How do kids aged 6 to 11 in Poland differ from kids elsewhere? Using data from our Kids of the World study, here’s what we found:

Polish kids are more likely to describe themselves as curious and optimistic. A majority of kids globally describe themselves with these terms – and kids in Poland are ever more likely to see themselves as curious (94% Poland vs. 89% global), optimistic (91% vs. 86%), and always looking for the positive (88% vs. 85%).

Their families are also friends. Polish kids are more likely than kids globally to say that their best friend is someone in their family (74% Poland vs. 61% global).

Hanging out with family and taking vacations are important sources of happiness. Several things contribute more to Polish kids’ happiness than to that of their global peers: spending time with family (80% Poland vs. 70% global), going away on holiday (58% vs. 52%), using the internet (38% vs. 31%), and listening to music (29% vs. 26%).

To decompress, they’re more likely to turn to music, their parents, gaming, and books. Compared with global kids, kids in Poland are more likely to relax by listening to music (46% Poland vs. 40% global), spending time with parents (45% vs. 37%), playing video or computer games (37% vs. 32%), and reading a book (30% vs. 23%).

They believe in the power of resilience. Polish kids are more likely to agree that it’s better to try things and make mistakes than never to try at all (88% Poland vs. 85% global) and to feel able to deal with whatever life throws at them (71% vs. 68%).

Access to devices and social media is higher than among their European peers. Compared with the European average for kids 6 to 11, Polish kids are more likely to have smartphones (55% Poland vs. 39% Europe) and tablets (49% vs. 42%). They’re also more likely to have a social media account (52% vs. 36%).

They help more at home. Overall, kids in Poland are slightly more likely to participate in household chores than kids globally (76% Poland vs. 73% global). However, a much higher percentage pitches in with cooking, shopping and cleaning (52% vs. 44%) than with childcare (30% vs. 39%).