Event Check-In Opens
9:00 AM-6:30 PM

What You Need to Know: Kids & Anime
Silver Pearl 3
9:45 AM-10:15 AM

Take a crash-course in how anime is made, sold and evolving globally—from Japan’s traditional production model and international collaborations, to platform disruption and what the future holds for global co-productions and storytelling.

What You Need to Know is a fast-moving presentation series that brings in leading experts to decode how kids discover, play and engage with next-gen entertainment platforms and formats. Each talk delivers sharp, practical insights on what’s driving kids’ behavior today and where their attention is heading next, giving you the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Speaking

What You Need to Know: Kids & K-Pop
Silver Pearl 3
10:30 AM-11:00 AM

Dive into how K-pop continues to captivate global youth. This session breaks down fan culture, community dynamics, and the powerful storytelling and marketing strategies driving kids’ engagement across music, social media, and beyond.

What You Need to Know is a fast-moving presentation series that brings in leading experts to decode how kids discover, play and engage with next-gen entertainment platforms and formats. Each talk delivers sharp, practical insights on what’s driving kids’ behavior today and where their attention is heading next, giving you the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Speaking

Venue Tour
Meeting Point B
11:00 AM-11:30 AM

Get your bearings before the Summit begins! This guided walk-through departs from Meeting Point B (near the Info Booth) and gives you a first look at the key spaces for sessions, events, networking, and meetings—helping you navigate the week with confidence and make the most of every minute.

What You Need to Know: Kids & Microdramas
Silver Pearl 3
11:15 AM-11:45 AM

Discover how vertical microdramas are redefining storytelling for mobile-native audiences. This session explores why short, serialized, phone-first narratives are captivating older viewers—and what forward-looking kids creators and brands can learn from this fast-rising format.

What You Need to Know is a fast-moving presentation series that brings in leading experts to decode how kids discover, play and engage with next-gen entertainment platforms and formats. Each talk delivers sharp, practical insights on what’s driving kids’ behavior today and where their attention is heading next, giving you the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Speaking

Pitch Prep 1
Driftwood/Seaglass
11:30 AM-12:30 PM

Bring your pitch to the next level! In these one-on-one consults, expert pitchers will assess your materials, refine your story, and coach you on how to present your project with greater punch, focus and confidence.
NOTE: Advance sign-up is required.

Speaking

What You Need to Know: Kids & Webtoons
Silver Pearl 3
12:00 PM-12:30 PM

Explore how webtoons are engaging young readers and driving new storytelling models. This session examines creator ecosystems, audience behavior, and how digital comics are shaping the future of kids entertainment and fandom.

What You Need to Know is a fast-moving presentation series that brings in leading experts to decode how kids discover, play and engage with next-gen entertainment platforms and formats. Each talk delivers sharp, practical insights on what’s driving kids’ behavior today and where their attention is heading next, giving you the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Speaking

BREAK
12:30 PM-2:00 PM

Pitch Prep 2
Driftwood/Seaglass
2:00 PM-3:00 PM

Bring your pitch to the next level! In these one-on-one consults, expert pitchers will assess your materials, refine your story, and coach you on how to present your project with greater punch, focus and confidence.
NOTE: Advance sign-up is required.

Speaking

What You Need to Know: Kids & TikTok
Silver Pearl 3
2:00 PM-2:30 PM

Explore how kids use TikTok to create, connect and discover. This session reveals emerging trends, creator culture and the storytelling styles shaping how young audiences express themselves on this social platform and influence what’s next.

What You Need to Know is a fast-moving presentation series that brings in leading experts to decode how kids discover, play and engage with next-gen entertainment platforms and formats. Each talk delivers sharp, practical insights on what’s driving kids’ behavior today and where their attention is heading next, giving you the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Speaking

What You Need to Know: Kids & Roblox
Silver Pearl 3
3:00 PM-3:30 PM

Explore how kids play, create and connect on Roblox. This session reveals what’s fueling engagement, how brands and storytellers are innovating in-platform, and where the next opportunities for kids entertainment are emerging.

What You Need to Know is a fast-moving presentation series that brings in leading experts to decode how kids discover, play and engage with next-gen entertainment platforms and formats. Each talk delivers sharp, practical insights on what’s driving kids’ behavior today and where their attention is heading next, giving you the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Speaking

What You Need to Know: Kids & YouTube
Silver Pearl 3
4:00 PM-4:30 PM

Discover how kids really use YouTube—from what drives discovery to how creators build loyalty. This session breaks down emerging trends, algorithms, and behaviors shaping the next wave of kids’ video engagement.

What You Need to Know is a fast-moving presentation series that brings in leading experts to decode how kids discover, play and engage with next-gen entertainment platforms and formats. Each talk delivers sharp, practical insights on what’s driving kids’ behavior today and where their attention is heading next, giving you the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Speaking

What You Need to Know: Kids & AI
Silver Pearl 3
5:00 PM-5:30 PM

Explore how kids are experimenting with AI—from creating art and stories, to customizing play and learning. This session uncovers emerging behaviors, motivations and what their hands-on use reveals about the future of creativity.

What You Need to Know is a fast-moving presentation series that brings in leading experts to decode how kids discover, play and engage with next-gen entertainment platforms and formats. Each talk delivers sharp, practical insights on what’s driving kids’ behavior today and where their attention is heading next, giving you the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Speaking

The Welcome Hour: Cocktails & Conversation
Shorebreak
5:30 PM-6:30 PM

Kick off Kidscreen 2026 with an hour of cocktails and conversation, designed to make meeting people easy. Hosted by Carly Ciarrocchi, The Welcome Hour is the perfect way to settle in ahead of the action. Grab a drink and drop into community with guided prompts that’ll keep the conversation flowing. Whether it’s your first Kidscreen or your 10th, mingle with fresh and familiar faces, and spark the connections that will carry you through the week.

Speaking

BREAKFAST
Coral
8:00 AM-10:00 AM

 

Venue Tour
Meeting Point B
9:00 AM-9:30 AM

Get your bearings before the Summit begins! This guided walk-through departs from Meeting Point B (near the Info Booth) and gives you a first look at the key spaces for sessions, events, networking, and meetings—helping you navigate the week with confidence and make the most of every minute.

Speed Pitching 1
Driftwood/Seaglass
9:30 AM-11:00 AM

Connect one-on-one with leading broadcasters and investors who can help move your project forward. In these focused 10-minute meetings, you’ll have eight minutes to deliver a sharp, compelling pitch and two minutes for feedback or next steps. NOTE: Advance sign-up is required.

Speaking

Behind the Channel: Building a Business on YouTube
Silver Pearl 1
10:00 AM-10:45 AM

Discover how top kids content creators turn YouTube Kids engagement into sustainable business growth. This session explores strategies for building brands, diversifying revenue streams, leveraging data insights, and navigating the evolving YouTube Kids ecosystem to transform views into long-term value.

Speaking

The Co-Pro Advantage: Funding kids content with global partners
Silver Pearl 3
10:00 AM-10:45 AM

As financing models tighten, international co-productions remain a powerful path forward. Regional experts share how to structure successful partnerships, navigate cultural collaboration, and tap into tax credits and incentives that can make kids projects viable and scalable. Learn where opportunities lie—and how to access them.

Speaking

JORDAN MATTER KEYNOTE – Making it Matter: Building trust & scale in the creator economy by being real
Silver Pearl 1
11:00 AM-11:45 AM

With over 33 million subscribers, a sold-out product at Sephora and a spot on Nielsen’s top-10 streaming originals list last year (keeping company with Bridgerton and Love is Blind), Jordan Matter has turned joyful and grounded family storytelling into one of YouTube’s most-watched brands. What sets him apart in a creator economy racing towards $500 billion? A rare blend of authenticity, humor and heart that keeps viewers coming back for more.

In this inspiring keynote, he shares how he’s built trust with parents, sustainable engagement with kids, and reached 275 million monthly viewers—all while building a deeper connection with his daughter, Salish. Attendees will gain actionable insights on how to manage creative freedom in a family-friendly way, build communities that last, and stand out in an ecosystem where attention can be fleeting but authenticity endures.

Speaking

Buyers Brief
Shorebreak
12:00 PM-12:30 PM

Hear directly from leading kids content buyers as they share commissioning priorities, future plans and partnership needs in a fireside chat format—plus participate in Q&As designed to spark collaboration and insight.

Funding & Finding: How public broadcasters are shaping kids media’s future
Silver Pearl 3
12:00 PM-12:45 PM

Public broadcasters are redefining how quality kids content gets made—and found—in an age of cutbacks and user-generated clutter. Hear from leading commissioners and strategists as they share new funding models, platform innovations, and insights on sustaining mission-driven storytelling across YouTube, TikTok, Roblox, and beyond.

Speaking

LUNCH
Coral
12:45 PM-2:00 PM

 

Speed Pitching 2
Driftwood/Seaglass
2:00 PM-3:30 PM

Connect one-on-one with leading broadcasters and investors who can help move your project forward. In these focused 10-minute meetings, you’ll have eight minutes to deliver a sharp, compelling pitch and two minutes for feedback or next steps. NOTE: Advance sign-up is required.

Creators & Collaborators: Evolving partnerships in the kids space
Silver Pearl 1
2:00 PM-2:45 PM

The earliest collaborations between kids companies and YouTube creators reshaped the media landscape. Hear from industry pioneers who helped build this ecosystem as they share what worked, what’s changed, and how creator partnerships are evolving to meet new audience behaviors, platform shifts and brand ambitions.

Speaking

Surviving Animation: How indies are adapting in a turbulent market
Silver Pearl 3
2:00 PM-2:45 PM

Animation’s highs and lows have never been more extreme. Join us and hear from several independents who have reinvented their careers to stay ahead of industry volatility, from shifting commissioning models to AI disruption. This session reveals honest insights, hard-won lessons and practical approaches to building sustainable creative futures.

Speaking

YouTube Office Hours: Ask the experts on algorithm, content strategy & more
Shorebreak
3:00 PM-4:00 PM

Got YouTube questions? These experts have answers. Stop by this informal drop-in session to get practical advice—direct from the people who know how to turn performance insights into real growth on YouTube and YouTube Kids.

The Art of Intelligence: Using AI without losing the human touch
Silver Pearl 1
3:00 PM-3:45 PM

From writing to world-building, AI tools are transforming how content gets imagined. Hear from innovators using AI to supercharge creativity—ethically. This session dives into practical applications, guardrails and opportunities for creators aiming to balance innovation with responsibility in today’s rapidly evolving kids media landscape.

Speaking

Crossing Over: A live-action primer for animation producers
Silver Pearl 3
3:00 PM-3:45 PM

As animation pipelines contract, more creators are exploring live action as a new creative lane. This candid session demystifies the transition, outlining the key differences in process, pacing, production, and pitching—offering a supportive roadmap for animation producers ready to broaden their skills and keep telling great stories.

Speaking

Plug & Play: How producers are making AI work for them
Silver Pearl 1
4:00 PM-4:45 PM

Discover how producers are embracing off-the-shelf and open-source AI tools to simplify production, speed up delivery, and unlock new efficiencies. This session spotlights real-world applications that save time and money while expanding creative possibilities across development, animation and post.

Speaking

Snackable Stories: Cracking the code on micro-content for kids
Silver Pearl 3
4:00 PM-4:45 PM

In a world of endless scroll and shrinking attention spans, how do you tell a complete story in seconds? This panel brings together top writers and creators to share techniques for crafting compelling, character-driven micro-content that hooks young audiences and keeps them coming back for more.

Speaking

Mixer with the Makers: YouTube Kids creators
Marisol
5:00 PM-6:00 PM

Connect with kids content creators who have broken out on YouTube! This fun and fast-paced mixer celebrates innovation, creativity and collaboration—inviting attendees to network, exchange ideas and build relationships with the next generation of YouTube Kids stars.

Speaking

Buyers Brief
Shorebreak
5:00 PM-5:30 PM

Hear directly from leading kids content buyers as they share commissioning priorities, future plans and partnership needs in a fireside chat format—plus participate in Q&As designed to spark collaboration and insight.

Show & Tech: The coolest new tools in town
Silver Pearl 1
5:00 PM-6:00 PM

Experience the cutting edge of kids content creation! This fast-paced showcase features demos of emerging technologies transforming how stories are told, shared and experienced—from AI and interactivity, to production tools and audience engagement platforms. See what’s next for creators and brands shaping the future of kids entertainment.

Speaking

Small Stories, Big Impact: Springboarding from short films to long tail
Silver Pearl 3
5:00 PM-5:45 PM

Short films are becoming a smart creative and commercial pathway for developing animated series and multiplatform franchises. This session explores how filmmakers and studios use shorts to test characters and tone, build early audience traction, and demonstrate market potential—revealing how bite-sized storytelling can evolve into scalable IPs and long-form success.

Welcome Party
Eventide Gardens
6:00 PM-7:30 PM

Join us in the Sheraton’s Eventide Garden for an evening of great conversation, cocktails and coastal air. Relax, reconnect and meet new friends as we gather outdoors to celebrate an exciting week together.

BREAKFAST
Coral
8:00 AM-10:00 AM

 

Speed Pitching 3
Driftwood/Seaglass
10:00 AM-11:30 AM

Connect one-on-one with leading broadcasters and investors who can help move your project forward. In these focused 10-minute meetings, you’ll have eight minutes to deliver a sharp, compelling pitch and two minutes for feedback or next steps. NOTE: Advance sign-up is required.

TIM KILPIN KEYNOTE – The Power of Play: How storytelling, technology & toys build worlds kids love
Silver Pearl 1
10:00 AM-10:45 AM

In this fireside conversation, Hasbro’s Tim Kilpin reveals how the power of play fuels modern franchise-building. Exploring the blend of storytelling, product innovation, technology and community, he shares how beloved brands evolve to meet kids where they are—on shelves, screens and emerging platforms. Moderated by Sid Kaufman, this keynote offers a forward-looking blueprint for developing enduring kids IPs.

Speaking

Buyers Brief
Shorebreak
11:00 AM-11:30 AM

Hear directly from leading kids content buyers as they share commissioning priorities, future plans and partnership needs in a fireside chat format—plus participate in Q&As designed to spark collaboration and insight. 

Dream Big: How BeddyByes is building a brand that sleeps well everywhere
Silver Pearl 1
11:00 AM-11:45 AM

Discover how the team behind BeddyByes has turned bedtime into a global brand opportunity by meeting preschoolers and parents where they are—on linear TV, streaming, YouTube and social media. This session unpacks the show’s creative development, cross-platform strategy and multi-revenue approach, revealing how thoughtful storytelling and smart brand integration can cut through industry challenges. Attendees will gain practical insights into building scalable IPs that connect emotionally, travel internationally and turn audience engagement into lasting value across both content and consumer products. 

Speaking

Kidscreen Licensing Challenge
Silver Pearl 3
11:00 AM-12:30 PM

This returning competition showcase will shine a spotlight on five kids entertainment properties with untapped licensing potential. Each IP will be presented live on stage to a panel of highly experienced consumer products professionals, who will collectively determine a final winner. Come watch the showdown and learn a little more about the secrets to franchise success. 

Speaking

Buyers Brief
Shorebreak
12:00 PM-12:30 PM

Hear directly from leading kids content buyers as they share commissioning priorities, future plans and partnership needs in a fireside chat format—plus participate in Q&As designed to spark collaboration and insight.

Hit Play: How music can supercharge kids content
Silver Pearl 1
12:00 PM-12:45 PM

Music is more than a soundtrack—it’s a storytelling, marketing and fandom superpower. From K-Pop Demon Hunters to Disney’s biggest hits, this panel explores how producers, streamers and labels can collaborate earlier in development to turn songs into cultural touchpoints that drive discovery, engagement and global brand growth.

Speaking

LUNCH
Coral
12:45 PM-2:00 PM

 

Speed Pitching 4
Driftwood/Seaglass
2:00 PM-3:30 PM

Connect one-on-one with leading broadcasters and investors who can help move your project forward. In these focused 10-minute meetings, you’ll have eight minutes to deliver a sharp, compelling pitch and two minutes for feedback or next steps. NOTE: Advance sign-up is required.

Roblox-Ready: Smart pathways to brand activation
Marisol
2:00 PM-3:00 PM

Want to get onto Roblox, but not sure where to start? Meet creative studios, tech partners and strategists helping brands activate on the platform in clever, scalable ways. This roundtable session will offer hands-on insights, tools and inspiration for connecting with audiences through immersive play and storytelling.

No Age Limits: The power of 360 mentorship
Silver Pearl 1
2:00 PM-2:45 PM

The best ideas happen when experience meets fresh perspective. This session explores how Gen X and Gen Z professionals are learning from each other to drive creativity and collaboration in kids media. Hear how reverse mentoring, shared skills and cross-generational partnerships are fueling innovation and future-proofing careers and businesses.

Speaking

License to Play: Building consumer products strategies for kids IPs
Silver Pearl 3
2:00 PM-2:45 PM

Explore how studios and producers can unlock long-term value through smart licensing, strategic partnerships, retail innovation and fan-forward brand extensions. This session reveals how to translate storytelling into products, experiences and revenue streams that grow kids IPs far beyond the screen.

Speaking

The Roblox Revolution: Rethinking brand management for a new era
Silver Pearl 1
3:00 PM-3:45 PM

The rules of brand engagement have changed. This panel discussion explores how leading kids franchise managers are embracing immersive platforms like Roblox—along with YouTube, TikTok, Twitch and more—to reach young audiences through creativity, interactivity and storytelling, redefining what fandom, community and brand loyalty mean in the digital age.

Speaking

From TikTok to Target: How Gen Alpha discovers licensed brands
Silver Pearl 3
3:00 PM-3:45 PM

A forward-looking dive into how creators, platforms and retail innovation shape Gen Alpha’s path to discovery. This session explores how trends move from social feeds to store shelves—revealing what drives awareness, fandom and purchase intent with today’s youngest consumers.

Speaking

WORKSHOP – Licensing Launchpad: Preparing your IP for market entry
Shorebreak
4:00 PM-5:00 PM

Learn what it takes to prepare your IP for licensing success. This hands-on workshop taught by the authors of Licensing For Dummies walks through defining your brand, building pitch-ready materials, identifying product potential, and understanding what partners and retailers expect. Attendees will leave with practical tools to position their property for deals, extensions and long-term growth.

Speaking

The DEI Reckoning: What’s left, what’s next, and who’s leading the change?
Silver Pearl 3
4:00 PM-4:45 PM

Is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion dead and buried? After years of building DEI initiatives, both in front and behind the screen, there has been a major shift in attitude at US-based global media companies in the last year. But is it gone completely? Or is something new rising in its place? To answer these questions, we’ll look at hard data on how diversity is 'showing up' in the office and in content lineups these days, and also hear from producers who are still fighting the good fight.

Speaking

Mixer with the Makers: Roblox creators
Marisol
4:30 PM-5:30 PM

Meet the Roblox creators behind breakout games ready to expand beyond the platform. This mixer connects Kidscreen attendees with developers whose worlds have strong potential for consumer products, content extensions and brand partnerships. Discover emerging IP, spark collaborations, and explore new pathways for bringing Roblox-born franchises to life off-platform.

Kidscreen Awards
Silver Pearl 1
5:30 PM-7:30 PM

Join us for an unforgettable evening honoring the year’s standout achievements in kids entertainment at the annual Kidscreen Awards, hosted by comedian, TV personality and chart-topping podcaster Jessi Cruickshank. Enjoy bubbles as you arrive and cocktails as you leave—plus plenty of laughs and good vibes as we come together to celebrate as an industry.

Speaking

BREAKFAST
Coral
8:00 AM-10:00 AM

 

Speed Pitching 5
Driftwood/Seaglass
10:00 AM-11:30 AM

Connect one-on-one with leading broadcasters and investors who can help move your project forward. In these focused 10-minute meetings, you’ll have eight minutes to deliver a sharp, compelling pitch and two minutes for feedback or next steps. NOTE: Advance sign-up is required.

JONATHAN HAIDT KEYNOTE – Raising the Anxious Generation: What kids media can do
Silver Pearl 3
10:00 AM-10:45 AM

In this pre-recorded presentation, social psychologist and bestselling author Jonathan Haidt shares core insights from The Anxious Generation about how phones, social media and declining real-world play are reshaping childhood. Haidt explores what these trends mean for kids’ emotional well-being—and how media creators, platforms and parents can help restore balance. A live virtual Q&A will follow, offering attendees the chance to probe deeper into his findings and recommendations.

KID INSIGHT – Better Stories for Boys: Building audience. Building character.
Silver Pearl 3
11:00 AM-11:45 AM

Boys are often underserved by kids entertainment, with stereotypes and limited role models shaping how they see themselves and others. Drawing on her latest research, Dr. Yalda T. Uhls explores what boys really need from media and storytelling to grow into confident, empathetic and well-adjusted men. This session will highlight key insights for content creators and executives aiming to better serve this vital audience.

Speaking

KID INSIGHT – Smarter by Design: The research behind Sesame Street's new era
Silver Pearl 3
12:00 PM-12:45 PM

This session unpacks how Sesame Workshop used data, testing and developmental research to reimagine its flagship series for today’s preschoolers. Learn how insights into pacing, humor and emotional learning powered creative evolution—resulting in faster, funnier storytelling that strengthens connections between kids and characters across every platform.

Speaking

LUNCH
Coral
12:45 PM-2:00 PM

 

KID INSIGHT – New Tweens in Town: Understanding the generation transforming culture
Silver Pearl 3
2:00 PM-2:45 PM

Today's tweens are exclusively Gen Alpha, and the imperative to decode this generation has never been more urgent. Raised on AI, infinite feeds and unprecedented choice, these young people aren't just consuming content—they're actively shaping culture and defining what connection means in a digital-first world. In this insights-driven session, wonderworks insights’ Jane Gould unveils The WISH Report, a breakthrough study that moves beyond trends to reveal what this generation is truly wishing and craving. Don’t miss out on your chance to access fresh data and critical insights that will help you connect with today's tweens—and anticipate the cultural shifts they're driving next.

Speaking

KID INSIGHT – Culture in Motion: How Gen Alpha Is rewriting the rules of kids content
Silver Pearl 3
3:00 PM-3:45 PM

Drawing on exclusive KidsKnowBest research, this session explores how Gen Alpha’s globally connected, digitally fluent world is transforming storytelling. From identity exploration to fan-powered communities and cultural fusion, discover how top studios and streamers are reimagining creative strategy to build content that resonates deeply with today’s kids everywhere.

Speaking

KID INSIGHT – Scroll, Stream, Play: An inside look at the digital life of kids
Silver Pearl 3
4:00 PM-4:45 PM

Paramount’s insights team unveils new research on how kids use YouTube, Roblox and TikTok—followed by a candid chat with real kids about what they love, what they skip, and how they’re shaping the next wave of online culture.

Speaking

Closing Cocktail
Location TBA
4:45 PM-6:00 PM

Close out Kidscreen Summit in style with one last round of drinks and connections. It’s the perfect chance to unwind, celebrate the week’s wins, and enjoy a final moment with friends old and new.