Precisify, the cross-platform media intelligence specialist, has released Precisify Insights: Kids US, its latest proprietary report on how Gen Alpha children aged 2-12 and their parents consume media and influence household purchases. Powered by Precisify’s dual-audience, kidSAFE+ COPPA-certified panel, the report confirms that YouTube is still the beating heart of family attention in the US, and shows how that attention translates into real commercial outcomes across screens and formats.

“This series of reports represents the foundation of a much broader vision,” said Christian Dankl, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Precisify. “Rather than inferred demographics, our proprietary panels allow us to understand real people and how attention actually translates into outcomes. As we continue expanding our panel footprint across additional age groups and generations, we’re giving brands a future-proof way to plan, buy and measure media with confidence — without compromising safety, scale or performance.”

This panel-driven approach comes to life in Precisify Insights: Kids US, which grounds strategy in evidence. Built on Precisify’s proprietary, dual-audience, kidSAFE+ COPPA-certified panel, the report reveals how Gen Alpha actually consumes media, how influence flows from child to parent, and where brands and agencies can drive measurable outcomes across YouTube, creators, gaming, and the family living room.

Uncovered trends from the report include: 

The Family Living Room Has a New Control Centre: YouTube

YouTube remains the most-used platform for kids of every age, with 67 per cent of children aged 2-5, 78 per cent of 6-9 year-olds, and 80 per cent of 10-12 year-olds watching the platform. This is far ahead of phone and tablet games, VoD services and other social video platforms. Among parents of preschoolers, YouTube’s advantage is even clearer: 88 per cent say their 2-5 year-old prefers YouTube over on-demand and broadcast TV. More than half of kids watch YouTube on a TV screen, underscoring how the platform has shifted from a personal mobile experience to a central part of family viewing.

Family Viewing Is Where Influence Converts 

The influence of those moments goes well beyond screen time. Fifty-five per cent of parents say they co-view YouTube with their children, and when families watch together, kids quickly turn impressions into requests. Seventy-seven per cent of parents report that their child has asked for something they saw in an ad while co-viewing, and YouTube stands out as the most powerful driver of that ‘pester power’: more than 70 per cent of boys and girls remember ads on YouTube, 80 per cent of kids say they have asked for something after seeing it advertised on the platform, and YouTube ads prompt 50 per cent of parents to make a purchase for their child — more than any other platform measured.

Different Ages, Different Signals

The new report also details how Gen Alpha’s tastes evolve as kids grow. For 2-5-year-olds, YouTube viewing is dominated by cartoons (62 per cent), toys and games (49 per cent), educational videos (43 per cent), nursery rhymes (41 per cent) and comedy (35 per cent). Kids aged 6-9 still favour cartoons (47 per cent), but comedy (45 per cent), toys and games (45 per cent), music (41 per cent) and gaming-related content (39 per cent) rise in importance. By 10-12, preferences tilt decisively toward comedy (53 per cent), music (47 per cent), gaming (43 per cent), cartoons (37 per cent) and family videos (35 per cent). Boys lean toward adventure, action and run-and-jump mobile games, while girls are more likely to favour dolls, puzzle and coloring games — nuances that matter for both creative strategy and channel planning.

YouTube vs TikTok, Creator Trust, Influencer-Driven Purchase Requests

Influencer culture adds another layer to the attention map. Roughly one-third of kids aged 6-12 watch influencer content on YouTube, with 30 per cent of 6-9-year-olds and 36 per cent of 10-12 year-olds tuning in. When asked where they prefer to watch their favourite creators, kids overwhelmingly choose YouTube over TikTok: 80 per cent of 6-9-year-olds and 74 per cent of 10-12-year-olds say they follow their favourite creators on YouTube, compared to 29 per cent and 40 per cent respectively who choose TikTok. The same pattern holds when it comes to impact: 80 per cent of kids say they have asked for something after seeing an influencer talk about it, with toys and games making up more than half of those requests. Influencers are also reshaping discovery, with 32 per cent of kids aged 10-12 saying they hear about new movies through influencer videos.

Attention Is Layered, Not Linear

These behaviours sit inside a broader, multi-screen family dynamic. Phone and tablet games rival video in daily engagement, with 54 per cent of 2-5-year-olds, 66 per cent of 6-9-year-olds and 68 per cent of 10-12-year-olds playing mobile games. Nearly half of kids watch YouTube or play mobile games while watching TV, and parents show similar patterns: 39 per cent say they play mobile games and 36 per cent say they watch YouTube on their phones while watching TV. Families still come together around shared content — favourite co-viewing genres include cartoons (48 per cent), comedy or funny videos (37 per cent), toys and games (34 per cent), family videos (32 per cent) and music (31 per cent) — but those shared moments now sit at the intersection of TV screens, mobile devices, social video and games.

Holiday Purchase Behaviours, Lego Dominates 

Shopping and gifting behaviours are equally forward-leaning. More than half of children start their holiday wish lists at least two months before Christmas, with 16 per cent beginning more than three months in advance and only a small minority waiting until the week of the holiday. Parents start spending early too, with meaningful shopping activity spread across the year and a particularly strong push in October and November. When it comes to toys, Lego leads on awareness-to-ownership ratio among US kids, cementing its position as one of the most recognised and beloved toy brands in the report.

“At a time when every media dollar is scrutinised, Precisify Insights: Kids US gives marketers the kind of evidence you can only get from proprietary panels and agentic AI,” said Denis Crushell, Chief Commercial Officer at Precisify. “We understand the true demographics behind what Gen Alpha audiences consume. These findings reveal where Gen Alpha’s attention really lives, how kids influence parents, and which platforms drive real outcomes — not just views. For brands and agencies, this is a roadmap to zero-waste precision in reaching American families.”

Other posts by :

1. Bank: AST SpaceMobile will orbit 356 satellites by 2030
2. SpaceX launches 600th rocket
3. Starlink: 10m customers and counting
4. SES predicts end of ‘big’ Geo satellites
5. Amazon Leo gets approval for 4,504 extra satellites
6. SpaceX gets a portion of India
7. TerreStar wants to build LEO network
8. Musk: “No Starlink phone”
9. Russia accused of eavesdropping on satellites

Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, OTT, Research, Social Media

Tags: Precisify, tiktok, usa, youtube