The news: Kids ages 3 to 8 now spend 63% of their screen time interacting with technology rather than simply watching it, per Lingokids’ Kids Interactive Entertainment Report with data from Pollfish and The Insights Family.

• 98% of parents with children in this age bracket allow screentime, but 85% feel guilty about it. 
• 3- to 8-year-olds log 70 minutes of daily game time—the same as kids twice their age. 
• 73% of parents say playing is better than passive viewing for their child’s development.

Why it’s worth watching: The path kids take to discover characters and IP is changing, per Lingokids.

• TV and movies still introduce most characters first, but games have moved into third place for discovery, ahead of toys and other channels.
• Games now send kids to shows, turning interactive platforms into an engagement channel rather than just a peripheral licensing outlet.

Zooming out: Parents aren’t interested in infinite scroll engagement for their kids and instead seek interactive experiences that add value, not just entertainment. 

• Parental ratings across 10 platforms placed Minecraft, YouTube, and Roblox in the bottom three for safety.Roblox and SuperAwesome are working to ensure child safety on the platform with heavily restricted advertising
• More than half of parents (55%) are concerned about inappropriate content and say almost anything can land on a kids platform. Two-thirds find the sheer volume of available content overwhelming.

Implications for brands: Most kids’ interactive campaigns are focused on the 8- to 12-year-old tween bracket, but that strategy arrives too late. Brands should adjust spending to expand reach.

• Build one strong interactive asset. A mini-game or character-based activity are engagement drivers that can yield more returns than spreading budget across passive video ads for the 3- to 8-year-old set.
• Route creative through safe platforms. Given parents’ views on the safety gap between algorithm-driven apps and curated ones, campaigns placed on vetted platforms carry less brand risk and more parental trust.
• Design experiences for two players. Any new game or app should work for a parent and child using it together, not just a child playing solo. That's where the category is headed, and early movers get the credibility.

Dive deeper: For more context on how video, gaming, and early tech access shape digital behaviors, read our Gen Alpha Digital Habits 2026 report.