Maine teacher 'Ms Rachel' posts educational videos for the masses |url=https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/education/miss-rachel-youtube-videos-maine-teacher-teaching-videos-for-kids-online/97-4d234731-b76b-435c-9f5c-ecd3c027dacc |website=News Center Maine |access-date=April 27, 2023 |date=April 10, 2023 |archive-date=April 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427185154/https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/education/miss-rachel-youtube-videos-maine-teacher-teaching-videos-for-kids-online/97-4d234731-b76b-435c-9f5c-ecd3c027dacc |url-status=live }} She earned a master's degree in music education from New York University in 2016{{Cite web |date=May 14, 2024 |title=2024 Dorothy Height Distinguished Alumni Award Honoree: Rachel Griffin-Accurso (MA '16) {{!}} NYU Steinhardt |url=https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/news/2024-dorothy-height-distinguished-alumni-award-honoree-rachel-griffin-accurso-ma-16 |access-date=May 28, 2024 |website=steinhardt.nyu.edu |language=en}} and worked as a music teacher at a public preschool in New York City before starting her YouTube channel. {{As of|2023}}, she is pursuing a second master's degree in early childhood education.

She married Broadway music director and composer Aron Accurso in July 2016.{{Cite web |title=Who Is Ms. Rachel's Husband? All About Aron Accurso |url=https://people.com/who-is-aron-accurso-ms-rachel-husband-8681443#:~:text=Rachel%20has%20a%20massive%20following,inspired%20the%20couple's%20YouTube%20page. |access-date=February 27, 2025 |website=People.com |language=en}} On April 8, 2025, Accurso announced that she and her husband had a second child via surrogacy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DIMDDTTuGyR/|title=Instagram|website=www.instagram.com}}

Career

Accurso started her YouTube channel in 2019 under the name Ms. Rachel. She and her husband created the channel in response to the lack of media resources for their son who had a speech delay and did not say his first word until he was two years old.{{cite web |last1=Hogan |first1=Kate |title=Internet Sensation Ms. Rachel on Her Break from TikTok: 'Self-Care Is Important' |url=https://people.com/parents/ms-rachel-on-break-from-tiktok-youtube-success/ |website=People |access-date=March 11, 2023 |date=March 3, 2023 |archive-date=March 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311110714/https://people.com/parents/ms-rachel-on-break-from-tiktok-youtube-success/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Hanson |first1=Kait |title=Who is Ms. Rachel and why are your kids obsessed with her? |url=https://www.today.com/parents/family/who-is-ms-rachel-rcna60194 |website=Today |access-date=March 11, 2023 |date=December 7, 2022 |archive-date=March 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311110713/https://www.today.com/parents/family/who-is-ms-rachel-rcna60194 |url-status=live }} She created Songs for Littles, a children's music YouTube series made up of a combination of classic children's songs, such as nursery rhymes, and original music for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.{{cite web |last1=Thompson Payton |first1=L'Oreal |title=Screen time may not be as bad for children as previously thought |url=https://fortune.com/well/2022/10/19/screen-time-cognitive-development-in-kids/ |website=Fortune |access-date=March 11, 2023 |date=October 19, 2022 |archive-date=March 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311110715/https://fortune.com/well/2022/10/19/screen-time-cognitive-development-in-kids/ |url-status=live }} It was originally started as an in-person class led by Accurso and was inspired by the techniques of her son's early childhood intervention speech therapist with a focus on language development milestones and inclusive subject matter. The channel became especially popular starting in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and has over fifteen million subscribers {{As of|lc=y|2025}}.{{cite magazine |last1=Jones |first1=CT |title=A Kids YouTuber Uses They/Them Pronouns. Some Parents Just Found Out -- And Lost Their Minds |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/songs-for-littles-tiktok-parents-jules-ms-rachel-1234694629/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=April 27, 2023 |date=March 10, 2023 |archive-date=April 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427185154/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/songs-for-littles-tiktok-parents-jules-ms-rachel-1234694629/ |url-status=live }}

Songs for Littles features Accurso as the star, with her signature outfit of a pink shirt with overalls and a headband, alongside diverse cast and crew members including actress and teacher Keisha Gilles, diversity and inclusion consultant Alexa Smith, speech therapist Frida Matute, animator and editor Beth Jean, singer-songwriter Jules Hoffman,{{cite web |last1=Hanson |first1=Kait |title=Ms. Rachel returns to social media with honest message about 'boundaries' |url=https://www.today.com/parents/family/ms-rachel-returns-to-social-media-rcna73628 |website=Today |access-date=March 11, 2023 |date=March 7, 2023 |archive-date=March 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311073735/https://www.today.com/parents/family/ms-rachel-returns-to-social-media-rcna73628 |url-status=live }} actress Natalie Kaye Clater, and Accurso's husband Aron, the last of whom writes and arranges music for the series and operates two puppet characters named Georgie and Herbie.{{cite web |last1=Borresen |first1=Kelsey |title=12 Kids' TV Shows That Experts Let Their Own Children Watch |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kids-tv-shows-child-development-experts_l_638f990de4b0411f9e7cf6aa |website=HuffPost |access-date=March 11, 2023 |date=December 8, 2022 |archive-date=March 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311110715/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kids-tv-shows-child-development-experts_l_638f990de4b0411f9e7cf6aa |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Hailu |first1=Selome |title=Ms. Rachel and 'Songs for Littles' Sign With CAA |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/ms-rachel-songs-for-littles-caa-1235545617/ |website=Variety |access-date=March 11, 2023 |date=March 7, 2023 |archive-date=March 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310170009/https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/ms-rachel-songs-for-littles-caa-1235545617/ |url-status=live }} Accurso also became popular on TikTok as Ms. Rachel, where she had over two and a half million followers by March 2023.

Accurso took a break from TikTok in February 2023, citing her mental health. The break was assumed by fans to be in response to backlash from some parents on the platform against Accurso's nonbinary co-star Jules Hoffman for using they/them pronouns.{{cite web |last1=Sung |first1=Morgan |title=Viral kids' star Ms. Rachel is taking a break from social media after backlash over co-star who uses they/them pronouns |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/viral/ms-rachel-social-media-break-jules-tiktok-rcna73005 |website=NBC News |access-date=March 11, 2023 |date=March 2, 2023 |archive-date=March 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310211240/https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/viral/ms-rachel-social-media-break-jules-tiktok-rcna73005 |url-status=live }} That same month, Accurso returned to TikTok while she and Songs for Littles were signed to Creative Artists Agency. In June 2024, Accurso received backlash and a boycott campaign from conservatives after she posted a video on TikTok wishing viewers a happy Pride Month.{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/culture/354047/ms-rachel-backlash-explained-pride-gaza|title=The backlash against children's YouTuber Ms Rachel, explained|last1=Delgado|first1=Sam|publisher=Vox|date=June 6, 2024|accessdate=June 8, 2024}}

A Ms. Rachel toy line was announced in August 2024, which included a Ms. Rachel doll.{{cite web |last1=Encinas |first1=Amaris |title=Popular family YouTuber Ms. Rachel is coming out with a toy line very soon |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/retail/2024/08/22/ms-rachel-toy-line/74911830007/ |website=USA Today |access-date=April 11, 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Corsillo |first1=Liza |title=New Toys Alert: The Ms. Rachel Doll Has Arrived |url=https://nymag.com/strategist/article/new-toys-alert-ms-rachel-doll-fingerlings-axolotl.html |website=NY Mag |access-date=April 11, 2025}} The popularity of the doll led to knockoffs being sold prompting Accurso to post a guide on how to identify the real doll.{{cite web |last1=Muhammad |first1=Latifa |title=Ms. Rachel Issues Warning Over Knockoff Singing Dolls: Here’s Where to Buy the Real Deal |url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/product-recommendations/ms-rachel-doll-where-to-buy-online-1235805998/ |website=Billboard |access-date=April 11, 2025}} Netflix premiered four compilation episodes of Ms. Rachel on January 27, 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://9meters.com/entertainment/shows/the-1-show-for-toddlers-and-babies-on-netflix-is-ms-rachel|title=Ms. Rachel Becomes The #1 Show For Toddlers and Babies on Netflix - 9meters|date=February 4, 2025|website=9meters.com}}

=Fundraising=

Accurso announced a fundraising campaign in a video published in May 2024 to her TikTok and Instagram accounts. She offered to make videos on Cameo, a website that allows users to pay for a personalized video with a message of their choice, with all revenue from the videos going to Save the Children's emergency fund, mentioning the Gaza Strip, Sudan, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In a couple of hours, she had raised over $50,000 from 500 Cameo requests, which she later paused to record the requested videos.{{cite news |last1=Karimi |first1=Faith |title=This popular YouTuber launched a campaign to help kids in Gaza and other conflict zones. Then came the angry comments |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/22/us/ms-rachel-gaza-social-media-cec/index.html |access-date=May 23, 2024 |work=CNN |date=May 22, 2024 |language=en}} Accurso stated that she was bullied online in relation to her fundraising for the children of Gaza, stating that she cares "deeply for all children".{{cite news |last1=Tolentino |first1=Daysia |title=Viral kids creator Ms. Rachel says she experienced bullying after fundraising for children in Gaza |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ms-rachel-bullying-fundraising-children-gaza-rcna152701 |access-date=May 23, 2024 |work=NBC News |date=May 17, 2024 |language=en}} She soon disabled comments on her YouTube and Instagram accounts.

Accurso has often posted on Instagram about the conditions suffered by children in Gaza due to Israel's bombing and blockade of the Gaza Strip. She has called for an end to the bombing and blockade, and for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the civilians and children in Gaza who have been forcibly displaced.{{Cite news |last=Bero |first=Tayo |date=June 1, 2025 |title=Why is a pro-Israel group asking the US to investigate Ms Rachel?

|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/01/ms-rachel-israel-gaza-investigation |access-date=June 3, 2025 |work=The Guardian}} In a May 2025 interview with Mehdi Hasan, Accurso reaffirmed her support for the children of Gaza, saying that "It’s sad that people try to make it controversial when you speak out for children that are facing immeasurable suffering."{{cite news |last1=Yang |first1=Angela |title=Ms. Rachel doubles down support for children in Gaza |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/ms-rachel-echoes-support-palestinian-children-rcna206368 |access-date=May 13, 2025 |work=NBC News |date=May 12, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250513140912/https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/ms-rachel-echoes-support-palestinian-children-rcna206368 |archive-date=May 13, 2025 |language=en |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Hasan |first1=Mehdi |author1-link=Mehdi Hasan |title=EXCLUSIVE: The One and Only Ms. Rachel Opens Up to Mehdi on Her Advocacy for Gaza's Kids |url=https://zeteo.com/p/exclusive-the-one-and-only-ms-rachel |access-date=May 13, 2025 |work=Zeteo |date=May 12, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250512193136/https://zeteo.com/p/exclusive-the-one-and-only-ms-rachel |archive-date=May 12, 2025 |language=en |url-status=live }}