5 things to keep in mind when designing surveys for kids

Writing surveys for kids can be a tricky but rewarding challenge. Kids have different cognitive abilities, attention spans and ways of interpreting the world compared to adults, which means your approach needs to be tailored to their world. 

Whether you're testing a new product, exploring their preferences or gathering insights on what makes them tick, crafting a survey that resonates with kids requires extra care and creativity.

By keeping a few key principles in mind, you can design surveys that are fun, effective and truly capture what kids think. Read on for five considerations to keep in mind during this process.

Parents are your critical allies when surveying kids. For ethical and practical reasons, you need their permission before engaging with their children. 

Moreover, parents are likely to complete the survey on behalf of their kids, acting as both the guide and the respondent.

Why this matters 

Young children often lack the reading ability or patience to navigate a survey independently. Parents step in to translate questions, ensure comprehension and enter responses. 

However, this involvement introduces the risk of parental bias. Parents may inadvertently interpret the questions through their lens or project their own preferences instead of accurately representing their child’s thoughts.

How to make it work

• Set clear expectations: Begin by informing parents about the survey's purpose and their role in the process. Emphasize the importance of preserving the child’s voice in the responses.

• Simplify the process: Offer tips for parents on how to relay questions. For younger kids, suggest reading questions aloud and framing them as part of a casual conversation.

• Build trust: Include a short introduction in your survey materials explaining why parents are involved and how their support ensures accurate data. This transparency fosters collaboration.

Children’s reactions often skew toward extremes — they may be overly enthusiastic or dismissive because they lack the nuanced thinking of adults. This intensity can create a gap between their emotional response and practical reality. 

For instance, a child might say, “I’d totally buy this!” even though they don’t have the means to do so or the decision ultimately lies with their parents.

Why this matters 

Without context from the parents, such responses could lead to misinterpreted data. A product may appear to have overwhelming appeal when, in reality, logistical or financial barriers might make it less viable in the market.

How to balance perspectives

• Add a section for parents’ input to complement the child’s responses. Questions could include:

  • How often would your child use this product if purchased?

  • How likely are you to buy this for your child?

  • How does this product appeal to you personally?

• Use weighting techniques to adjust responses. For example, treat a child’s enthusiastic “Yes, I’d buy it!” as an expression of interest rather than a direct indicator of purchasing intent.

Children process language differently than adults, so your questions need to be simple, clear and relatable. Complicated or ambiguous language can confuse kids and lead to inaccurate responses.

Common pitfalls

• Overly complex phrasing: Questions with multiple clauses or technical jargon might lose kids entirely.

• Misinterpretations: Certain words or phrases may hold different meanings for kids. For instance, mentioning "chipotle sauce" might make kids think of the Chipotle restaurant chain, leading to skewed reactions unrelated to your actual product.

Best practices for kid-friendly language

• Use straightforward words and short sentences: For example, replace “What is your opinion on the taste profile?” with “Do you like how this tastes?”

• Speak their language: When possible, use examples or references familiar to children, but make sure these don’t create unintended bias.

• Test your questions: Before launching the survey, trial it with a small group of parents and kids to identify any confusing language or concepts.

Sometimes, words alone can’t convey a concept clearly enough for kids. Visual aids, like videos, can bridge this gap, making abstract ideas or product features more tangible.

Why this matters 

Kids, especially younger ones, often struggle to imagine hypothetical scenarios or interpret written descriptions. A short video demonstrating a product or explaining a concept can significantly enhance comprehension.

How to use videos effectively

• Make it kid-focused: Use bright colors, simple visuals and playful animations to capture their attention.

• Add a voiceover: A clear, friendly narration can eliminate the risk of parents explaining the prompts in their own words, which could influence their child’s response.

• Keep it short and engaging: Videos should be concise (under 30 seconds) to hold kids’ attention without causing frustration.

For example, if you’re testing a new cereal, a video could show a bowl being poured, a child eating it and their happy reaction. This provides more context than words ever could.

Traditional survey tools like 10-point rating scales or open-ended questions may not resonate with children. Emojis provide a fun, intuitive way for kids to express their opinions, making the survey experience more engaging and effective.

Why this works

Emojis are universal and easy to interpret. A smiley face or thumbs up transcends language barriers and doesn’t require complex explanation. They’re also faster for kids to process, reducing frustration and improving response quality.

How to implement emojis

• Use them to represent emotions or preferences. For example:

  • 😊 = I love it!

  • 😐 = It’s okay.

  • 😢 = I don’t like it.

• Incorporate them into multiple-choice questions. For instance, if asking about snack preferences, you could show a popcorn emoji 🍿, a cookie emoji 🍪 and a fruit emoji 🍎 for kids to select their favorite.

• Combine emojis with short text descriptions to ensure clarity.

Surveying kids is a delicate balance of creativity, simplicity and practicality. By partnering with parents, keeping the child’s perspective in mind and using tools like clear language, videos and emojis, you can design surveys that are not only effective but enjoyable for both kids and their parents.

With these five tips, you can capture authentic insights that reflect kids’ true preferences — giving your research the reliability it needs to make confident decisions.