Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- Overview
- Issues and opportunities
- Issue: Kids need to start learning to read before they get to kindergarten
- Opportunity: Focus on language for educational toys and products
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- Figure 1: Parents’ attitudes toward developing academic skills, by age of parent, December 2018
- Figure 2: Parents’ attitudes toward skill building, December 2018
- Issue: Parents want their kids to build healthful habits
- Opportunity: Brands can make healthful habits enjoyable
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- Figure 3: Parents’ attitudes toward health, December 2018
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- Figure 4: Activities parents do with their kids (past three months), December 2018
- Issue: Parents of toddlers and preschoolers sometimes need a break
- Opportunity: Partnerships with restaurants could boost brand exposure
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- Figure 5: Activities parents do with their kids (past three months), December 2018
- Issue: Toddlers and preschoolers want to emulate adults
- Opportunity: Brands can provide ways for kids to contribute
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- Figure 6: Developmental milestones, December 2018
- Issue: Toddlers and preschoolers watch YouTube videos
- Opportunity: Brands need to embrace YouTube
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- Figure 7: Internet video viewing, by co-viewer, December 2018
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Millennials are parents now
- Prekindergarten years are crucial
- State of early childhood education in the US not ideal
Demographics: Toddlers and Preschoolers
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- Number of toddlers and preschoolers will remain stable
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- Figure 8: Children aged 2-5, 2013-23
- Most parents of young kids are Millennials
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- Figure 9: Distribution of households, by age of householder and type of household, 2018
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- Figure 10: Age distribution among parents of toddlers and preschoolers, December 2018
- Family households have higher incomes
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- Figure 11: Median annual household income, by age of householder and type of household, 2017
- The future is more multiracial
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- Figure 12: Children aged 2-5, by race, 2013-23
Issues Impacting Families with Toddlers and Preschoolers
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- A child’s development hinges on critical early childhood years
- Enrollment in early childhood education programs is not universal
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- Figure 13: Percentage of children aged 3-6 enrolled in nursery school or kindergarten, 2017
- Figure 14: Percentage of children aged 3-6 enrolled in nursery school or kindergarten, by race and Hispanic origin, 2017
- High pre-K program costs and low teacher salaries hurt everyone
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- Figure 15: Screen shot of “Where Does Your Child Care Dollar Go?” interactive tool, 2019
Key Trends – What You Need to Know
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- “Baby Shark” turns YouTube success into profit
- Paw Patrol consumer products can’t be stopped
- Hasbro suffers without Toys“R”Us
- Disney+ is going to shake things up
- Jell-O Play taps into kids’ love of slime
What’s Working
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- “Baby Shark” swims into the mainstream
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- Figure 16: Baby Shark Dance | Sing and Dance! | Animal Songs
- Figure 17: “Baby Shark” plush toys
- Paw Patrol licensing booms
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- Figure 18: Screen capture of Orajel’s Paw Patrol training toothpaste, 2019
What’s Struggling
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- Hasbro stumbles in the post-Toys“R”Us market
- Kraft Heinz struggles to evolve
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- Figure 19: Parents’ attitudes toward health, December 2018
What’s Next
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- Disney+ will disrupt families’ streaming choices
- Jell-O gets into the slime business
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- Figure 20: 4 DIY Summer Slimes! Pool Party, Beach Sand Slime, Jell-O Slime & More!, July 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Parents feel pressure to develop kids’ skills
- Kids at this age want to be grown-ups
- Parents dine out with their toddlers and preschoolers
- Kids watch, play, and read with parents
- Two thirds of toddlers and preschoolers watch internet videos
- TV shows are the top type of kids content
Parent Priorities
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- Reading skills are a top priority
- There is pressure to start building other academic skills too
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- Figure 21: Parents’ attitudes toward skill building, December 2018
- Parents feel “traditional” books and toys are best
- Educational tablet apps help parents feel less guilty about screen time
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- Figure 22: Parents’ attitudes toward tablets and technology, December 2018
- Parents want to encourage physical activity from an early age
- In an ideal world, kids would eat healthful foods
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- Figure 23: Parents’ attitudes toward health, December 2018
- Parents are more willing to make compromises for boys
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- Figure 24: Parents’ attitudes toward compromise, by gender of child, December 2018
Kids’ Early Development
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- Kids know the foods they like
- Case Study: Annie’s Homegrown
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- Figure 25: Annie’s Homegrown’s Super Cheesy Cheddar Bunnies
- Little kids want to be helpful
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- Figure 26: Developmental milestones, December 2018
- Clear distinctions between preschoolers and toddlers
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- Figure 27: Developmental milestones, by age of child, December 2018
- Gender-related behaviors start early
- Girls more likely to choose own clothes and help with meal prep
- Boys are more concerned about gender-specific toys
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- Figure 28: Developmental milestones, by gender of child, December 2018
Activities Outside the Home
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- Parents don’t let their kids stop them from dining out
- Retailers can help make running errands pleasant
- There is space for play places
- Case study: Little Beans Café
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- Figure 29: Little Beans Clubhouse at Little Beans Café in Evanston, Ill.
- Kids start playing sports at a very young age
- Low demand for skill-based classes at this age
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- Figure 30: Activities parents do with their kids away from home (past three months), December 2018
- Cinema-related marketing should target older kids
- Sports participation linked to kids’ age and gender
- Case study: Steph Curry responds to young, female fan
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- Figure 31: Stephen Curry Tweet to young fan
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- Figure 32: Activities parents do with their kids away from home (past three months), December 2018
Activities at Home
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- Parents follow through on physical play and books
- At least one third of toddlers and preschoolers play video games
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- Figure 33: Activities parents do with their kids at home, December 2018
- Preschoolers more likely to use mobile apps and video games
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- Figure 34: Activities parents do with their kids at home, by age of child, December 2018
- Parents play differently with boys than girls
- Case study: Mattel’s “Dolls with Dad” Barbie campaign
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- Figure 35: Playing Barbie Dolls with Dad | #BarbieProject
- Figure 36: Activities parents do with their kids at home, by gender of child, December 2018
Kids’ Viewing Habits
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- Traditional kids programs and movies remain relevant for families
- TV shows are the go-to content for parents
- Kids movies are important too
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- Figure 37: Types of TV/video content that kids watch, December 2018
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- Figure 38: Frozen 2 | Official Teaser Trailer
- Most kids watch content on multiple devices
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- Figure 39: Percentage of kids aged 2-5 who watch TV/Video content, December 2018
- At least two thirds of young kids watch internet videos
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- Figure 40: Internet video viewing, by co-viewer, December 2018
- Music and animals and influencers, oh my!
- Viewership of product-focused videos higher among preschoolers
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- Figure 41: Types of videos that kids watch alone, by age of child, December 2018
- Figure 42: Unboxing Video: SURPRISE Toys Peppa Pig Mickey Cutie Poopies slime surprise Mighty Beanz egg
- Parents join their kids for internet videos
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- Figure 43: Types of videos that kids watch with parents, by gender of child, December 2018
Favorite TV Shows
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- Paw Patrol leads the pack
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- Figure 44: Paw Patrol “Top Ultimate Rescue Moments” compilation video, 2019
- Mickey and friends provide more educational content
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- Figure 45: Super Hero Hot Dog Dance | Music Video | Mickey Mouse Clubhouse | Disney Junior
- Figure 46: Kids’ favorite TV shows, December 2018
- Favorite shows: Toddlers and preschoolers
- Thomas & Friends and Sesame Street appeal more to toddlers
- Older kids can handle more complicated storylines
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- Figure 47: Kids’ favorite TV shows, by age of child, December 2018
- Favorite shows: Boys and girls
- Boys are drawn to vehicle-centered shows
- Girls like shows with female protagonists
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- Figure 48: Kids’ favorite TV shows, by gender of child, December 2018
Subgroup Differences
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- Moms vs dads
- Skill development is a bigger concern for dads
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- Figure 49: Parents’ attitudes toward skill building, by moms and dads, December 2018
- Parent/child activities are becoming more gendered at home
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- Figure 50: Activities parents do with their kids at home, by moms and dads, December 2018
- Moms run errands with kids, but dads get to have fun
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- Figure 51: Activities parents do with their kids away from home, by moms and dads, December 2018
- Age of parents
- Millennials feel more pressure to start building kids’ academic skills
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- Figure 52: Parents’ attitudes toward developing academic skills, by age of parent, December 2018
- Millennial parents employ digital diversions for kids
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- Figure 53: Activities parents do with their kids at home, by age of parents, December 2018
- Household income
- Higher-income households do more reading and building
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- Figure 54: Activities parents do with their kids at home, by household income, December 2018
- Higher-income households better able to afford paid activities for kids
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- Figure 55: Activities outside the home, by household income, December 2018
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Definitions
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 56: Children aged 2-5, 2013-23
- Figure 57: Children aged 2-5, by race and Hispanic origin, 2013-23
- Figure 58: Distribution of households, by age of householder and type of household, 2018
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- Figure 59: Labor-force status of men aged 16 or older, annual averages, by age, 2017
- Figure 60: Labor-force status of women aged 16 or older, annual averages, by age, 2017
- Figure 61: Median household income, by type of household, 2016
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- Figure 62: Percentage of children aged 3-6 enrolled in nursery school or kindergarten, 2017
- Figure 63: Enrollment status of children aged 3-6, 2017
- Figure 64: Percentage of children aged 3-6 enrolled in nursery school or kindergarten, by race and Hispanic origin, 2010-17
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