Report / primary research
The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight
National baseline on young children's media use, device access, video, and household context.
Publication details
Author and publication date
- Published
Research context
Population and methodology
- Population Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; ages 0-8; United States.
- Methodology National media-use census.
- Fieldwork The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot.
How to use this source
Evidence strength
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Trace the claim
Extracted evidence
Forty percent of children had a tablet by age two and nearly one in four had a personal cellphone by age eight, showing that early access is household-enabled.
Locator Key findings paragraph, device ownership metrics.
Scope Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; 0-8; United States; The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot..
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Children zero to eight averaged about 2.5 hours of screen media a day while short-form services including YouTube Shorts grew.
Locator Key findings paragraph, daily time and short-form video findings.
Scope Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; 0-8; United States; The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot..
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Total daily screen time held near 2.5 hours while traditional TV declined and TikTok and YouTube Shorts rose, indicating a format shift within stable time.
Locator Key findings paragraph, changing media mix.
Scope Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; 0-8; United States; The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot..
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Young children's daily media time stayed near 2.5 hours as parents navigated a mix shifting toward games and short-form video.
Locator Key findings and family-guidance paragraphs.
Scope Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; 0-8; United States; The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot..
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Screen time remained near 2.5 hours daily while gaming rose 65% in four years, traditional TV declined, and short-form video grew.
Locator Key findings paragraph, time-use changes.
Scope Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; 0-8; United States; The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot..
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Forty percent of children had a tablet by age two, and nearly one in four had a personal cellphone by age eight.
Locator Key findings paragraph, device-access metrics.
Scope Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; 0-8; United States; The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot..
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Children averaged about 2.5 hours of screen media every day as YouTube Shorts and other short-form video became a growing part of that routine.
Locator Key findings paragraph, daily media time and YouTube Shorts trend.
Scope Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; 0-8; United States; The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot..
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Tablet access reached 40% by age two while average daily media use held near 2.5 hours, showing screens are integrated into early household routines.
Locator Key findings paragraph, device and daily-use metrics.
Scope Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; 0-8; United States; The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot..
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Tablet ownership reached 40% by age two, while nearly one in four children had a personal cellphone by age eight.
Locator Key findings paragraph, age-based access metrics.
Scope Children and families with children ages 0 to 8; 0-8; United States; The public report does not report a fieldwork window; treat it as an undated national media-use census. snapshot..
Limitations Parent reporting and the youngest cohort do not represent all of Gen Alpha.
Connected conclusions
Themes
Related insights
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