Lifestyle
Kindness Is Cool: New Survey from Disney On Ice Reveals Evolving Definition of Heroism Among Today's Youth
Today's heroes aren't just found in capes or costumes, they're in classrooms, communities, and everyday moments. While many children still associate heroism with beloved Disney characters (44%), a new study exploring modern-day heroism polling 2,000 UK parents and children aged 5–11 reveals a broader shift: Brits are just as likely to see heroic qualities in real people around them as they are in films and TV (66%).
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[{"type":"text","content":"LONDON, Sept. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's heroes aren't just found in capes or costumes, they're in classrooms, communities, and everyday moments. While many children still associate heroism with beloved Disney characters (44%), a new study exploring modern-day heroism polling 2,000 UK parents and children aged 5–11 reveals a broader shift: Brits are just as likely to see heroic qualities in real people around them as they are in films and TV (66%).","length":475,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":" ","length":6,"tagName":"p"},{"id":"N44CWRG200g","subtype":"videoIframe","type":"youtube","url":"https://www.youtube.com/embed/N44CWRG200g?autoplay=0","width":512,"height":288,"scrolling":"auto","anchorId":"db5522f1-53aa-5782-b15b-57d76a301d13"},{"type":"text","content":" ","length":6,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"When asked to identify the most important traits of a hero, children chose bravery (57%), helping others (44%) and kindness (28%), placing these above more traditional traits like strength (41%) and speed (18%). Commissioned by Disney On Ice in anticipation of its new tour, Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero, the research uncovers how families define heroism in 2025.","length":372,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"More than half of children associated the word hero with 'superheroes' (57%), with Disney characters following closely (44%). However they also looked closer to home, with over a third (39%) of kids connecting the word 'hero' to parents or caregivers, and 35% to emergency service workers. Teachers (24%) were cited far more often than celebrities and influencers (9%), and only 16% said they find heroes on social media.","length":437,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Regardless of age, Disney continued to inspire parents with the meaning of true heroism with eight in ten of them still believing that Disney characters help to teach what it means to be a hero (81%). When asked to name the most heroic Disney character, Moana came out on top among children (22%) for her bravery and determination, while Elsa came in second.","length":368,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Taking the findings into account, the Disney On Ice cast put TV stars and athletes Montell Douglas and Zack George through a series of daring challenges on i...