The holiday season is upon us, and many families are rethinking their plans for this year due to COVID-19. However, with technology more widely available than ever, families are getting creative and finding new ways to join together and celebrate while staying safe. As we all look ahead to organize our holiday activities in these extraordinary times, it’s a perfect opportunity to take a closer look at how families across the U.S. are adapting to keep festivities fun, safe and social.
The Kahoot! Holiday Family Survey, with responses from over 6,000 Kahoot! users in the U.S., invited respondents to share what kinds of activities they have prepared for their holiday celebrations, how they will spend time with loved ones, and even their thoughts on supporting their kids in continuing to learn at home. The results of this survey not only offer a sneak peak into the 2020 holiday season, but also into how families are taking advantage of technology to learn, play and stay social in a year like never before. Below are the key findings from the survey:
Holiday plans are looking different this year, with over half of families reducing celebrations
This year, due to COVID-19, many people who usually celebrate the holidays with their extended family and friends have had to change their plans. As families prioritize staying safe and healthy through the holidays, most are set to cut down on some of the festivities.
When asked how they plan to celebrate the holiday season this year, nearly 6 in 10 people we surveyed said they plan to reduce celebrations to some extent, and more than 4 in 10 said they are greatly reducing or dropping celebrations altogether. 4 in 10 expect no change in their plans from last year.
Most will be spending the holidays only with their closest family
To keep holiday celebrations safe, most people only plan to gather in-person with others in their household. More than half of survey respondents said they plan to celebrate the holidays just with their closest family, including their spouse, children and parents.
Still, over one third of respondents have plans to celebrate with their extended family and/or friends, while 13% expect to spend the holidays solo.
Almost half of families plan to connect with family and friends over video calls
As many families plan to stay home for the holidays and not gather in-person, people are connecting with their loved ones in new ways that help them stay safe while enjoying the season together. Many people plan to keep in touch with friends and family in a variety of ways, though nearly half of responses were plans to connect through video calls, on services like Google Meet, Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams and FaceTime.
More than half of families plan to celebrate by playing online games
While the holidays look different this year, families are still planning fun activities to celebrate together. The #1 activity families have in store is enjoying good food, with over 6 in 10 respondents saying this is in their holiday plans.
More than half of respondents also said they expect to play online games, such as trivia, to bring family and friends together for festive fun.
Over 8 in 10 parents feel it’s important to support their child’s learning at home
With schools across the U.S. still using remote or blended learning, many parents are stepping up to help their kids stay engaged and on track while learning at home. We surveyed parents of children up to 13 years old, and over 8 in 10 said they feel it’s important to support their child’s education with at-home learning. Nearly two thirds described this as very important.
4 in 10 parents say their kids spend time on learning apps
Digital content has a growing role in children’s lives. With the shift to distance learning, digital tools have become essential to supporting education at home. However, where students spend their screen time is key.
Over half of parents with children up to 13 years old said their kids use YouTube and social media. Though, 4 in 10 parents also said their children spend time on learning apps. This is more common than games or other apps, chosen by 3 in 10 parents surveyed.
Making the holidays awesome in an unprecedented year
With families across the world staying home and social distancing during COVID-19, Kahoot! has become a go-to way for people to stay social and have fun together safely, perfect for game nights with family or roommates, virtual parties via video conferencing, or even challenges that friends and family can complete at their own pace. In the last year, Kahoot! has been played by more than one billion participating players in over 200 countries, in the classroom, at work and at home.
These findings are based on a survey of 6,496 Kahoot! users in the U.S., conducted in November 2020. To see the full breakdown of stats from the survey, download the Kahoot! Holiday Family Survey infographic.
Ready to bring the Kahoot! experience to your next holiday celebration? Sign up for a free basic plan, or make learning even more awesome for the entire family with a Kahoot!+ subscription (with a 7-day free trial of Kahoot!+ Family or Kahoot!+ Premier), including the award-winning Kahoot! DragonBox and Poio apps to engage learners of all ages.
