Report: Chinese Gen Z Parents Turn To Animation For Family Viewing

According to the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Innovation Economy Report, Gen Z (born between the late 1990s and early 2010s) now makes up 19% of China’s population—around 260 million people—and is behind nearly 40% of national consumer spending.

This generation of parents in China is steadily reshaping the kids & family content landscape with distinct mindsets, digital-first habits, and evolving content tastes. Which is a trend to watch, given these parents will have an annual spending power that is expected to reach $2.4 trillion by the year 2035.

Now a study commissioned by the Chinese online video sharing website Bilibili, which shows these parents are setting new expectations for how families engage with kids & family content. These digital-native parents are turning to online platforms for stories that are fun, interactive, and emotionally meaningful. 

In a recent survey of 2,000 households Bilibili conducted across new first- to third-tier cities (classified by commercial resources, demographics, infrastructure, and economic potential), they found that:

・96% of parents support English exposure during preschool years;
・87% are interested in online course-based content;
・66.7% are actively using English-language animation as part of their child's daily learning, surpassing offline tutoring institutions (61.8%) and other tools such as language learning apps and English-language picture books.

These findings highlight the central role of English learning in Chinese households. Among the many tools families turn to, English-language animation stands out as a natural fit for early exposure, thanks to its compelling storylines, relatable characters, and strong replay value.

Globally, familiar brands like Sesame Street English, Kid Castle, and Baby Einstein have built their reputations on English-language learning through characters that families can grow with and feel close to. Their strengths—relatable characters, family-driven narratives, and situationally relevant storytelling—are well-suited to the evolving preferences of Chinese families and show how well these models can travel across cultures.

The survey also reported that Gen Z parents in China prefer flexible, on-demand formats such as short videos and subscription-based platforms, and pay attention to whether their kids rewatch a show, connect with the characters, or casually mention them during play. When deciding what's worth paying for, it often comes down to how much their child enjoys it, rather than how much it claims to teach. To these parents, quality content is defined more by how it fits into everyday family life—bringing joy, sparking conversation, and fostering emotional connections. This shift is pushing platforms and content creators to rethink how they build stories that can grow with families over time.