PlayScience - Reframe the Game: The State and Future of Kids' Mobile Play
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The report analyzes the state and preferences of mobile play among U.S. children aged 6-14, highlighting top apps, educational factors, and parent decision-making. Key findings indicate that children favor universally appealing apps like Minecraft and Angry Birds, while parents prioritize educational content when selecting apps. It also notes a marked preference for tablets over smartphones among kids for app usage.
PlayScience - Reframe the Game: The State and Future of Kids' Mobile Play
- 1. Reframe the Game: The State and Future of Kids' Mobile Play
- 2. OVERVIEW What the report covers: • Top apps for 6-14s • Key & preferred app features • Educational factors/features • Decision making & purchase Methodology: • Online survey with 1355 U.S. parents (and their kids) 6-14 • Aligned with national demographics and recent technographics • Fielded June 2015 • Focus on “playful” apps across category/store 2015 PLAYSCIENCE - CGA REPORT © PlayScience 2015
- 3. Top Apps for U.S. Kids 6 - 14
- 4. APPS TOP PLAYFUL APPS FOR KIDS 6-14 OVERALL 11.4% 9.0% 7.6% 4.1% 3.5% 3.0% 2.7% 2.1% 1.8% 1.7% Q. What is your most favorite app? © PlayScience 2015 Almost half 6-14s are playing their favorite app every day (and 85% at least a few times a weeks)! Here are the current winners:
- 5. APPS TOP PLAYFUL APPS BY GENDER Boys and girls across all ages placed Minecraft and Angry Birds at the top of the list for playful apps. Candy Crush Saga and Clash of Clans also made it onto both lists. 2% 2% 2% 3% 3% 4% 6% 6% 10% 16% 2% 3% 3% 3% 3% 6% 6% 9% 10% 11% Q. What is your most favorite app? © PlayScience 2015
- 6. APPS TOP PLAYFUL APPS BY AGE There is remarkable consistency across age groups re: the top apps. 2% 2% 2% 2% 3% 3% 3% 4% 6% 10% 10% 12% Frozen: Storybook Temple Run 2 WATCH Disney Channel Bible for Kids Angry Birds Star Wars II Subway Surfers Candy Crush Soda Saga Angry Birds Star Wars Candy Crush Saga ABCmouse.com Angry Birds MinecraN -‐ Pocket 6 to 8 2% 2% 3% 3% 3% 3% 5% 7% 10% 14% Angry Birds Star Wars Temple Run 2 WATCH Disney Channel ABCmouse.com Fruit Ninja Crossy Road Candy Crush Soda Saga Candy Crush Saga Angry Birds MinecraN -‐ Pocket 9 to 11 2% 2% 3% 3% 4% 4% 8% 10% 10% 13% Big Hero 6: Baymax Blast Grand TheN Auto: San Angry Birds Star Wars Subway Surfers Candy Crush Soda Saga Trivia Crack Clash of Clans Angry Birds MinecraN -‐ Pocket EdiZon Candy Crush Saga 12 to 14 Q. What is your most favorite app? © PlayScience 2015 Most of the top apps are “Universal Play” apps, not kids-only apps.
- 8. LEARNING PARENTS’ EDUCATIONAL VALUES FOR APPS 2% 9% 10% 11% 25% 39% The app offers related materials for parents and/or teachers The app focuses on social skills The app helps my child become comfortable with technology and compuZng skills The app helps my child do be^er in school or on standardized tests The app encourages imaginaZon and creaZvity The app focuses on academic skills What makes an app “educa:onal” to parents Qs. When you are choosing apps to pay for, what three things are most important to you? Now thinking of apps in general, what do you think makes an app “educational”?, Which of these is most important to you right now? © PlayScience 2015 Imagination and social skills become less important to parents as the child grows. Education is the paramount value indicator for parents. A “focus on skills or subjects I want my child to work on” is their #1 criterion when it comes to paying for apps.
- 9. 12.7% 4.1% 3.6% 4.1% 3.0% 2.3% 2.3% 1.8% 1.8% 1.7% ABCmouse.com Word Academy Trivia Crack Minecraft - Pocket Edition ABC Alphabet Phonics Bible for Kids Angry Birds Abby Basic Skills Nick Jr. WATCH Disney Channel Also on the overall “Top Ten” list LEARNING MAPPING TOP EDU APPS TO THE TOP 10 9© PlayScience 2015 Q. What is your favorite app when you want to learn something? (Kids) Kids see some overlap between their “fun” and “learning” in the app space. The list below is based on what they consider a learning app.
- 10. LEARNING KIDS’ TOP EDU APPS ON THE PLAYSPECTRUM™ 10© PlayScience 2015 DIRECTED FULL OPEN SCAFFOLDED PROBLEM PROCESS Most “educational” apps, however, take a relatively directed approach to engaging kids in the learning process.
- 12. PLATFORM TABLETS ARE WINNING THE APP RACE © PlayScience 2015 13% 17% 25% 45% When it comes to playing their favorite apps, kids would pick tablets over smartphones almost 2-to-1. Q: What do you like to use most to play games? (Kids)
- 13. PLATFORM NOT ALL MOBILE IS CREATED EQUAL Source: PlayScience. (2015). Platforms & Preferences Study. Sandbox Summit, MIT. Q. Which of these do you most prefer your child to spend time on? Which of these does your child most prefer to spend time on? Tablets are parent and child darlings, while smartphones lag far behind. Parent Child 2- to 4-year-olds Parent Child 5- to 7-year-olds Parent Child 8- to 9-year-olds 73% 48% 41% 44% 33% 23%12% 64% 41% 19% 7% 53% 30% 16% 12% 60% 47% 22% 14% 51% 30% 23% 22% 29% Parent & Child Device Preference Tablet tipping point
- 14. PLATFORM TABLETS HAVE A PARENT HALO Parents have distinct and very different perceptions of mobile devices with potentially identical content. Regular tablets are considered the most fun and more educational, while children’s tablets are the “safest” and most “trustworthy.” “good” “educational” “not good” “not safe” “useful” “not educational” Source: PlayScience. (2015). Platforms & Preferences Study. Sandbox Summit, MIT. Q: In which way is this device good for your child?
- 15. App-titudes: What makes a great app?
- 16. FEATURES WHAT KIDS WANT IN THEIR PLAYFUL APPS 12% 13% 17% 17% 24% 24% 26% 26% 26% 31% 31% 35% 37% 38% 43% Ability to share things from the app on social Quizzes Videos Ideas for activities to do offline Characters you know Ability to create your own profile Puzzles Levels that keep getting harder Ability to talk or play with other users in the app Cute and fun characters Ability to create your own story Action games Sound effects and music Points and rewards Ability to create your own avatar Q. Imagine you could create your own app! What would your app HAVE TO include? © PlayScience 2015 Personalization Achievement Social Media/IP
- 17. FEATURES WHAT ABOUT CO-PLAY? Almost 1/3 of kids prefer to play with someone else, primarily with friends or siblings. The top 10 apps list does not have many kid- friendly co-play apps (i.e., the ones on the list rely on MMO or asynchronous turn-taking). © PlayScience 2015 17 69%ALONE 22%WITH FRIENDS 9%WITH PARENTS Kids prefer to play their favorite app with: Even if you have a great co-play mechanic, you still need to have an awesome single player way to play! Consider for kids’ co-play: • Same device turn-taking (e.g., board game apps); • Same device co-play (e.g., Williamspurrrrg); • Multi-device synchronous play Q. Who do you like to use this app with?
- 18. Gender’s Role in Play
- 19. GENDER WHAT A GIRL (AND BOY) WANTS 20% 24% 44% 25% 28% 43% 21% 43% 39% 42% 23% 34% 26% 32% Cute and fun characters Characters you know Ability to create your own avatar Ability to create your own profile Ability to create your own story Action games Puzzles Boy Girl © PlayScience 2015 Boys want action and avatars In their ideal playful app… Girls want characters and narrative Q. Imagine you could create your own app! What would your app HAVE TO include?
- 20. GENDER THE ROLE GENDER PLAYS FOR PARENTS Parents value apps focusing on academic skills more for their girls than their boys (+9%). They are 30% more likely to let their boys choose their own apps. Parents are 13% more likely to pay for an app for their son. 20 Parents have different attitudes about both the technology and the content based on their child’s gender.
- 21. GENDER PINK VS. BLUE TECH FOR PARENTS Child- friendliness (30%) Child’s preference (27%) Parents are more likely to prefer children’s tablets for girls (73% vs. 65%) Most important factors for the parent when selecting a device Source: PlayScience. (2015). Platforms & Preferences Study. Sandbox Summit, MIT. Q: What is most important when deciding which device to have your child use in any situation? Which of these do you most prefer your child to spend time on? Parents are 3x more likely to favor a smartphone or video game device for their son (15% vs. 6% and 21% vs. 7%) 21
- 22. J. Alison Bryant, PhD Co-CEO & Chief Play Officer [email protected] Paul Levine Co-CEO & President [email protected] Interested in learning more about play across platforms? Join us for Sandbox West in L.A. (Oct. 12-13) SandboxSummit.org LET’S! PLAY!