Quick overview: Social media is influencing purchases in the children’s market by turning Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube into everyday showcases for products and trends. Children come across toys, characters, and clothing that catch their attention, while parents use their feeds to see products in action, check reviews, and find answers before making a purchase. Keeping up with these habits helps brands understand what families are really looking for, a topic that will be at the heart of conversations at FIT Pueri Expo, the leading B2B event for the children’s market.
Contents
- Discovery Starts on the Screen
- Parents’ Feeds Are Part of the Decision Too
- Where Digital Fits into the Children’s Purchase Journey
- Products Need to Make Sense Beyond the Shelf
- Influence Also Comes with Responsibility
- What Shows Up in the Feed Can Also Move the Market
- Frequently Asked Questions
Discovery Starts on the Screen
It is an everyday scene: a toy pops up in a short video, a familiar character on a product catches a child’s eye, or a content creator’s nursery inspires a parent. Within seconds, that product is on the family’s radar and may soon become a topic of conversation at home.
This constant exposure to digital content reflects a significant shift in the behavior of Brazilian children. Data released by Cetic.br shows just how much internet access has grown in recent years:
- Ages 0 to 2: from 9% in 2015 to 44% in 2024.
- Ages 3 to 5: from 26% to 71% over the same period.
- Ages 6 to 8: from 41% to 82%.
With digital media playing such a big role in their daily lives, children are also taking part in family purchasing decisions. According to a Hibou study conducted in May 2025 with more than 1,400 Brazilians, 86% of people who live with children up to the age of 14 say they notice their influence on household purchasing decisions.
This influence shows up in very ordinary ways. Children recognize a toy they saw in a video, ask for a backpack featuring their favorite character, or become interested in an outfit that caught their attention online. Adults are still the ones evaluating the options and making the final purchase, but the family may have first encountered that product much earlier.
That is a shift retailers should be watching closely, both to understand what is attracting attention and to find new ways to connect with their customers.
Parents’ Feeds Are Part of the Decision Too
Children may be discovering products and expressing preferences, but parents and caregivers approach digital content with a different set of priorities. Reviews, durability, and safety are often high on their list.
That is why a profile designed to reach this audience needs to offer more than a stream of attractive product photos. Think about what an adult would want to know before adding an item to their cart, then turn those answers into content. A video can show how easily a stroller folds and whether it fits in a car trunk. A post can give a better idea of how an outfit fits. A fully furnished room can help customers visualize the size of a piece of furniture and how it could work in the space they have available.
Reviews and comments from other customers are part of this process as well, providing details that a product description may not be able to convey. And every category raises different questions. Customers may want to know the dimensions of a piece of furniture, how a stroller works, how a garment fits, or whether a product includes a particular safety feature. Showing these details in use and in real-life situations can anticipate many of the questions customers would ask if the product were right in front of them.
The conversation can continue even after the purchase. When a brand encourages families to share their experiences, those opinions return to the digital space and may help other parents make their own choices. In the end, one customer’s experience can be exactly the piece of information another needs to decide.
Where Digital Fits into the Children’s Purchase Journey
From discovery to post-purchase, every stage has its own characteristics. The table below shows how digital channels take part in this journey and what can influence a family’s decision.
| Stage | How digital channels play a role | What can influence the decision |
| Discovery | Products, brands, and trends appear on social media, in videos, and across digital content | Identification, novelty, characters, aesthetics, and interest in the product |
| Research | Parents and caregivers look for more information after the first contact | Reviews, materials, dimensions, safety, features, and price |
| Comparison | Different products and brands can be evaluated before a choice is made | Benefits, quality, durability, ease of use, and cost |
| Decision | Children’s preferences meet the criteria considered by adults | Desire, need, trust in the brand, fit with the family’s routine, and budget |
| Post-purchase | Experiences and opinions make their way back into the digital space | Reviews, recommendations, photos, videos, and real-life experiences |
This journey helps explain why a strong digital presence can support different stages of the relationship between families and products. The attention captured during that first encounter needs to be followed by enough useful information to keep that interest moving forward.
Products Need to Make Sense Beyond the Shelf
Seeing a product on a store shelf is one thing. Seeing it in action as part of a family’s routine is something else entirely. On social media, content creators and influencers can take clothing, toys, furniture, strollers, and other items out of the box and place them in real-life situations.
A toy appears during an afternoon at the park, a crib sits in the background as parents share their baby’s routine, or an accessory becomes part of a weekend outing. This kind of context makes it much easier for consumers to picture themselves in the same situation and imagine the product in their own homes and routines.
Beyond creating desire, this visual experience can answer practical questions before a purchase is made. Does it take up too much space? Is it easy to use? How does it fit? Can it handle everyday use? When those answers appear naturally on screen, consumers have more information to make their decision with confidence.
This is where content created by influencers, public figures, and brands themselves can make a difference. A good demonstration helps bridge the gap between what a brand promises on the packaging and the experience a family can expect in everyday life.
Influence Also Comes with Responsibility
As children become increasingly present in digital environments, brands need to pay close attention to how their content is developed. Brazil’s CONANDA Resolution No. 163 considers advertising directed at children with the intention of persuading them to consume to be abusive, and this applies to digital platforms as well.
Children do influence family choices, but communication needs a different focus. Brands can pay attention to what sparks children’s interest while keeping the conversation and sales messaging directed at parents and caregivers.
This becomes particularly important for products such as strollers, cribs, educational toys, and clothing. In these categories, factors such as safety, quality, non-toxic materials, and ergonomics can carry significant weight in the decision. Clearly showing how a product works and what it offers gives adults the information they need to make a confident choice.
What Shows Up in the Feed Can Also Move the Market
Social media can reveal which products are attracting attention, which behaviors are beginning to gain traction, and which questions families are asking as they shop. These signals can also inform decisions about product development, communication, product selection, and positioning.
But understanding what happens on screen is only part of the picture. Discovering new launches, talking to different companies, and seeing firsthand the solutions being developed by the industry can provide a broader perspective and help businesses understand where the children’s market is heading.
That is where FIT Pueri Expo comes in. From April 6 to 8, 2027, at Distrito Anhembi in São Paulo, the event will bring together manufacturers, distributors, retailers, buyers, and professionals from across the children’s market, creating opportunities to discover products, follow industry developments, and build new business connections.
Want to put your brand in front of the right audience? Exhibit at FIT Pueri Expo and showcase your latest products to buyers and professionals from across the market.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does social media influence purchases for babies and children?
Social media brings families into contact with products, brands, and trends at different stages of the purchase journey. Children may discover products and express preferences, while parents and caregivers can find demonstrations, reviews, and information that help them research, compare, and decide.
Do children influence family purchasing decisions?
Yes. A Hibou study conducted in 2025 found that 86% of people living with children up to the age of 14 notice their influence on household purchasing decisions. This can include preferences for toys, characters, clothing, and other products they may also encounter online.
How do parents and caregivers use social media before buying children’s products?
Social media can help them discover brands, see products in use, check reviews, and learn more about characteristics such as size, materials, safety, functionality, and durability. This information complements the research they may also do in stores and on e-commerce websites.
What types of content can help consumers decide which children’s products to buy?
Product demonstrations, information about materials and dimensions, reviews, comparisons, and content that answers common questions can all help consumers better understand a product. The most useful information will vary by category, whether toys, fashion, furniture, or baby and childcare products.
How can businesses in the children’s market keep up with changes in family behavior?
In addition to following trends and consumer behavior online, companies can track new product launches, discover new solutions, and exchange ideas with other industry professionals. FIT Pueri Expo, taking place from April 6 to 8, 2027, at Distrito Anhembi in São Paulo, brings together different segments of the children’s market in an environment designed to foster these connections.