Children are shaping their own future: Five takeaways from Beano Brain

Helenor Gilmour, Head of Beano Brain, shared insights into Gen Alpha, the kids born between 2010 and 2015, who have been shaped by a period of economic uncertainty, Brexit, war and the Covid pandemic, and she urged the audience to pay attention to signals that indicate how this incoming generation is influencing the future…   

Gen Alpha are true global citizens.
Some 75% of Gen Alpha use Ai and 67% use ChatGPT and they are as likely to follow a K-Pop band from South Korea as a local group.

Adults who want to ban YouTube fail to understand how fundamental it is to this generation’s lives.
Some 48% of Gen Alpha surveyed told Beano Brain that YouTube is important to them and don’t see it as social media. It outperforms platforms such as iPlayer or TV because it provides content that leans into their interests and isn’t available anywhere else,including gaming, music and dance, movie shorts, crafts and DIY. Gilmour warned that we need to accept that YouTube is a TV format, otherwise we are we in danger of removing the equivalent of educational programmes such as CBBC for our younger generations.

With a life lived largely online, Gen Alpha want real experiences.
Ironically, at a time when stores are shifting online Gen Alpha want the human touch.Some 68% of 7-14-year-olds prefer real shops against 19% who shop online. Beano research shows children want to be made to feel welcome instore and Gilmour shared news of “amazing signals” coming over from South Korea, Japan and China where stores encourage children to play during shopping trips – giving them a chance to explore identity, which is a fundamental to child development.

Gen Alpha are taking power back.
They understand that the power lies with companies such as Spotify or Apple Music – and they are seeking to own vinyl, cds, photos or games because then they feel they are in charge rather than the platform. They also have a growing voice, contributing to decisions on family spending, such as where the family goes on holiday or which car they buy. And they have access to wide range of influences and information – by eight, 57% of kids have their first Tablet.

Adults should stop putting pressure on Gen Alpha to save the planet when previous generations have done so much to screw it up.
The world has changed since the movement led by child climate activist Greta Thunberg – Beano research shows that Gen Alpha’s climate concerns are competing with worries in their communities and families that are more personal, such as war and conflict, money, exams and their future. Expecting them to save the planet is a heavy burden, said Gilmour.

Read the full report here.