MUMBAI: Nielsen//NetRating has reported that web pages viewed by kids ages 2-11 grew the most as compared to other demographic groups at-home in the US.

The company claims to be the global standard for Internet audience measurement and analysis.

The above mentioned kids segment saw a 36 per cent year-over-year jump to 264 Web pages viewed in October 2004.

The latest research underscores the growing impact the medium has on children for educational and entertainment purposes. While kids have earned the distinction as the group with the fastest growing appetite for Web pages viewed, the average Web surfer still consumed a far greater number of 911 Web pages in October 2004, marking an 11 per cent growth from the year prior.

In October 12.8 million kids connected to the Internet who each spent an average of more than seven hours online. These statistics have remained flat over the past year. The nearly 13 million children connected online are part of 137 million at-home Web surfers in the US, who each spent approximately 27.5 hours surfing the Internet in October.

There are differences between boys and girls' web page consumption behaviour. Web pages viewed by girls saw a 22 per cent year-over-year spike. The top five sites with the highest Web page growth for girls included Cartoon Network and DisneyChannel.com

Nielsen//NetRatings VP analytics Charles Buchwalter said, " While kids are not necessarily spending more time online, they are digesting more content at a faster pace. Savvy marketers are successfully integrating brand loyalty initiatives by translating television programming into engaging Web sites that provide kids with interactive, kid-friendly destinations featuring their favourite characters. This keepa kids focused on their websites."