WildBrain Research: Content and Gaming Watched Together Core to Family Bonding
Research Highlights:
- 85% of parents say enjoying video content together is a key family bonding experience, third only to mealtime and travel
- 9 in 10 parents watch content together with their child on paid SVOD platforms
- Younger parents see greatest value in family viewing, with 71% of Gen Z parents and 61% of Millennial parents watching content with their kids at least once a day
- Three-quarters of parents watch content with kids on YouTube, AVOD and FAST platforms, with YouTube being twice as popular as the next closest AVOD
- 62% of Gen Z parents use FAST channels and not Cable TV when watching video content together with their child, while two-thirds of Gen Z parents use YouTube and not Cable TV when watching together
- Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu and Disney+ rank as the top paid SVOD platforms for family viewing
- Parents trust kids to recommend content, but remain final-decision makers, with strong preferences for family-friendly and educational content
- Almost 50% of parents enjoy gaming with their kids on Roblox, Minecraft or Fortnite
- 84% of parents and kids enjoy engaging with familiar characters that crossover between gaming and video content watched together, and vice versa
- 88% of Gen Z and Millennial parents are likely to buy products or movie tickets seen in a video game played with their kids
- Over 70% of parents have made purchases based on integrated brands seen when watching video content or gaming with their kids
WildBrain has announced the results of new research which highlights the evolving content-viewing habits of US families. The new research, titled “The Connected Family: Screentime is Bonding Time,” was commissioned by WildBrain and conducted by leading research company Savanta. It explores the perceptions and preferences of US families around the content they watch and games they play, as well as the value for families of watching and gaming together as bonding activities, and how families recognize and engage with the brands they see.
Bonding around shared experiences
The research, which surveyed approximately 2,100 parents and children in the US*, points to the shared experience of watching content with their children as an activity parents value as a key part of family life. In fact, the research shows that families rate watching content together to be their third-most important bonding activity after only mealtime and travelling together, and ahead of experiences like sports, arts and crafts, theme parks, concerts, museums, and shopping. Family viewing is especially important to younger parents, the majority of whom (71% Gen Z and 61% Millennials) watch content together with their kids at least once a day, while Gen X parents (49%) appreciate that it provides a low-effort way to bond with their children. The findings also show that family viewing goes beyond just having videos play in the background, with the majority of parents (89%) actively watching the same screen or device as their children.
Parents also expressed that nostalgia and familiarity are key drivers in decision making when choosing which content to watch. Parents enjoy sharing shows and movies from their own childhood with their kids, creating a sense of continuity and shared family history. Parents and children also have equal input when it comes to choosing what to watch, but both understand that parents have the final say. The data shows that parents look for content that is age-appropriate, family-friendly, educational, and conducive to the bonding experience.
Gaming offers more ways for families to connect
In gaming, the research shows that Roblox is the top choice for families—it provides opportunities for bonding through interactive play and is entertaining while also offering educational value. It is also a game that benefits from character familiarity and brand crossover, leading to stronger affiliation. Roblox is the top platform for kids (69%), followed by Minecraft (63%), and Fortnite (55%). Kids aged 9-12 are the most active Roblox players (76% using the platform), while teens aged 13-15 are the most active users on Fortnite (65%).
Children aged 6-15 trust YouTube the most to tell them what video games to play, while YouTube is the primary destination for watching gaming-based content. More than 70% of children like to see their favorite video and gaming characters on YouTube.
Cross-platform strategies reach families
The research further shows that brands looking to engage with parents and kids should adopt cross-platform brand-integration strategies that contemplate leveraging the reach of YouTube, gaming, FAST, and AVOD. The data demonstrates great interest among children in interacting with their favorite characters across new formats and platforms, be it gaming characters in shows, or vice versa. In particular, children enjoy dressing their avatars in character-related costumes or by playing as part of their favorite characters’ teams. This interest also extends to parents, with 8 out of 10 stating they would like to see new platform-character crossovers. In particular, brand integrations on gaming platforms are effective in influencing family purchases, especially for entertainment and food.
This important family time presents key opportunities for brands to reach parents. The data demonstrates that, in general, parents and children are comfortable with watching informative or entertaining brand promotions. The majority of parents (71%) have made purchases in the past based on brands they have seen when watching video content or gaming with their child, and two-thirds of children have asked their parents to buy them a toy or game after seeing a real-life brand in a video game.
WildBrain’s COPPA- and CARU-compliant capabilities
Emma Witkowski, VP Media Solutions at WildBrain, said: “Building off our research from last year, it’s striking to see in our new research just how important content-viewing and gaming time have become to families. Screentime isn’t just for babysitting anymore—it has become an important bonding experience, and parents are just as engaged in what’s on the screen as their kids, presenting a unique opportunity for brands to engage audiences and generate interest.
“Nostalgia as a key decision-driver for parents speaks directly to WildBrain’s core capabilities. Our expansive presence across platforms offers COPPA- and CARU-compliant opportunities to reach parents and engage families. Through our world-leading YouTube network and our capacity as a dominant player in the kids’ and family FAST space, we position brands alongside broadcast-quality, premium content featuring well-known properties, such as Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, and many more. Additionally, we offer advanced capabilities in brand integrations on leading gaming platforms.
“Today’s families are bonding over content and games, generating conversations and fandom that build enthusiasm to engage with brands off screen through products and experiences. Our Media Solutions team at WildBrain is the ideal partner to help brand owners develop and implement effective cross-platform integration strategies to leverage these trends and engage families where they spend time together.”
*Research methodology
Research was conducted by Savanta on behalf of WildBrain to understand the viewing habits, engagement levels and content selection processes of US families.
Data collection took place from November 18—28, 2024.
A total of 2,091 participants were recruited across the US, with the sample being made up of children 2–15 and their parents.
Parents answered the first half of the survey, with the children answering the second half. Children aged 9–15 answered by themselves (with assistance), while children aged 8 and under were guided by their parents.
Data was weighted to be representative of US parents with children aged 2—15 by gender and region.
An additional wave of research was conducted December 2—6, 2024 to provide qualitative depth of insight and visual evidence to add colour to the quantitative findings. For this, Savanta conducted a five-day online community of 15 US parents with children living in the household. Follow-up one-on-one interviews were conducted from December 10—12, 2024 with six select participants from the online community.
