Childhood has changed. Primarily because of technology and the shifts that have occurred.
It has been over 30 years since the internet and digital technology came on the scene. A lot has changed in those 30 years as technology has always been changing and expanding.
Let's look at some of the changes and expansions and how it has affected kids and their families.
Some of the stats below can help you connect with today's kids as you see what their favorite games, apps, etc. are. Bring these up in conversation with kids. They will respond when they know you care enough to enter their world.
I have shared this story in the past, but it is very relevant for this article.
I walked into one of our classrooms and noticed there was a boy sitting in the back of the room. He was obviously not a happy camper. I asked the leader in the room why he was back there. The leader explained that he wouldn't participate in any of the class activities and had a bad attitude. He was causing trouble in his small group and didn't want to listen to anything the teacher had to say. After repeated attempts to get him involved, they finally took him to the back of the room away from the children.
I told the leaders I would see what I could do. I went back and sat down on the floor beside him. He turned away from me when I tried to talk with him. He wanted nothing to do with me. I tried several times to to engage him in conversation, but to no avail.
Finally I decided to try a different approach. I asked him what video game system he had at home. Suddenly, he turned toward me and told me he had a PlayStation. We spent a few minutes talking about his favorite video games.
After talking for a few minutes, I told him I was going to go up and join the kids in worship. I told him he could stay there or he could join me up front. I got up and walked up to start worshiping with the kids. In a few minutes, I felt a tug on my shirt. It was the boy from the back of the room. He had a smile on his face and joined me in worship. He got involved and behaved well for the rest of the classroom time.
Why? What changed?
I had entered his world. I had shown him that I cared enough to show interest in what he was interested in.
In this article, I will share with you some interesting facts and insights. You can use these to enter into the world of today's kids. What do they like? What do they play? What do they watch? What do they listen to? Use what you learn to have conversations with kids. Use what you learn to connect with kids. Use what you learn to help families navigate through today's vulnerable world.
Here we go...
The average age a child receives their first smartphone is when they transition out of elementary school.
22% of parents believe 12 is the appropriate age for a child to have their own phone.
16% of parents allow their child to have a smartphone at age 10 or younger.
17% of parents believe 13 is the right age, while 16% believe kids should be 14.
It can be challenging as a parent when deciding when their child will get their own smartphone. The pressure by peers to have a smartphone makes it difficult to say "not yet." Parents don't want their child to be ostracized because they don't have a phone.
Then there is social media. When asked about social media, here's what parents had to say.
6% of parents say kids should be at least 12 before getting involved in social media.
10% said 13 is the appropriate age.
16% said 14 is the appropriate age.
14% say 15 is the appropriate age.
27% say 16 is the appropriate age.
3% say 17 is the appropriate age.
18% say 18 is the appropriate age.
What about today's kids and smartphones at school?
62% of parents say their child's school does not allow smartphones to be used during school hours.
6% are home-schooled.
7% of parents say their child is allowed to bring their smartphone to school and can use it in class.
25% of parents say their child is allowed to use their smartphone during breaks, but must be turned off during breaks.
Many of today's kids are growing up with devices that enhance their learning experience.
34% of kids do not use devices at school.
67% of kids use a device at school to help with learning.
25% of kids bring their own devices to school.
How about kids and app usage?
TikTok - 132 minutes a day.
YouTube Kids - 108 minutes a day.
Instagram - 89 minutes a day.
YouTube - 86 minutes a day.
NetFlix - 46 minutes a day.
Hulu - 37 minutes a day.
Disney+ - 34 minutes a day.
Amazon Prime - 34 minutes a day.
Facebook - 25 minutes a day.
Pinterest - 18 minutes a day.
X - 9 minutes a day.
Reddit - 8 minutes a day.
What about today's kids and gaming?
The mobile gaming market is booming. In 2024, the mobile gaming market generated revenue of over $98 billion dollars.
Here are the most popular gaming apps:
Roblox - 134 minutes day.
Minecraft - 40 minutes a day.
Brawl Stars - 25 minutes a day.
Clash Royale - 18 minutes day.
Subway Surfers - 11 minutes a day.
Magic Tiles - 11 minutes a day.
Here are the most popular learning platforms. These are the most used platforms on school devices.
Clever
Google Classroom
CollegeBoard
Classlink
Beanstack
I-Ready
ABCYA
Powerschools Learning
Blooklet
Canvas
Here are the most popular educational apps in 2024:
IXL - kids spend 34 minutes a day on this app.
KHan Academy - kids spend 14 minutes a day on this app.
QuizLet - kids spend 10 minutes a day on this app.
Kahoot - kids spend 9 minutes a day on this app.
Duolingo - kids spend 8 minutes a day on this app.
Photomath - kids spend 6 minutes a day on this app.
I would encourage you to also make a copy of these lists and give them to your volunteers. It will help equip them as they seek to connect with today's kids. These stats can be great conversation starters and as I stated above, will open the door for your volunteers to show kids they really care about them.
Remember...we are missionaries to today's kids. Get to know them and their world as you seek to reach and disciple them.
