How Family-Friendly and Kid’s Content Fuels AVOD Ads and Reduces SVOD Churn

From the first time toddlers tap a touchscreen to when teens marathon entire seasons, children and teenagers represent a powerful force in the world of TV streaming. Their viewing habits—not only what they watch but also how, when, and with whom—are driving platform strategies, content investments, and advertising decisions.

Let’s have a closer look.

Streaming “Rebels” – Children Do Not Fit Production Studio Plans

Long before they can even spell “Netflix,” kids pick their favourite characters and shows. As media consultant Emily Horgan notes, children often “go through phases where they watch something on repeat for months.” In other words, unlike most adults, who grow tired of the same episodes and eagerly await something new, kids will happily rewatch their favourites again and again for weeks on end.

Studios, however, build their release calendars around seasons and spaced-out episode drops. If a child is still glued to the same handful of episodes three months after they first aired, they’re not waiting for the next new title. This mismatch helps explain why many streamers have scaled back original children's productions despite the undeniable role of kids’ content in keeping subscribers engaged. “Even if kids’ content is said not to increase subscriber numbers, it does help to stem churn,” says media strategy consultant Jo Redfern—but originals have often been sidelined in favour of blockbuster series and live sports (the latter the actual treasure entertainment companies have hunted for in recent years). And yes, kids’ content does help to reduce churn: Ampere reports that 35% of SVOD users in child-free households are at risk of churning, versus 28% in homes with children. The same pattern appears on AVOD: churn risk is 45% without children and 39% with children.

The fact that kids’ content isn’t the best option to drive subscriber growth doesn’t mean young viewers are left without fresh choices. Olivia Deane of Ampere Analysis points out that, while new kids’ titles may be fewer, “streamers are still spending on high volumes of acquired children’s content.” By licensing well-loved shows and movies, platforms ensure there’s always something familiar—and reliably entertaining—waiting for repeat play, keeping families coming back week after week.

Family Co-watching: Affordable, Fun, and Safe

Yes, entire families are tuning in together—parents, kids, even grandparents.

Watching together has become a key way for families to spend quality time. It’s an affordable, after-work or weekend activity that entertains everyone and gives parents control over what their children watch.

In the United States, a survey from late 2023 found that over 90 percent of parents sat down with their children to watch TV or streaming content. That number was even higher—94 percent—among families with two- to five-year-olds and six- to nine-year-olds, dipping only slightly for 10- to 12-year-olds compared to the year before. Across the pond, British statistics show a similar pattern: only 23 percent of children watch alone, while 47 percent tune in with their parents and 27 percent alongside siblings.

This trend isn’t confined to English-speaking countries. In January 2023, a ten-country online survey of 5,000 families with children aged four to 13 revealed that almost three-quarters of parents said at least half of their kids’ viewing time is shared. For many families, co-viewing isn’t just about supervising screen time—it’s a chance to unwind. Seventy-five percent of U.S. and 74 percent of U.K. parents say they watch together “to relax,” more than half use it as a wind-down routine before bedtime.

Moreover, when school is out, families spend even more time in front of the screen. Total TV usage across all kids and teens during the school break rises by 2.2 percent. Children aged 2–11 increased their TV time by 16.3 percent, while those 12–17 spent 24.1 percent more time watching TV compared with May.

Since content is king, you’re probably wondering what type of shows can entertain adults and children. When families choose what to watch, they want something that engages everyone. In the U.S., 61 percent of co-viewers pick comedies and funny shows, followed by superheroes (48 percent) and action (42 percent). Beyond genre, parents also look for worthwhile themes—positive role models, fun challenges and problem-solving, real-world explanations, and flights of imagination and fantasy. It makes sense: children want entertainment, and parents want something more than amusement. Above all, co-viewing content should be family-oriented.

In our earlier articles, we’ve touched on family-friendly content, its advantages, and various types.

Content Discovery for Kids: Short Clips, Big Impact.

Finding something good to watch on CTV or streaming can feel like a chore for many adults. Gen Alpha is different. In their world, short-form platforms reign supreme. Ninety-six percent of children watch videos on YouTube or TikTok, and YouTube alone reaches 88 percent of 3–to 17-year-olds. For most kids, YouTube is the first stop when hunting for something new.

After YouTube, discovery falls to recommendations from friends and family, ads on VOD platforms, and even traditional TV spots. Savvy streaming executives now treat YouTube less as a competitor and more as a marketing partner—posting trailers, highlights, and exclusive clips to drive curious viewers toward their premium libraries. Once kids see a clip of their desired character, they often influence parents to subscribe or sign up.

In an environment where discovery is half the battle, leveraging YouTube’s massive reach—and the social buzz it creates—gives streamers a cost-effective way to showcase family-friendly originals and acquired hits to kids and their grown-ups. We discussed similar growth and marketing strategies in our previous article about the Great Media War and the viewing habits of different generations.

Family-Friendly Ad Slots Drive Real Engagement and Sales

In markets where SVOD is becoming crowded and free, ad-supported services (AVOD & FAST) are on the rise, advertising against family-friendly content offers a powerful double play: it reaches parents making buying decisions and sparks “pester power” from their kids.

Brands capture genuine family engagement by placing ads alongside films, cartoons, and kids’ shows—even during commercial breaks. Nearly half of U.S. viewers welcome product or service ads during family co-viewing, and 92 percent of parents (87 percent of kids) report being “net engaged” when adult-focused ads run amid children’s programming. In these moments, parents are 2.5 times more likely to purchase something they’ve seen advertised, and one major toy brand enjoyed a 10 percent lift in purchase intent when both children and parents watched the same ad together.

Kids don’t just watch quietly—they talk. Roughly nine in ten children discuss the ads they see, and 92 percent at least sometimes ask their parents to buy a featured product, cementing brand recall. On AVOD platforms, this engagement drives real results: 54 percent of adults discuss the product with others, 45 percent buy it, 37 percent visit a store, and 38 percent look it up online. With over a third of U.S. families dining out weekly and 65 percent planning a vacation within six months, advertisers in retail, restaurants, and travel areas, where more than half of parents feel comfortable co-viewing, stand to gain the most from a family-friendly content strategy.

License Family-Friendly and Kids Content That Moves Minds

Now that we’ve covered children’s and parents’ viewing habits, purchasing drivers, motivations, and content preferences, the next logical question is: where do you get rights for safe, family-friendly films and TV shows? The answer is simple—allrites and the allrites Content-as-a-Service (CaaS) model.

Our Family & Kids collection delivers fast, flexible licensing so you can refresh your lineup without lengthy negotiations. The collection pairs fun adventures with educational or value-driven themes in animated and live-action series, feature films, and shorts. Each title is chosen from teamwork in Henchmen to courage and imagination in the Fairytale Club to keep kids entertained and parents confident.

With various titles from all over the globe, you’ll get:

• High-quality, ready-to-air content designed for co-viewing

• Global rights and multiple language options

• Seamless integration into your programming schedule
  

Why Allrites CaaS?

• Fast, flexible licensing: Acquire the content you need when needed.

• Always refreshing library: New titles are added regularly to keep your channel vibrant.

• StreamTV finalist: Recognized for “Innovation in Content Delivery & Distribution.”

  
  

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About allrites

Located in Singapore and globally, allrites is a premier marketplace for buying and selling film, TV, and sports rights. We provide a vast catalog of Film and TV content, from major studios to independent producers, available in any language and genre. Our innovative licensing models, including allrites Content-as-a-Service, offer flexible and efficient content monetization and acquisition solutions, accommodating the evolving needs of content buyers and sellers worldwide.

Want to learn more about our content library, licensing models, or industry trends?

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