Gen Alpha...Who Has Their Attention?

Gen Alpha are kids who are currently 1-to-16 years old.  These are the kids who are in your nursery, your preschool ministry, your elementary ministry, and your student ministry. 

A lot of people are vying for their attention and some are very good at connecting them. 

In my last post, I shared the top YouTube channels and shows that kids watch. 

Today let's take a deeper dive into how to get the attention of Gen Alpha kids.

Gen Alpha viewing habits.

YouTube - 75%

Video on demand - 66%

Mobile games - 62%

YouTube shorts - 52%

Console games - 48%

TikTok - 38%

Facebook - 30%

Broadcast TV - 28%

Instagram - 26%

88% of parents say their 2-5-year-old prefers YouTube over VOD or broadcast TV.

Ages 2-to-9 prefer cartoons.

Ages 10-12 prefer comedy.

Boys favorite gaming channels

Flamingo

Lankybox

EthanGamer

Craftee

Unspeakable

Gaming w/Jen

Girls favorite gaming channels

Flamingo

Gaming w/Jen

Lankybox

Big School

Craftee

FGTV

43% of new movies are discovered by kids on YouTube.

55% of parents say they co-view YouTube with their kids. 

Cartoons are most popular for co-viewing.

Second screening (watching 2 screens are the same time) 

Almost half of Gen Alpha kids watch YouTube or play mobile games while watching TV.

Parents are also second screening - 39% play mobile games and 36% watch YouTube while watching TV.

YouTube ads drive 50% of parents to make a purchase for their child.

Influencers. 

80% of kids ask for something they've seen an influencer talk about. Toys and games make up over half of the requests.

76% of kids ages 10-12 remember ads created by influencers. 

32% of kids find new movies through influencers. 

Boys favorite mobile games.

Lego

Roblox

Plants vs Zombies

Disney Games

Bubble Shooter

Talking Tom

Among Us

Sonic

Girls favorite mobile games. 

Happy Color

Bubble Shooter

Disney Games

LOL

Among Us

Talking Tom

Lego

Roblox

Brands that have their attention.

Lego

Pokemon

Barbie

Hot Wheels

Fisher-Price

Play-Doh

Bluey

Crayola

Nerf

Collectible Interests boys share with their parents.

Lego

Marvel

Pokemon

Hot Wheels

Disney

Star Wars

Harry Potter

Roblox

Labubu

Pop

Jellycat

Sonny Angel

Collectible Interests girls share with their parents.

Lego

Barbie

Disney

Pokemon

Marvel

Harry Potter

Labubu

Jelly Cat

Pop

Roblox

Star Wars

Sonny Angel

It is interesting to see the stat of parents engaging with their kids in shared interest collectibles. This reminds me about partnering with parents. If we provide quality and engaging resources for kids and parents together, we can see parents getting involved in the discipleship of their kids.  Maybe the reason why we aren't seeing more parents taking the lead in discipling their children is because we haven't provided them with quality, engaging resources for this.

If you want to connect with kids, then mention some of the brands in this article. They will be impressed that you took the time to learn about their interests and you will have their attention. 

Here's an example. 

One Sunday I walked into one of the classrooms and noticed there was a boy sitting in the back of the room by himself. You could tell from his countenance that he was not a happy camper.  One of the leaders in the room shared with me that he had been disrupting the service and they finally had to move him back by himself.

I went over and sat down by him. I tried to talk with him, but he looked the other way and wouldn't acknowledge me.  After a minute of him ignoring me, I decided to try something else. Here's what I did. I ask him if he liked video games.  For the first time, he turned and looked at me said "yes...I love video games."  

I asked him what system he had at home and what his favorite game was. After a few minutes of talking about video games, I told him I was going to go up and participate in the worship song the other kids were now singing. I told him he could stay where he was or he could come up and join me if he wanted to as well. 

I went up front and started singing with the other kids. A minute later I felt a tug on my shirt. I turned around and it was the boy from the back of the room. He was smiling and said he wanted to join in the worship.  For the rest of the class time he behaved and participated with a good attitude. The cause...someone cared enough to enter his world.  

I would encourage you to use the brands and stats we have talked about in this article as a way to connect with Gen Alpha kids. 

Show them you care enough about them to enter their world. Talk about what has their attention during the week. By doing this you will get their attention and open the door to impact them for Christ.  

Many of the stats in this article came from precisify.com. 

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Top YouTube Channels for Kids

Here's what kids are watching on YouTube. These channels and shows are obviously really good at connecting with kids. Think about what they are doing. You can pick up some great ideas for your children's ministry strategy.  This is also a great way to stay connected with what is relevant for today's kids.

Girls Favorites (ages 2-5)

Bluey

Peppa Pig

Paw Patrol

Disney Jr. 

Cocomelon

Girls Favorites (ages 6-9)

Disney Jr. 

Spongebob Squarepants

Nicklodeon

Mr. Beast 

Nick Jr. 

Girls Favorites (ages 10-12) 

Nickelodeon

Mr. Beast

Lego

Disney Hits

Spongebob Squarepants

Boys Favorites (ages 2-5) 

Paw Patrol

Bluey 

Spongebob Squarepants

Cocomelon

Blippi

Boys Favorites (ages 6-9)

Lego

Nickelodeon

Mr. Beast

Spongebob Squarepants

Bluey

Boys Favorites (ages 10-12)

Mr. Beast 

Lego

Nickelodeon

Ryan's World

Spongebob Squarepants 

p.s. Come back Thursday for my next article. We will take a deeper dive into how to connect with Gen Alpha kids. 

 

 

 

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Running the Wrong Way

I was recently studying about one of my favorite Bible stories. Jonah and the big fish. 

If you dig into this story, you will discover some great truths about God and His heart for the world to be saved. 

You know what happened...God told Noah to go to the city of Nineveh and share with them their desperate need to repent of their evil ways.

The Ninevites were known for their brutality and evil. To travel there was risky. But to preach to them about God would mean certain death.  

Jonah wanted nothing to do with the Ninevites. Especially since he was a Jew. It would be like asking a Jew during World War II to go preach to the Nazis. 

One of two things would happen in his mind. He would be killed or the Ninevites would repent and be spared. Jonah was not interested in anyone from Nivevah living to see another day. 

So...instead of running to Ninevah...he decided to run the wrong way. As far away from Ninevah as he could get. He boarded a ship and went the opposite direction. 

In all this we see God's heart for people...even the most wicked people.

Look what he says in Jonah 4:11. 

"...the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals."

Many commentators believe the 120,000 persons is referring to children who are not old enough to know the difference between their right and left hand. 

He calls it a great city because there were so many lost people on whom He had compassion. 

He also mentions animals? What does that mean?  Scholars say that even the cruelest of men sometimes have a soft spot in their heart for a puppy, kitten, etc. 

God has compassion on lost people and so should we.  

Do you sometimes feel like Jonah?  Your heart for lost people occasionally wanes and you want to run away from them instead of going to them.  

You want to run away from the child that causes all the commotion in class?

You want to run away from the neighbor who is a pain?

You want to run away from the child that you just can't seem to connect with?

You want to run away from the staff member or church member that you can't get along with? 

You want to run away from the hours of planning and work it takes to pull off a VBS, Fall Festival, or other outreach event? 

You want to run away from trying to partner with parents when the parents just can't seem to get it. 

I have felt all of this at times.  

At times...I have run the wrong way.

When we take our eyes off of Jesus and people the natural tendency is to run the wrong direction. 

Jonah disliked the Ninevites and it was obvious why. That dislike led him to disobedience.  

Perhaps in all of this we see the heart of God for those who are far from Him.  Perhaps in all of this we see that God has called us to run to those who are far from Him and share the Gospel with them.  

So God puts Jonah through the ringer. You know what happened, he was on a ship...running the opposite direction when a storm blew in. Jonah confesses that He is running away from God's will and they end up throwing him overboard to save their lives.

Jonah gets swallowed by a big fish...perhaps it was a whale or great white Orca...whatever it was it was big.

Jonah spends three days in the big fish. During these three days, he spends most of his time talking to God and repenting for running away from God's will. 

So God decides to ask Jonah to go to Ninevah for the second time. 

p.s. Here are some apologetics you can teach kids about Jonah being swallowed and living through it.

Many critics can't "swallow" the story of Jonah because they say it couldn't happen. 

Hang on. Let's examine the facts.

An average sperm whale has a mouth that is 20 feet long, 15 feel high, and 9 feet wide. Plenty big enough to swallow a person. 

Did you know the sperm whale feeds largely on squid. Often these squids are larger than people. Whalers will sometimes find an entire squid in the stomach of a dead whale. 

In 1891, two small whaleboats harpooned a huge sperm whale. The whale went under the water but then burst from the water, smashing one of the boats. One the sailors named James Bartley went overboard and was lost. 

The whalers were eventually able to capture the whale and winch it to the ship. When they pulled the whale up, the sailors noticed that the whale's stomach was moving...so they cut the whale's belly open.  Inside the whale was James Bartley...still alive after spending over 15 hours in the belly of the whale. 

Now think back to Jonah.  God was ready to use Jonah to reach Ninevah. So he had the big fish spit out Jonah onto the beach. Jonah was fortunate. There were only two ways out of the fish. Jonah got out the most pleasant way. 

So here's Jonah...crawling out of the ocean after being spit up by a big fish. 

Here's an interesting thing.

Do you know what false god the Ninevites worshiped?  It was a fish god named Dagon. 

Perhaps...just maybe some of the Ninevites saw this man come up out of a fish with seaweed wrapped around his head. If that happened, I would say Jonah had their attention. 

So Noah runs the right way this time and heads to Ninevah. He shares the Word of God with them and the entire city turns to God. 

So what do we learn from this amazing happening?

God's heart is for people. 

God uses people to reach people...even when their attitude is not the best.

God wants us to have His heart of compassion and love for those who do not know Him.

When God asks us to run toward people with the Gospel, it is critical that we obey Him. 

God wants you to run toward His will for your life instead of running away from it.  

The best choice is to always run toward God's will instead of from it. 

God is the God of mercy and forgiveness.  Run to Him. Help others run to Him. No matter who they are.

God is looking for yielded hearts to reach people with the Gospel.

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The Biggest Reason Why Kids Grow Up and Walk Away From the Faith

Two major research organizations asked people why they left the church.

The number one answer?  They simply stopped believing. Over 50% say they have stopped believing in the core doctrines and faith tenets.

Turns out that the experience a child has in church between the ages of 5 and 17 is the single strongest predictor of whether they will stay with the faith as an adult.  

If a child has a negative experience at church, there is a 70% chance they will later walk away from the faith. 

But if a child has a positive experience at church, there is a 84% chance they will stick with the faith.  

What can we do about that as children's ministry leaders? Is the answer found in a new program?  More relevant worship music?  More lights and fog? Cooler games and activities?  A new version of the Bible for kids? Different small group curriculum? 

We cannot let this opportunity slip away. It's time the church makes children and student ministry a high, high priority.  It's time the church goes all in for reaching and discipling the next generation.

Ministry for kids and students is the front line in the battle for the next generation.  The enemy knows this and is going all out to steal, kill, and destroy the faith of the generation coming behind us.

So why are kids growing up and walking away from the church because of unbelief?  

I believe it is because churches are not teaching kids why we believe what we believe.  

I believe it is because churches are not teaching kids apologetics.

I believe it is because churches are not teaching kids doctrine. 

I believe it is because we are not letting kids ask the hard questions and helping them work through it. 

I believe it is because we are not teaching kids what the verses mean that they are memorizing. 

I believe it is because we are teaching kids about God but not about knowing God personally. 

I believe it is because we are not helping kids own their faith. 

I believe it is because we are not strategic with the curriculum we are teaching them. 

I believe it is because we are not preparing them to defend what they believe. 

I talk about this extensively in my book Fertile Soil...How to See Kids' Faith Grow and Flourish for a Lifetime. You can get your copy here.  

I also have 2 apologetics series for kids - Mythbusting and Pranksters. You can see these teaching series at this link.

It's time the church focuses on the next generation. Children and student ministry cannot be an afterthought.  It must be at the forefront of our thoughts, planning, strategy, and outreach. 

It's time the church turns its eyes to the greatest mission field in the world...kids and students. 

It's time for children and student ministry to be the most important ministry in the church.  

Children's ministry is not babysitting or childcare. It is crucial ministry at the most important time in a person's life.  If we don't reach and disciple children and students we will see them grow up and walk away as adults.

Children and student ministry leaders be encouraged. God is with you. He wants to pour out His power and anointing into your life as you serve on the front lines. 

Children and student ministry leaders be encouraged. Your ministry is dear to the heart of God.  Jesus paused adult ministry when He was here and made children's ministry a top priority when the parents brought their children to Him. 

Sadly in many churches, we find that children's ministry is just an afterthought.  The pastor and church leaders fail to invest heavily into children and student ministry. 

If you are in that situation, I would encourage you to share this article with your leaders. God has placed you where you are to be a champion for children and student ministry. Lovingly and humbly share this with your leaders. It might be just what they need to understand the importance of the ministry you are leading and serving. 

There is hope for the next generation. God has divinely placed you where you are for such a time as this. 

You are the person God wants to use to reach and disciple children and students through your local church.  You matter and what you do matters....more than you can comprehend. 

Together...with all of us engaged in this great work of God...we can see the faith projectory of an entire generation changed.   

Then we will see kids and students grow up to walk with God instead of away from God.

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