Consumer B2C
Report
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.
Written by
Bobby Blanchard
Sr. Director Audience Development
What’s in the full report?
1. 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.
2. Online activity
What kids are doing on their devices, how much control parents have over their activities and more.
3. Gen Alpha and AI
How is Gen Alpha already engaging with AI, and how do parents feel about it?
4. Allowances and spending
When Gen Alpha gets an allowance, and what they spend it on. When and where are parents letting their kids link credit cards to online accounts?
5. How kids are influencing parents’ purchasing
Everything from toys to restaurants to electronics.
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