For every dollar kids (ages 2-14) spend on entertainment content, $0.79 goes to physical format content and $0.21 goes towards digital format content. This is a noticeable shift towards digital acquisition when compared to 2009 when $0.85 went to physical content and $0.15 went to digital content. But spending on physical media is still very healthy, according to the latest NDP Group report.

The majority of kids’ content collections, including both physical and digital formats, consist of music with a 72% share. Movie content comprises the second highest share, followed by video games, television shows and books and apps.

While the majority of kids’ entertainment content is still acquired in a physical format, digitally-acquired content has grown substantially over the last two years – 17% for games, 14% for music, and 13% for movies.

The NDP study shows that kids start downloading digital content at a young age, with and without help from friends or family.

Approximately 50% of kids have paid for their first form of digital content by the age of 7. One-third of kids report songs being the first type of digital content they purchased, followed by computer games and mobile games.

Most digital entertainment content is purchased with the pay-per-download method, with the exception of TV shows and movies with just over half using a subscription service. This correlates with the sizeable increase noted with kids usage of online video rentals services since 2009.

The Kids and Entertainment Content, 2011 Edition report is based on an online survey fielded 1-19 August 2011, by a representative sample of male and female adults age 18 and over who have children ages 2 to 14 in the household. The study is based on 3,343 completed surveys.

Story filed 26.10.11