New data from Precise TV finds that plenty of kids aren’t satisfied watching just one screen at a time anymore, instead spending their TV time simultaneously gaming and/or watching YouTube. 

The UK-based advertising and market research firm released its latest Precise Advertiser Report—Kids report yesterday, on the heels of surveying 2,000 American kids ages two to 12 (and their parents) in November and December. One major takeaway is how popular YouTube is with kids, illustrated by a data point highlighting that 49% of 10 to 12s binge-watch content on YouTube, beating out Disney+, YouTube Shorts, TikTok and PBS KIDS. YouTube is only surpassed by Netflix, which is binge-watched by 53% of this demo. Parents also said their kids prefer YouTube over VOD content, video games, TikTok and broadcast TV. 

But as much as kid attention as YouTube commands, it’s not the only platform pulling them in at any given time. According to the report, nearly half of kids say they’re engaged on multiple screens at once. A TV-watching session, for example, might also find them gaming (49% of respondents) or viewing YouTube (47%) on a second screen. This split focus presents an opportunity for IP owners and brands to reach kids through multiple channels and platforms. It’s an evolution of the old kids industry chestnut of being everywhere kids are, but now brands have to think about being on all the places kids are watching simultaneously. Interestingly, this could be a habit that children are picking up from their parents, since 90% of the survey’s adult respondents are on a second screen while watching TV, although most are texting. 

This movement towards kids “second screening” (as Precise calls it) is picking up steam, and IP owners can benefit from the behavior in a few content-focused ways. For example, brands could create apps that sync with a TV series to provide kids with quizzes, trivia and behind-the-scenes videos that all relate to what’s happening in the series they’re watching. And they might also  consider going one step further by creating narratives that require kids to switch between devices in order to get the full story, or by offering digital collectibles kids can only get by watching on both devices. 

As for what kids are watching on YouTube, the favorite channel among boys is Stumble Guys, while girls seem to love GamingWithJen the best. When parents are watching YouTube with their kids, their go-to channels are CoComelon (two to fives) and MrBeast (for both six to nines and 10 to 12s). Boys in the six to 12 bracket also like watching YouTube vids about video games, while girls like watching cartoons (six to nines) and music videos (10 to 12s).  

Image courtesy of stem.T4L via Unsplash.