• May 29, 2012

Kids spend an average of five days a week (and an hour a day) using a tablet, iPod Touch or smartphone, according to new research from The NPD Group.

According to the market research company, there’s an average of 12 apps for children on the typical device, with the majority (88%) of those apps acquired for free.  Gaming is the most popular type of app (with an average of 6.5 such apps on a device) used by children, followed by downloading music and taking pictures.

Boys are more likely to play games than girls (87% vs. 80%), while girls are more likely to use a number of different types of apps than boys.

“The wide variety and sheer volume of free entertainment content available for app devices is clearly having an impact on kids and the way they play,” said NPD industry analyst Anita Frazier, in a statement. “While there are a number of engaging and entertaining apps available to kids, many are used and abandoned after a short time, so it’s important to get a clear, factual picture of the role that apps are playing in kids’ lives.”