What Kids Want for Christmas According to Viewing Data

News and Opinion / 16th December 2024

‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year’ – especially for children who are just days away from opening presents and watching newly commissioned and savvily acquired festive content. For those of you still searching for inspiration for last-minute stocking-fillers, Digital i has been digging into kids’ viewing data for the answers you need. 

Last month, British TV presenter Helen Skelton (Fireman Sam, Blue Peter) unveiled the Toy Retailers Association’s DreamToys top toys list for Christmas 2024. This list, selected by an independent panel of toy retailers and experts, shines a light on toys that kids are hoping to see come Christmas morning. You can read it here.

Inspired, we put together our own top list of the most-watched kids’ series and movies of the year.

Bluey is Top Dog

What kids play with and what kids watch are inextricably linked. Unless you’ve been living at the North Pole, it won’t surprise you that Bluey tops DreamToys’ and Digital i’s lists.

When looking at the top 10 kids’ franchises ranked by hours viewed on Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video; Bluey outperformed all other series titles significantly.

In the UK this year, Disney+ subscribers watched 54.1 million hours of the Heeler family’s antics. So DreamToys’ top toy suggestion of the ‘Bluey 3-in-1 Transforming Plane Set’ could put a smile on some young faces this Christmas. There’s no doubt that Christmas kids’ viewing is incomplete without this beloved blue dog.

Paw Patrol also scored highly on both the Digital i and DreamToys lists, with the pup hero-centric series taking fourth place in our ranking, with 25.7 million hours viewed on Netflix and a ‘Paw Patrol Rubble’s Bark Yard Deluxe Bulldozer’ among Skelton’s suggestions.

Despicably entertaining

The Despicable Me franchise landed twice on our top films list. First, with 7.5 million hours of Minions: The Rise Of Gru streamed over the course of 2024. Second, with 3.8 million hours of Despicable Me 3. If the franchise has been proving a hit in your household, then the ‘Despicable Me 4 The Ultimate Fart Blaster’ is also among the must-have Christmas gifts of 2024 on DreamToys’ list.

The Harry Potter, Sonic the Hedgehog, Peppa Pig, SpongeBob SquarePants and Spider-Man franchises were also big draws for kids’ audiences. Although, their toys might not have made it on to the list they’re still great choices for watching or gifting.

Below, you’ll find our complete list of the top 10 most-watched children’s shows and films.

Digital i strives to drive success through strategic viewing insights. With expert analysis of kids’ viewing data across global streamers, you can harness the commercial value of your brands.

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