Pinterest search trends reveal parents’ push for offline and experience-rich parenting

Parents are looking toward hands on activities for their children, according to Pinterest's Parent Trend Report. (PhotoLife94/E+/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

Have you ever seen a kid glued to their tablet at a restaurant while their parents enjoyed dinner or were on devices themselves? That scenario embodied the ‘iPad kid” era, but we may see a change as some parents are shifting their attention away from screens and toward real-world adventure and hands-on activities, according to Pinterest’s first Parenting Trend Report.

The report, published Tuesday, indicates that “families are thoughtfully designing childhoods rooted in creativity, intention, and meaningful experiences,” said Sydney Stanback, global trends and insights lead at Pinterest, via email.

To identify these trends, Pinterest combined data-driven analysis with human insight, drawing from more than 600 million monthly users and more than 80 billion searches per month, Stanback explained. The analysts did not just track keyword spikes but also reviewed colors, aesthetics and styles to understand how taste evolves.

Shifting toward experience-filled childhoods

Pinterest revealed a surge in searches for “screen free activities,” “family traditions ideas,” “no phone summer” and the “digital detox aesthetic.” These upticks signal that “parents are paying attention,” according to Dr. Brian Razzino, a licensed clinical psychologist based in Virginia who was not involved in the report.

“When you see dramatic increases in searches for things like sensory play, DIY playgrounds, or positive discipline, that tells me parents are actively trying to shape their children’s environments in a thoughtful way,” said Razzino, author of “Awakening the Five Champions: Keys to Success for Every Teen.”

Searches for “educational activities for kids” are up 280%, while “outdoor learning” is up 65%, indicating a growing interest in offline learning and nature-based activities. Other trending searches include environmental and wild animal activities, daily routine charts, educational crafts, cognitive worksheets and math activities for kids, according to the report.

Even at home, the study found that parents are searching ways to upgrade their living spaces into playgrounds and creativity labs, with searches for “DIY kids playgrounds” up 630% and “sensory play ideas” up 1,070%.Other popular searches include interactive walls for kids, construction activities, pretend play food, and arts and crafts.

Razzino sees these trends as a reflection of parents’ desire to build core capacities in their children — resilience, curiosity, self-regulation, empathy and agency.

“These don’t grow automatically,” he explained but are built through lived experience. “The search trends suggest parents are looking for ways to build those capacities deliberately. They’re not just reacting to technology. They’re asking, ‘What kind of childhood do I actually want to build?’ That’s one of the most encouraging findings in this report.”

Balancing tech and real-world connection

The shift comes as many parents notice rising anxiety and distraction in their children. “Digital environments are incredibly efficient. They solve boredom instantly. But developmentally, friction is not a bug — it’s a feature,” Razzino said.

“Kids build executive function, emotional regulation, and confidence through effort, trial and error, and real-world problem solving. If too much of their time is frictionless, parents intuitively feel like something is missing,” he explained.

The report also notes a rise in nostalgia-driven play and experience-rich travel such as planning road trips, family traditions and hands-on activities to create those lasting memories.

Years from now, most kids won’t remember the level they built in a game, but they may remember when the tent wouldn’t go up in the rain or when the family got lost on a trail and how they figured it out together, Razzino explained. “Those experiences don’t just create memories—they build competence and connection.”

One of the most surprising insights for Stanback is that this shift is not about eliminating the technology altogether but of balancing and transforming how screens are experienced. Searches for “animated movies for kids” are up 430%, “movie night aesthetic at home” up 140%, “birthday movie night” up 80%, and even “backyard movie night party” up 60%.

“Parents aren’t just pressing play, they’re turning entertainment into themed events with décor, snacks, and intentional togetherness,” she said, noting that the same pattern is showing up in sports.

Children need challenge, movement and shared struggle, Razzino added. “What I see in this data is parents trying to protect those kinds of moments—and to reclaim the deeper texture of family life.”

Asked about the cause of the shift, Stanback emphasized that these changes are a response to a digital saturation and busy schedules, and trends rooted in values (like intentional living) tend to stick around.

While search trends don’t always translate directly into real-world behavior and Pinterest users aren’t representative of all parents, the data still provides invaluable insight, Razzino said.

Find some in-real-life experiences

Not sure what to try first? Start with some ideas from the report:

Backyard movie night party: Grab pillows, a blanket and your favorite popcorn to start this movie night. You could use a sheet as a screen to project a movie or even get situated sitting on cushions inside of inflatable pool floats. (Yes, there’s tech involved but it’s 20th century style.)

Traveller’s journal: If you have a trip planned or are in the process of planning one, consider making a traveller’s journal. You can track what you need to bring, your dream destinations and even photos you take along the way.

Daily routine chart for kids: Include things like waking up, making the bed, brushing teeth, eating breakfast and going to school as just a few of the things that kids may have in their routine.

Sensory play ideas for kids: These are just a few DIY activities if you are at home looking for things to do: cornstarch and dish soap bubble dough, homemade moon sand or a leaf sensory play bag.

By Lily Hautau, CNN