Wellness, self care and mental health will be a major focus for kids this year, according to new research from The Insights Family. In its new report The Next Generation of Families, the research firm has found that US kids ages three to 12 are 51% more concerned about their health and wellbeing than they were last year.

Almost 20% of six-year-olds say mental health is one of their top three concerns—surpassing both bullying and violent crime. To cope, 39% of US families are engaging in some form of meditation or mindfulness activity at least once a day.

After more than a year of lockdowns, families are increasingly focused on staying healthy and active, and one in three kids ( (32%) are concerned about what they’re eating and drinking. This newfound awareness is likely to stay in play for some time, so brands that support overall wellness should resonate with families this year.

Health concerns are also having an impact on the popularity of family activities. In the US, cooking/baking is currently the fifth favorite family activity among kids ages 10 to 12, with playing sports/being active following close behind. (The top four activities are watching TV, watching YouTube, playing board games and playing video games.) And Canadian kids ranked cooking/baking third (behind only watching TV and listening to music), with playing sports/being active in sixth.

Families are starting to actively seek out brands that support their health and wellness. In the US, the percentage of kids with Apple Watches jumped from 1.6% in 2020 to 5.1% in 2021. Parents who exercise with their kids and want them to track their own health are driving this increase, according to The Insights Family.

To compile data for The Next Generation of Families, The Insights Family surveyed 21,300 three- to 18-year-olds, and 10,400 parents with kids ages one to 16. Research was conducted online throughout the year in the US and Canada, and the report is based on information collected by May 2021.

Photo by Torsten Dederichs on Unsplash