The time children spend in front of screens is often considered one of the biggest challenges by many parents. Digital content is extremely popular among children, and without proper oversight, they might spend more time in the virtual world than in the real one. However, with over 15 years of experience in working with children’s content and audiences, I would argue that the greater challenge is selecting and managing the content that children are consuming.
Beyond ensuring online safety, parents also face the question of how to provide content that is both entertaining and valuable. Do we truly understand our children? Do we know what kind of content meets their needs?
Many parents compare their own childhood experiences, interests, values, and outlook with those of their children. However, it’s crucial to recognize that contemporary children live in different times, under different conditions, and parents should not criticize the digital content their children choose. Instead, they should seek content that aligns with their children’s worldview and helps them grow and flourish.
So, what about the Alpha generation (born between 2010 and 2024) and the upcoming Beta generation (born from 2025)? How can we choose content that makes screen time both fun and valuable?
Alpha children naturally live in a mixed reality, a trend accelerated by the pandemic. They are considered the most influential generation ever, with their influence extending far beyond their families. A notable example is the protest held last year on the ROBLOX platform against Middle East tensions, which attracted over 275,000 participants! Additionally, in mid-August, ROBLOX fans organized another protest. Turkish children took to their country’s streets to show their dissatisfaction with the government’s decision to ban access to the gaming platform.
The interests of Alpha Generation children are not as childish as traditionally assumed. They care about ecology, equality, diversity, and entrepreneurship. It’s estimated that 30% of children aged 6-9 already have their own money, not from parental allowance but from content creation on digital platforms. A good example is Heman Bekele. The fifteen-year-old, born in Ethiopia, was named Child of the Year by this year Time magazine for his extraordinary achievements. He is developing a soap that one day could help prevent and treat various forms of skin cancer.
The pandemics left a mark on the Alpha Generation children values. They got to know very early on of the importance of emotional health, making Generation Alpha children more open to address and discuss it.
And the children (born from 2025 to 2039) will be considered the Beta generation, or Generation AI. It is predicted that this generation will have exceptionally good digital intuition. Growing up with artificial intelligence and digital ecosystems, these children will have to blur the boundaries between the digital and physical world, they will live in the interactively experienced world.
Both Alpha and Beta generations are predicted to be deeply concerned with environmental issues and advocate for sustainable practices. With advances in biotechnology, they are expected to be among the healthiest generations ever.
The win win content. What should parents know?
- Just like their parents and grandparents, Generation Alpha children are willing to communicate and want to be part of community, they are trying to form social bonds. However, opposite to previous generations, Generation Alpha does this not in a physical, but in a virtual world.
According to “Kids Industries,” a creative company, that specializes in a family content market research, 76% of 6 to 14 year children in the world are thinking of themselves as fandom of someone. Compared to 2022 year, this number grew by 13%. Being part of a fandom, it means belonging to a community, which gives emotional safety to a child.
To foster this connection, content should be more than a one-time product. It should include a range of formats – animated films, books, toys, etc. – to create a strong bond between children and characters, allowing them to identify and feel a sense of belonging. Fans don’t just consume content, they live and breathe it, participating in fan activities and online communities.
For example, in Lithuania, the Nelly Jelly IP has published 120 children’s books since 2010, some of which have become family heirlooms for certain people. Toys, clothes, songs, plays, musicals, a light park, and more, all inspired by the characters, bring together children and their parents, kindergarten friends, and neighbors into a specific social circle where childhood challenges are solved in ways known only to that circle – in a Nelly Jelly way.
- The pandemic has highlighted the importance of physical and emotional health. Mindful content creators should inspire children to find favorite activities and create characters that encourage hobbies away from screens.
For example, to cook food. This year, together with well-known Lithuanian chef Alfas Ivanauskas and our licensing partner – publishing house Alma littera – NJ World published an interactive recipe book with integrated QR codes, that takes the child to the video material that shows how to prepare the dish. It shows how easily prepare playfully looking and loved by children’s dishes. For example, a fruit paper, flower lemonade, spider nets from popcorn, etc. The book encourages family to spend time together, to develop creativity, also it redefines gender stereotypes by emphasizing that both men and women can be great chefs.
Or, to develop a habit of spending time in nature and growing vegetables, flowers, and other plants oneself. Alongside its licensing partner Sėklos (Žalia stotelė), NJ World has created a special gardening collection. One of the key strategies of the Gardenland project was not to limit itself to a single gardening product but to offer a wide range of 35 different gardening items, including 18 types of vegetable, flower, and herb seeds, as well as gardening tools such as watering cans, buckets, rakes, shovels, and more.
- Despite cosmopolitanism, abundant choices, and diversity, content intended for children should be characterized by longevity and sustainability in terms of values. This means not chasing trends or popularity but being authentic and grounded in time-tested values.
In her homeland, Nelly Jelly became popular book character through which children learned to understand themselves and the world, discovering essential values in their own way using their imagination.
For example, a story about runaway ears teaches the importance of building relationship with one’s parents. The experience of six-year-old Nelly Jelly shows children that if you don’t listen to your parents’ requests often enough, one day your ears might just jump off and scatter around the big city. Borrowing ears from an elephant or a monkey isn’t much fun either. You’ll have to search for the runaways ears for a long time and eventually offer a sincere apology to your parents.
Friendship is also taught through the idea that creating common good and sharing is more important than competing with each other. This lesson is illustrated in the book Nelly Jelly and the Friendship Broom. Only by uniting for a common goal do Nelly Jelly and her friends escape from the witch’s captivity.
The habit of tidying up is encouraged by the character Mess Mess Gnome, who simply takes scattered toys to his home, and to get them back, one must climb to the Moon and overcome difficult challenges. It teaches to value everything that you have.
The content children spend a lot of time with – stories, characters, visuals – has a significant impact on how they feel, what they think about themselves, other people, and the world around them. Therefore, when creating the world of Nelly Jelly, we constantly consult with educators, psychologists, parents, and organize focus groups among other things. When I attend a Nelly Jelly theater performance, I observe not only the action on stage, but the reactions of the young viewers and their parents as well.
When creating and curating content for children, the most important thing is to carefully consider how the child will interpret the information they receive and what they will learn from it. Essentially, in my view, content for children should be helpful, teaching them to tackle challenges, accept themselves and others, understand their own and others’ emotions, explore the world, inspire them, and offer hope that everything will turn out well in the end.
Simona Krasauskienė, CEO of NJ World
NJ World develops two brands: Kakė Makė in Lithuania and Nelly Jelly globally.
ABOUT NELLY JELLY
Nelly Jelly is a beloved children’s character and a national brand hailing from Lithuania, designed to encourage kids to explore, get creative, and overcome life challenges with the help of witty and fun characters. With a team of passionate individuals who have a special sense for global trends, the brand is currently experiencing growth to multiple platforms, including books, theater plays, events, and a blockbuster movie in the local market in 2023. The brand sells over 2 million licensed products yearly through 30 local partners in the native market with TA140. Also, the Nelly Jelly team constantly attends global events, aiming to find new ways to provide educational and enjoyable content for young audiences.
