What the Common Sense Media Census tells us about raising kids in a digital world
Issue #118
As parents, we’re navigating something no other generation has faced: the challenge of raising kids in a fully digital world. Whether your toddler is giggling at Bluey or your eight-year-old is building empires in Roblox, your kids are likely using screens to play, learn and unwind like never before. And while a lot of parents still feel the screen time angst, for most families, the goal isn’t to eliminate tech altogether—it’s to use it well. To make sure it’s adding value. To find balance in a world that makes that harder than ever.
And, sometimes it can feel like you’re the only person handing over a tablet to claim a few quiet moments or battling screen time meltdowns. That’s what makes the Common Sense Census such an important resource. If you’re not familiar, the Common Sense Census is a large-scale study conducted every few years by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that helps families navigate media and technology. The 2025 edition surveyed 1,578 parents of kids aged 0–8, offering a detailed snapshot of how children are spending time on screens—and how their parents are feeling about it.
In many ways, the report reflects what we already know to be true: parents are trying. They’re thoughtful. They’re hopeful. They want what’s best for their kids. And they’re working to figure out how tech fits into that vision. Here are a few of the themes I found most interesting in the report.
Parents are both hopeful and hesitant
Nearly 75% of parents believe screen media can support learning, creativity and connection. That’s an encouraging stat—one that reflects the real potential of technology when it’s used intentionally. But that optimism is paired with caution. A similar number of parents report concern about things like screen overuse, attention span and inappropriate content. Many are walking a fine line: trying to embrace what tech can offer while protecting their kids from what it can take away.
Of course, we can help parents by offering platforms designed with kids’ wellbeing at the center—spaces that prioritize safety, creativity and connection over likes, followers and algorithms. Unlike traditional social media, which often amplifies the extremes and thrives on attention, kid-first platforms can give families confidence that screen time is time well spent.
Screen time is holding steady—but habits are shifting
Overall time on screens hasn’t gone up much since 2020—but how kids are spending that time is changing fast. The biggest growth areas? Short-form video and gaming.
Time spent watching short-form content (think YouTube Shorts or TikTok-style clips) jumped from 1 minute a day in 2020 to 14 minutes in 2023.
Gaming increased by 65% across all age groups.
Meanwhile, reading and educational content haven’t kept pace. Time spent reading electronically is just 4% of total screen time on average.
We’re seeing a shift away from deeper, more interactive experiences and toward fast, passive content—and that shift matters. When kids spend most of their time on platforms designed to keep them scrolling, it’s harder for them to build focus, creativity and critical thinking skills. Quick-hit entertainment can be fun in moderation, but if it becomes the default, kids may miss out on the kinds of media experiences that help them grow.
Kids are getting devices earlier than ever
Here’s one stat that stands out: 40% of 2-year-olds now have their own tablet. And by age 8, one in four kids has a personal smartphone—most of which are fully internet-enabled.
That means kids are encountering the internet younger, and often without built-in guardrails. They’re forming digital habits long before they’ve developed the self-regulation skills to manage them. It’s not just about screen time—it’s about screen autonomy. And it’s happening earlier than many parents realize.
When kids have unrestricted access to the internet at a young age, they’re more vulnerable to inappropriate content, data privacy risks and platforms that aren’t designed for their developmental stage. Without safe, age-appropriate alternatives, parents are left trying to retrofit adult technology for children—and that’s a gap we need to close.
Parental supervision is inconsistent, and platforms aren’t helping
Parents want to be involved, but the numbers suggest we’re not always able to keep up. While 62% of parents say they co-view YouTube content with their kids, only 17% say the same for TikTok. And many children are accessing YouTube through a parent’s account, bypassing the protections of YouTube Kids altogether.
It’s no wonder that so many families feel outpaced by the very platforms their kids are using. Most apps weren’t designed for young children, and many lack the tools or transparency parents need to stay meaningfully engaged.
AI is entering childhood quietly
About a third of parents report that their children have used artificial intelligence tools to support learning at school. But the majority say it hasn’t made much of a difference—yet.
Still, AI is clearly starting to show up in kids’ digital lives, and often in subtle ways. This may be the beginning of a much bigger shift, and many parents don’t even know it’s happening.
Some childhood experiences are getting crowded out
Screens have become the go-to filler for almost every quiet moment. And while that’s understandable—especially for busy parents—it’s also worth noticing what’s getting lost.
Reading for pleasure is down, especially among 5–8-year-olds. Unstructured play and outdoor time are giving way to passive screen use. And kids are increasingly turning to screens for comfort in moments of transition—waking up, winding down, waiting.
The more we rely on screens to smooth over those moments, the less space there is for imagination and boredom. Both of which are foundational parts of childhood.
Reclaiming the middle
This report doesn’t call for panic—it calls for intention.
It shows that most parents aren’t looking to cut screens out of their lives. They just want technology that actually supports the values they care about. They want tools that inspire creativity, foster connection and give kids room to grow. That’s why I started Kinzoo. I wanted my kids to have positive digital experiences on platforms designed for their wellbeing, and I couldn’t find that anywhere.
So, I set out to build a different kind of digital space—one that puts kids at the center. Our platform is designed for safe connection, creative exploration and spurring curiosity. Because when you create technology with kids in mind from the start, everything changes. Tech isn’t going away. But we can choose to build it better. Let’s make space for childhood.
A deeper dive
Here are a few helpful resources in case you want to really dig into today's topic:
You can check out the full Common Sense Census here. It’s an invaluable resource because it doesn’t just offer a snapshot of tech use at a given moment—it tracks shifts over time. It also helps us understand how childhood changes when it comes to screen time and technology.
The Census has great insights on younger children’s tech use, but what about tweens and teens? Last year, the Pew Research Center released a report on how teens approach screen time, and here are some interesting tidbits: about four out of ten parents and teens say they argue regularly about time spent on their phones. And, almost half of teens say that their parents are at least sometimes distracted by their own devices when they’re trying to talk to them.
TL;DR
Too long; didn't read. It shouldn't be a full-time job to keep up on industry news, so here is a mercifully quick summary of some other notable developments:
Meta has rolled out teen accounts for Facebook and Messenger. As of April 8th, teens using these platforms were automatically placed under a teen account. If they’re younger than 16, they’ll need a guardian’s permission to change any settings. Teen accounts are automatically private and come with stricter messaging settings, among other things. I suspect that Meta is making these changes now in an attempt to get out in front of any new changes they might be forced to make with updated child online safety legislation.
Not that long ago, a lot of parents were urging their kids into STEM. It seemed like a sure bet for future career prospects, but with advancements in AI, even parents who work in tech themselves are not so sure. According to the Wall Street Journal, many are encouraging their kids to explore creative pursuits or trades, because they see those as relatively bot-proof.
And lastly
Here are a few more pieces of original writing from me and my team—just in case you're keen for more:
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