YouTube remains the most widely used media platform among Gen Alpha, with 78% of surveyed children using the service, according to Precise TV‘s latest research. In the September 2025 report, which surveyed 2,000 U.S. children and their parents, YouTube usage is consistently high across all age segments: 74% for children aged 2-5, 82% for those aged 6-9, and 78% for those aged 10-12.
Video-on-demand services and mobile games follow YouTube in popularity, with usage rates of 72% and 68%, respectively. YouTube Shorts has captured greater market share with 53% of children using the short-form video platform.
Children overwhelmingly prefer mobile devices for YouTube consumption, with 66% using phones and 60% using tablets. However, viewing habits vary by age – 62% of children aged 2-5 watch YouTube on TV screens, suggesting different platform strategies may be needed to reach different segments of this audience.
Co-Viewing Creates Advertising Opportunities
The research highlights strong co-viewing behavior, with 49% of children watching YouTube with parents. This presents unique advertising opportunities as 77% of parents report being influenced by their children when co-viewing content.
“Almost half of kids co-view YouTube with their parents,” the report notes, revealing that parental influence remains strong in children’s media consumption despite increasing device access.
The advertising impact is substantial, with 47% of parents reporting they saw their last children’s purchase in a YouTube ad. Additionally, 59% of children have asked their parents for products after seeing YouTube advertisements.
Content Preferences Vary By Age and Gender
Content preferences show clear demographic patterns. For children aged 2-5, cartoons dominate across genders, with 65% of boys and 63% of girls watching animated content.
For boys aged 6-12, gaming and comedy content lead preferences. Among boys aged 6-9, 54% watch gaming content and 53% view comedy. For boys aged 10-12, this shifts slightly with comedy (55%) slightly edging out gaming (52%).
Girls aged 6-12 prefer cartoons and comedy, with cartoons (54%) and comedy (53%) nearly equal for the 6-9 age group. For girls aged 10-12, comedy becomes the clear leader at 59%, with music content (53%) showing growing importance.
Second-Screen Behavior Prevalent Among Children and Parents
The research reveals extensive second-screen behavior, with approximately half of children using additional devices while watching television. Among children aged 6-9, 50% engage with second screens, while 44% of children aged 10-12 do the same.
Mobile gaming (48%) and watching YouTube (46%) are the most common second-screen activities for children. Among parents, 90% use second screens during co-viewing sessions, primarily for texting (43%), checking Facebook (42%), and checking emails (41%).
This multitasking behavior presents both challenges and opportunities for advertisers seeking to capture attention in an increasingly fragmented media environment.
Digital Platforms Drive Product Discovery
YouTube has established itself as the primary channel for product discovery among children. The platform leads in ad recall at 75%, outpacing other platforms, including Facebook (56%), TikTok (54%), and Instagram (53%).
For movie discovery specifically, YouTube is the leading source, with 39% of children learning about new films through the platform. Traditional discovery channels trail considerably, with broadcast TV accounting for just 14% of movie discovery.
Mobile Gaming Continues to Show Strong Engagement
Mobile gaming remains a key activity for Gen Alpha, with clear gender preferences emerging. Boys aged 2-5 favor animals and pets (43%), educational (42%), and art and coloring games (35%). For boys aged 6-12, action (46%) and adventure (42%) games are the most popular.
Girls show different preferences, with art and coloring (50%) and dolls, dress up and fashion (50%) leading for ages 2-5. For girls aged 6-12, puzzle games (42%) top the list, followed by dolls, dress up and fashion (38%).
Popular mobile games across genders include Roblox, with 52% of boys and 45% of girls playing regularly, and Subway Surfers, with 31% of boys and 29% of girls engaging with the title.
Holiday Shopping Insights for Marketers
The research provides valuable holiday shopping intelligence, revealing that 53% of children create holiday wish lists more than two months in advance. Nearly half of parents begin holiday shopping before Q4, with October (19%) and November (20%) seeing peak shopping activity.
Brand awareness data shows LEGO has the strongest awareness-to-ownership ratio and ranks as children’s favorite toy brand. Among the brands studied, LEGO achieved 65% awareness, 48% ownership, and 34% favorite status.
Marketing Implications
The report, compiled by Precise TV as part of its “Precise Advertiser Report – Kids” (PARK) initiative, integrates findings into the company’s contextual intelligence platform. This platform helps brands deliver “brand safe, relevant and privacy-compliant video campaigns reaching young audiences and families.”
The research confirms YouTube’s dominant position in children’s media consumption while highlighting the complex viewing behaviors across different age groups, devices, and content types. For marketers targeting Generation Alpha, understanding these nuanced consumption patterns will be essential for effective campaign planning.
The data was collected through an online survey of 2,000 U.S. children aged 2-12 and their parents, focusing on media consumption habits and platform preferences.
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
YouTube remains the most widely used media platform among Gen Alpha, with 78% of surveyed children using the service, according to Precise TV‘s latest research. In the September 2025 report, which surveyed 2,000 U.S. children and their parents, YouTube usage is consistently high across all age segments: 74% for children aged 2-5, 82% for those aged 6-9, and 78% for those aged 10-12.
Video-on-demand services and mobile games follow YouTube in popularity, with usage rates of 72% and 68%, respectively. YouTube Shorts has captured greater market share with 53% of children using the short-form video platform.
Children overwhelmingly prefer mobile devices for YouTube consumption, with 66% using phones and 60% using tablets. However, viewing habits vary by age – 62% of children aged 2-5 watch YouTube on TV screens, suggesting different platform strategies may be needed to reach different segments of this audience.
Co-Viewing Creates Advertising Opportunities
The research highlights strong co-viewing behavior, with 49% of children watching YouTube with parents. This presents unique advertising opportunities as 77% of parents report being influenced by their children when co-viewing content.
“Almost half of kids co-view YouTube with their parents,” the report notes, revealing that parental influence remains strong in children’s media consumption despite increasing device access.
The advertising impact is substantial, with 47% of parents reporting they saw their last children’s purchase in a YouTube ad. Additionally, 59% of children have asked their parents for products after seeing YouTube advertisements.
Content Preferences Vary By Age and Gender
Content preferences show clear demographic patterns. For children aged 2-5, cartoons dominate across genders, with 65% of boys and 63% of girls watching animated content.
For boys aged 6-12, gaming and comedy content lead preferences. Among boys aged 6-9, 54% watch gaming content and 53% view comedy. For boys aged 10-12, this shifts slightly with comedy (55%) slightly edging out gaming (52%).
Girls aged 6-12 prefer cartoons and comedy, with cartoons (54%) and comedy (53%) nearly equal for the 6-9 age group. For girls aged 10-12, comedy becomes the clear leader at 59%, with music content (53%) showing growing importance.
Second-Screen Behavior Prevalent Among Children and Parents
The research reveals extensive second-screen behavior, with approximately half of children using additional devices while watching television. Among children aged 6-9, 50% engage with second screens, while 44% of children aged 10-12 do the same.
Mobile gaming (48%) and watching YouTube (46%) are the most common second-screen activities for children. Among parents, 90% use second screens during co-viewing sessions, primarily for texting (43%), checking Facebook (42%), and checking emails (41%).
This multitasking behavior presents both challenges and opportunities for advertisers seeking to capture attention in an increasingly fragmented media environment.
Digital Platforms Drive Product Discovery
YouTube has established itself as the primary channel for product discovery among children. The platform leads in ad recall at 75%, outpacing other platforms, including Facebook (56%), TikTok (54%), and Instagram (53%).
For movie discovery specifically, YouTube is the leading source, with 39% of children learning about new films through the platform. Traditional discovery channels trail considerably, with broadcast TV accounting for just 14% of movie discovery.
Mobile Gaming Continues to Show Strong Engagement
Mobile gaming remains a key activity for Gen Alpha, with clear gender preferences emerging. Boys aged 2-5 favor animals and pets (43%), educational (42%), and art and coloring games (35%). For boys aged 6-12, action (46%) and adventure (42%) games are the most popular.
Girls show different preferences, with art and coloring (50%) and dolls, dress up and fashion (50%) leading for ages 2-5. For girls aged 6-12, puzzle games (42%) top the list, followed by dolls, dress up and fashion (38%).
Popular mobile games across genders include Roblox, with 52% of boys and 45% of girls playing regularly, and Subway Surfers, with 31% of boys and 29% of girls engaging with the title.
Holiday Shopping Insights for Marketers
The research provides valuable holiday shopping intelligence, revealing that 53% of children create holiday wish lists more than two months in advance. Nearly half of parents begin holiday shopping before Q4, with October (19%) and November (20%) seeing peak shopping activity.
Brand awareness data shows LEGO has the strongest awareness-to-ownership ratio and ranks as children’s favorite toy brand. Among the brands studied, LEGO achieved 65% awareness, 48% ownership, and 34% favorite status.
Marketing Implications
The report, compiled by Precise TV as part of its “Precise Advertiser Report – Kids” (PARK) initiative, integrates findings into the company’s contextual intelligence platform. This platform helps brands deliver “brand safe, relevant and privacy-compliant video campaigns reaching young audiences and families.”
The research confirms YouTube’s dominant position in children’s media consumption while highlighting the complex viewing behaviors across different age groups, devices, and content types. For marketers targeting Generation Alpha, understanding these nuanced consumption patterns will be essential for effective campaign planning.
The data was collected through an online survey of 2,000 U.S. children aged 2-12 and their parents, focusing on media consumption habits and platform preferences.
Image credit: Precise TV
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