YouTube commands 78% of viewership among U.S. children aged 2-12, according to Precise TV’s Winter 2024/2025 PARK report on media consumption habits.
The comprehensive study, which surveyed 2,000 American children and their parents, reveals that Google’s video platform maintains a substantial lead over traditional broadcast television among Generation Alpha.
Platform Usage Eclipses Traditional Television
The research indicates that YouTube is twice as popular as broadcast TV among Gen Alpha children, with 76% of respondents listing it among their top three preferred media platforms compared to just 33% for broadcast television.
This preference for YouTube is consistent across all age segments, with particularly strong numbers among younger viewers – 87% of children aged 2-5 prefer YouTube, followed by 74% of children aged 6-9, and 68% of those aged 10-12.
Mobile devices dominate viewing habits, with 64% of children accessing YouTube on phones. Tablets follow at 59%, while television screens account for 51% of YouTube viewing. The remaining access comes through laptops or computers (29%) and gaming consoles (17%).
“YouTube is #1 with kids,” the report states, noting that the platform’s viewership remained relatively stable from 2023 (81%) to 2024 (78%).
Source: Precise TV
Short-Form Content Sees Substantial Growth
One of the most significant shifts in the report is the 32% year-on-year increase in YouTube Shorts consumption. The platform’s short-form video offering now reaches 49% of Gen Alpha viewers, up from 37% in 2023.
In late 2024, YouTube extended the maximum length of a Shorts clip from 60 seconds to three minutes.
Age-based adoption shows clear progression, with 38% of children aged 2-5 watching YouTube Shorts, increasing to 53% of 6-9 year-olds, and peaking at 59% of children aged 10-12. This upward trend suggests continued growth potential for the format.
Binge-Watching Behavior Becomes Standard
The research reveals that 48% of Gen Alpha children binge-watch YouTube content, a behavior that increases with age. While 46% of children aged 2-5 binge YouTube content, that number rises to 48% for ages 6-9 and 49% for ages 10-12.
Comparatively, other streaming platforms show varied binge-watching patterns: Netflix leads with higher binge rates (37% for ages 2-5, 50% for ages 6-9, and 53% for ages 10-12), while Disney+ shows stronger engagement with younger audiences but declining binge behavior among older children.
Ad Recall and Marketing Implications
YouTube maintains the strongest position for advertising effectiveness among both children and parents. The platform tops ad recall measurements at 73% among children aged six and older, significantly ahead of Facebook (55%), Instagram (55%), and TikTok (54%).
For parents, YouTube ad recall has increased 20% year-on-year, with 45% reporting last seeing an ad on the platform when watching content with their children. This leads to direct consumer action, as 38% of parents report that the last product they purchased for their child was advertised on YouTube.
Source: Precise TV
Content Preferences Differ by Age and Gender
The report highlights distinct content preferences across different demographic segments. Boys aged six and older show strong preference for gaming content on YouTube, with 11% of both the 6-9 and 10-12 age groups primarily watching video game content.
In contrast, girls aged 6-9 prefer cartoons (12%) and music videos (7%), while girls aged 10-12 favor music videos (8%) and beauty content (7%).
For the youngest viewers (ages 2-5), content preferences are more varied, with boys showing interest in character-driven content like Bluey (6%) and girls preferring cartoons (7%) and Cocomelon (7%).
The report identifies Cocomelon, Blippi, Bluey, Paw Patrol, and Peppa Pig as the top co-viewed YouTube channels for parents with children ages 2-5, while MrBeast leads co-viewing preferences for parents with children ages 6-12.
Precise TV’s PARK report captures media consumption across YouTube, Shorts, Meta, TikTok, Gaming, Broadcast TV, SVOD, and Connected TV platforms to provide insights for brands targeting Gen Alpha children and their parents.
YouTube commands 78% of viewership among U.S. children aged 2-12, according to Precise TV’s Winter 2024/2025 PARK report on media consumption habits.
The comprehensive study, which surveyed 2,000 American children and their parents, reveals that Google’s video platform maintains a substantial lead over traditional broadcast television among Generation Alpha.
Platform Usage Eclipses Traditional Television
The research indicates that YouTube is twice as popular as broadcast TV among Gen Alpha children, with 76% of respondents listing it among their top three preferred media platforms compared to just 33% for broadcast television.
This preference for YouTube is consistent across all age segments, with particularly strong numbers among younger viewers – 87% of children aged 2-5 prefer YouTube, followed by 74% of children aged 6-9, and 68% of those aged 10-12.
Mobile devices dominate viewing habits, with 64% of children accessing YouTube on phones. Tablets follow at 59%, while television screens account for 51% of YouTube viewing. The remaining access comes through laptops or computers (29%) and gaming consoles (17%).
“YouTube is #1 with kids,” the report states, noting that the platform’s viewership remained relatively stable from 2023 (81%) to 2024 (78%).
Source: Precise TV
Short-Form Content Sees Substantial Growth
One of the most significant shifts in the report is the 32% year-on-year increase in YouTube Shorts consumption. The platform’s short-form video offering now reaches 49% of Gen Alpha viewers, up from 37% in 2023.
In late 2024, YouTube extended the maximum length of a Shorts clip from 60 seconds to three minutes.
Age-based adoption shows clear progression, with 38% of children aged 2-5 watching YouTube Shorts, increasing to 53% of 6-9 year-olds, and peaking at 59% of children aged 10-12. This upward trend suggests continued growth potential for the format.
Binge-Watching Behavior Becomes Standard
The research reveals that 48% of Gen Alpha children binge-watch YouTube content, a behavior that increases with age. While 46% of children aged 2-5 binge YouTube content, that number rises to 48% for ages 6-9 and 49% for ages 10-12.
Comparatively, other streaming platforms show varied binge-watching patterns: Netflix leads with higher binge rates (37% for ages 2-5, 50% for ages 6-9, and 53% for ages 10-12), while Disney+ shows stronger engagement with younger audiences but declining binge behavior among older children.
Ad Recall and Marketing Implications
YouTube maintains the strongest position for advertising effectiveness among both children and parents. The platform tops ad recall measurements at 73% among children aged six and older, significantly ahead of Facebook (55%), Instagram (55%), and TikTok (54%).
For parents, YouTube ad recall has increased 20% year-on-year, with 45% reporting last seeing an ad on the platform when watching content with their children. This leads to direct consumer action, as 38% of parents report that the last product they purchased for their child was advertised on YouTube.
Source: Precise TV
Content Preferences Differ by Age and Gender
The report highlights distinct content preferences across different demographic segments. Boys aged six and older show strong preference for gaming content on YouTube, with 11% of both the 6-9 and 10-12 age groups primarily watching video game content.
In contrast, girls aged 6-9 prefer cartoons (12%) and music videos (7%), while girls aged 10-12 favor music videos (8%) and beauty content (7%).
For the youngest viewers (ages 2-5), content preferences are more varied, with boys showing interest in character-driven content like Bluey (6%) and girls preferring cartoons (7%) and Cocomelon (7%).
The report identifies Cocomelon, Blippi, Bluey, Paw Patrol, and Peppa Pig as the top co-viewed YouTube channels for parents with children ages 2-5, while MrBeast leads co-viewing preferences for parents with children ages 6-12.
Precise TV’s PARK report captures media consumption across YouTube, Shorts, Meta, TikTok, Gaming, Broadcast TV, SVOD, and Connected TV platforms to provide insights for brands targeting Gen Alpha children and their parents.
The full report is available here.