Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Dads shy away from feminine activities
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- Figure 1: At-home activities – Select items, by moms and dads, December 2016
- Young parents may lack confidence in their abilities
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- Figure 2: Top parenting challenges for out-of-home activities – Select items, by age of parents, December 2016
- Single parents may need extra support
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- Figure 3: Out-of-home activities, by marital status, December 2016
- The opportunities
- Parents still favor traditional activities over digital
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- Figure 4: At-home activities – Traditional vs digital, December 2016
- Moms may not take the time to indulge kids
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- Figure 5: Out-of-home activities, by moms and dads, December 2016
- Kids’ networks can up the “fun” factor with dads
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- Figure 6: Fun TV networks, by moms and dads, December 2016
- What it means
Family Characteristics – What You Need to Know
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- Kids under age six account for 7% of the US population
- Birthrate hasn’t bounced back to prerecession levels
- Two-parent households are the norm
- Stay-at-home parents are mostly moms
- Only children take over
- Parents lean on family for care
- Universal preschool could give more kids a “head start”
Family Demographics
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- Toddlers and preschoolers are living in a big kids’ world
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- Figure 7: Total US population distribution including toddlers and preschoolers aged 2-5, 2017
- Little growth in population under age six
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- Figure 8: Total US population distribution of kids younger than age six, by age group, 2012-22
- Birthrate expected to remain flat
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- Figure 9: Number of births (in thousands), 2000-15
- Births rising for moms aged 35+
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- Figure 10: Birthrates, by age of mother, 1990-2013
- Majority of children live in two-parent households
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- Figure 11: Living arrangements of children under age 18, 1960-2016
- Little growth in number of stay-at-home dads
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- Figure 12: Married couples with a child under age 15 at home, by presence of stay-at-home parent, 2006-16
- Honey, I shrunk the family
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- Figure 13: Average number of own children per family, 1970-2016
Factors Influencing Families
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- Working parents rely on grandparents for childcare
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- Figure 14: Preschoolers in types of childcare arrangements, spring 2011
- Childcare scarcity stretches working parents
- US falls behind in preprimary education
Key Trends – What You Need to Know
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- Millennial parents don’t leave home without ’em
- Board books withstand toddlerhood
- The 90s are back
- US parents less happy that nonparents
- Healthy, happy kids
- Parents are the new geek squad
What’s Working?
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- Millennials break taboo about bringing baby along
- Board books bend but won’t break
- Kids programming gets a 90s revival
- Toddler safety is front and center in latest PSAs
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- Figure 15: Toddlers Kill, October 2016
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- Figure 16: VeiligheidNL – Don’t Give Kids A Choice, October 2015
- Figure 17: Car Seat Monitor Cartoon, June 2016
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- Figure 18: Two year old miraculously saves twin brother, January 2017
What’s Struggling?
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- American parents face a “happiness gap”
- Air travel for families is a point of stress
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- Figure 19: JetBlue | FlyBabies, May 2016
- Reframing gender roles for young boys
What’s Next?
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- Raise a wild child
- Keeping kids healthy may start before birth
- New apps aim to bring parents and kids together
- CES shows off the newest in parenting tech
- Too much texting for toddlers
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Parents acknowledge the importance of reading
- Dads avoids the easy-bake oven
- Kids tag along on grown-up outings
- All parents need is more time and money
- Parents find relationship building important
- Kids’ networks have unique positioning
- Are you not entertained?
Activities at Home
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- Traditional kids’ activities still preferred to digital
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- Figure 20: At-home activities, December 2016
- Moms choose a wider variety of activities
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- Figure 21: Count of at-home activities, December 2016
- Gendered activities represent the widest gap between moms and dads
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- Figure 22: At-home activities, by moms and dads, December 2016
- Developmental differences drive activity types
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- Figure 23: At-home activities, by gender and age of child, December 2016
- Single parents have less time for games
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- Figure 24: At-home activities, by marital status, December 2016
- Employed parents more likely to utilize mobile devices
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- Figure 25: At-home activities, by employment status, December 2016
- Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents are more similar than not
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- Figure 26: At-home activities, by Hispanic origin, December 2016
Activities Away from Home
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- Kids are likely along for the ride
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- Figure 27: Out-of-home activities, December 2016
- Fewer out-of-home options get exercised
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- Figure 28: Count of out-of-home activities, December 2016
- Moms take the lead in the most common activities
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- Figure 29: Out-of-home activities, by moms and dads, December 2016
- Older kids explore more out-of-home activities
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- Figure 30: Out-of-home activities, by gender and age of child, December 2016
- Family size isn’t an important driver of activity participation
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- Figure 31: Out-of-home activities, by number of children in the household, December 2016
- Single parents have lower participation in out-of-home activities
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- Figure 32: Out-of-home activities, by marital status, December 2016
Challenges of Out-of-home Activities
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- Balancing time between children can be difficult
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- Figure 33: Top challenges for out-of-home activities, December 2016
- Awareness and ease may encourage parental participation
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- Figure 34: Top challenges for out-of-home activities – Select items, by dads and moms, December 2016
- Parenting challenges remain as toddlers age into preschool
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- Figure 35: Top challenges for out-of-home activities, by age and gender of child, December 2016
- Young parents may face cost and behavior barriers
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- Figure 36: Top challenges for out-of-home activities – Select items, by age of parent, December 2016
- Parents balance money with time
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- Figure 37: Top challenges for out-of-home activities – Select items, by household income, December 2016
Qualities of Kids’ Activities
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- Parents are interested in activities that improve social skills
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- Figure 38: Most important qualities of activities, December 2016
- Dads looking for a bit of quiet
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- Figure 39: Most important qualities of activities – Select items, by moms and dads, December 2016
- Large families have less need for social activities
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- Figure 40: Most important qualities of activities – Select items, by number of children, December 2016
- Midwestern parents pride creativity
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- Figure 41: Most important qualities of activities – Select items, by region, December 2016
- Black parents more concerned with traditional gender roles
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- Figure 42: Most important qualities of activities – Select items, by race, December 2016
Perceptions of Kids’ Television Channels/Networks
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- Disney leads in kid-friendly characters
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- Figure 43: Perceptions of TV networks, December 2016
- Moms show a preference for traditional programs
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- Figure 44: TV networks “fun to watch,” by moms and dads, December 2016
- Rural parents lean on educational TV
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- Figure 45: TV networks “teaches basic learning concepts,” by area, December 2016
- Black parents recognize diversity in kids programming
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- Figure 46: TV Networks “characters are diverse,” by race, December 2016
Attitudes toward Kids’ Activities
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- Tablets can be educational, with the right limits
- Household chores are still en vogue
- Entertaining kids can be a challenge
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- Figure 47: Attitudes toward kids’ activities – Any agree, December 2016
- Dads may be looking for entertaining activities for kids
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- Figure 48: Attitudes toward kids’ activities – Any agree – Select items, by moms and dads, December 2016
- Parents gain confidence with age
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- Figure 49: Perceived parental judgement – Any agree, by age of parent, December 2016
- Parents balance entertaining and overscheduling kids
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- Figure 50: Attitudes toward kids’ activities – Any agree – Select items, by race, December 2016
- Parents recognize the innate differences between their kids
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- Figure 51: Boys play rougher than girls – Any agree, by age and gender of parent, December 2016
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 52: Preschoolers in types of childcare arrangements, Spring 2011
- Figure 53: Birthrates, by age of mother, 1990-2014
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- Figure 54: Total US population distribution of toddlers and preschoolers aged 2-5, 2012-22
- Figure 55: Married couples with a child under age 15 at home, by presence of stay-at-home parent, 2006-16
- Figure 56: Average number of own children per family, 1970-2016
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