Gen Alpha 2026 Media and Entertainment Trends
Gen Alpha is growing up fast. Tablets reach 62% of households before most children can read. A third of kids have used an AI chatbot for homework in the last 90 days. And by the time they hit double digits, they're shaping what their families buy, watch, and spend on. Morning Consult surveyed 1,018 U.S. parents of children ages 0–12 to map the digital habits, spending behaviors, and emotional landscape defining this generation in 2026. This is a digitally integrated generation that’s commercially aware, and the report provides a foundation for the brands, platforms, and media companies trying to understand how to compete for Gen Alpha’s attention.
Author
Bobby Blanchard
Sr. Director Audience Development
What's Inside the Report
Screen adoption by age. Most children are interacting with screens before they start school. Smartphones reach half of children ages 0–3, and tablets are in 62% of those households — before most kids can read.
Online activity. What kids are doing on their devices, how much control parents have over their activities and more.
Gen Alpha and AI. How is Gen Alpha already engaging with AI, and how do parents feel about it?
Allowances and spending. When Gen Alpha is getting an allowance and what they are spending it on? When and where are parents letting their kids link credit cards to online accounts?
How kids are influencing parents’ purchasing. From everything to toys to restaurants to electronics.