The NPD Group has released a new report examining the consumer electronics usage habits of children in the U.S. The study, Kids and Consumer Electronics Trends III, found that the average age at which children begin using consumer electronic (CE) devices has declined from 8.1 years in 2005 to 6.7 years in 2007.

Of particular note to the video game sector is that portable video games (no doubt fueled by the Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo DS) alongside digital cameras showed the greatest increase in kids' personal ownership and usage. Furthermore, video games were the only CE area in which the adult versions of electronics didn't show higher penetration.

NPD found that on average, children today start using electronic devices at approximately 7 years of age. Televisions and desktop computers are leading the pack, with many kids getting exposed to one or both as early as age 4 or 5. Devices such as satellite radios and portable digital media players (PDMP), however, were found to have older exposure � starting at about 9 years of age.

Overall, since the NPD's 2005 survey almost all electronic devices have exhibited a decline in average age that the initial use occurs. NPD noted that this trend was especially apparent with ubiquitous DVD players and cell phones.

"Kids are drawn to the latest and greatest digital devices just as their parents are," said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. "They appear to have no fear of technology and adopt it easily and without fanfare, making these devices a part of their everyday lives."

[UPDATE] The highest levels of product ownership among kids was 39 percent for portable game systems and 29 percent for consoles. The Game Boy Advance and the PS2 were cited for highest usage.

"I think one of the most interesting findings is that 70% of households that have kids ages 4-14 living in them own a video game system!" NPD's Anita Frazier told GameDaily BIZ. "That is a huge household penetration number, and speaks to how important kids are to the video games industry. If kids are one of the catalysts for bringing the systems into the home, and if video game publishers are successful in continuing to bring out more non-traditional content that can attract other household members into playing games, it's a ripe market for expanding the industry."

We asked Frazier if she thought that perhaps the kids market in the video game business is somewhat underserved. She said that's not the case, and that there's actually plenty of content for them, but that "kids are more 'core' to the industry than some recognize."