KidSay tracks four developmentally accurate cohorts (2–4, 5–7, 8–11, 12–15) and recruits primarily through a school-based network rather than online panels.

Age breaks that make sense with kids’ development, not just generic ‘teen’ labels. Other firms often define “tween” as ages 8–12, which collapses 3rd graders who are in the midst of elementary school with 6th graders who have transitioned to middle school and socializing among 13 and 14-year-olds.

We talk to both moms and dads. In 2026, the notion that moms are exclusively the gatekeeper of the family is just not true anymore. Dads are actively involved in many decisions about the household more broadly and impacting kids’ behaviors and preferences. KidSay’s Trend Tracker Family Report Study takes that into account and gives you a look at where parents’ influence is the same and where it diverges.