What parents should know about the viral 'Italian brainrot' trend taking over kids' screens
Scroll through a tween's TikTok feed these days, and you're likely to stumble across a surreal parade of AI-generated creatures: a ballerina with a cappuccino for a head, a crocodile fused with a bomber plane or a three-legged shark in sneakers.
They speak in exaggerated Italian-American accents, shout nonsensical phrases and disappear as quickly as they appear, only to be remixed and reuploaded in endless variations.
This is known as "Italian brainrot."
Where did it come from?
Fabian Mosele, an Italian animator and teacher based in Germany, told "Good Morning America" the trend began in early 2025, when a TikTok nursery rhyme called "Trallallero Trallallà" was paired with an AI-generated shark wearing sneakers. From there, more characters emerged, each more absurd than the last.
The trend originated within Italian meme communities but quickly expanded to a global audience, fueled by its accessibility, absurdity and DIY ethos, according to Mosele, who also runs an Italian brainrot account on Instagram.
"Italian brainrot is the latest in dank memes that relies heavily on nonsense and the surprise factor," Mosele said. "Gen Z and Gen Alpha humor tends to be absurdist. The joke is that there is no joke, it's just weird."
The "Italian" label, he explained, came from the early adopters, but the content is now highly international.
As for the "brainrot" part, that term has become internet shorthand for content so overstimulating, surreal or ridiculous that it essentially melts your brain, intentionally. It was even named Oxford's 2024 Word of the Year, Mosele explained.
Why kids are obsessed
Mosele said he believes the appeal of Italian brainrot is multifaceted.
"Italian is a funny-sounding language. It uses nonsense humor and nursery rhymes, which are easy to mimic. And because it's AI-native, kids can create and share their own versions with free tools," he explained. "For kids specifically, it's a sort of secret language that parents don't understand, which makes it way cooler."
It also scratches a familiar adolescent itch: rebellion.
"It feels punk," Mosele said. "It's internet folklore -- a grassroots, participatory universe that big studios have no control over."
Licensed marriage and family therapist Cheryl Eskin agreed.
"Italian brainrot is digital cotton candy for the brain," Eskin, senior director of Didi Hirsch's Teen Line, a mental health and support organization, told "GMA." "It's chaotic, fast, funny, and completely unfiltered. It scratches a developmental itch for tweens and teens, whose brains are wired for novelty and risk-taking."
In other words, it's no surprise that kids are drawn to it. But Eskin warned that the pace and intensity of this kind of content can be overstimulating.
"If this type of content is all they're consuming, we might start to see more trouble with attention, mood swings or difficulty winding down," she said.
Should parents be concerned?
Not necessarily, but it's worth paying attention to how much time your child spends immersed in the brainrot universe, according to Eskin.
"While it might look like nonsense to us, it's often a creative outlet for kids," Eskin explained. "It's play, rebellion, and identity-building all rolled into a surreal meme. But if your kid can't focus in class or gets agitated without constant stimulation, that's a cue that it's time to intervene."
The meme universe's participatory nature means it isn't just passively consumed, it's actively reimagined. Kids may imitate the voices, invent new characters, or incorporate phrases into everyday conversation. That can make it even more difficult for parents to understand where the boundaries are.
Eskin encouraged parents to stay connected rather than critical.
"You don't have to 'get' every meme to be a good parent, but you do have to stay curious," she said. "Ask your kid what they love about the content, and listen without judgment. That connection is your superpower."
She suggested setting boundaries around screen time and overstimulation, but not creativity.
"It's about helping them build emotional regulation in a world that's moving at warp speed," she said. "You can both laugh at the chaos and still say, 'Hey, we need to give your brain a break.'"
Mosele also sees the trend as more than just mindless content. "It's a rejection of big studio franchises and their IPs through a Dadaist lens," he said. "It's funny because it doesn't make sense."
Ultimately, Italian brainrot may not be much different from the internet trends that came before it, just louder, faster and built on AI. It's chaotic by design, which is exactly why kids love it. But as with any viral content, balance is key.
The best approach for parents? According to Eskin, don't panic, don't dismiss it and definitely don't try to repeat the phrases out loud. Just stay present, stay curious, and remind your kid (gently) that their brain might need a break from time to time.
"Good Morning America" reached out to TikTok for comment.
