Tween (demographic)

A tween is a word that describes a person who is between the ages of 9 and 12 years old (grades 4-7). The term is often described in popular media as referring to a pre-adolescent (usually female) who is at the "in-between" stage in their development when they are considered "too old for toys, too young for boys". The "tween" stage ends with the onset of puberty.

Definition

Tweens are "in-between" being a child and a teen. They are children in the sense that they are not yet teenagers, but they differ from small children in that they are not primarily occupied with play. They are often going through a period of rapid social, physiological and emotional development. The tween years are a time of the most rapid and dramatic change in development since conception.

There are currently 20 million tweens in the U.S. and they are projected to hit 23 million by 2020 (U.S. Census). Tweens are a highly diverse segment of the U.S. population. Minorities will comprise more than half of all children by 2023, with nearly 40% projected to be Hispanic.

"Literature apple unique social needs and desires, and reveal distinctive hopes, dreams, and expectations for the future. Most notably in this age group, physical changes brought on by the onset of puberty are accompanied by emotional changes. Tweens begin to develop their own sense of self and seek out information from parents and peers that will help them further define themselves. They are beginning to identify their own interests and express themselves through their activities. At the same time, tween self-esteem is in development and fragile, at best. As such, tweens are highly affected by peers and face pressures and worries that are often focused on how they will fit in and interact with others in society."

Key characteristics of modern day tweens

• Highly participative – tweens enjoy things that are fun and interactive
• Highly connected – use of internet, cell phones, etc. They interact with technology, seeing electronic devices as an extension of themselves rather than a medium of communication.^{[citation needed]}
• Achievement oriented – “Eighty percent of tweens say they feel stress/pressure, with the root of their stress coming predominately from themselves, followed by their peers and then their parents. Stress factors include grades, pleasing parents, having friends/fitting in/popularity and looks.”
• Will fight for social time.
• The Internet does have designated spaces for Tween social networking sites that encourage safer online practices and Tween empowerment. Such sites provide Tweens with an opportunity to express their feelings, ideas, and beliefs and be heard in a non-judgmental environment. The sites often have stronger parental controls, less display of private information, and more emphasis on "no bullying" policies. Despite the existence of these sites, it appears that Tweens continue to engage more heavily with more widely established social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Tweens in marketing

The word "tweens" is used by marketing firms and advertisers targeting younger demographics, which include tweens and young children. Marketers no longer target kids aged 2–11 as one segment. Instead, they target four specific demographics: toddlers (0–2), preschoolers (3–5), children (6–8),tweens (8-11) and Pre Teens (12) .