diff --git a/benchmarks/kids_scoring_bench.js b/benchmarks/kids_scoring_bench.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ffb96a14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/kids_scoring_bench.js
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// benchmarks/kids_scoring_bench.js
+import { createKidsScorerStage } from "../js/feedEngine/kidsScoring.js";
+import { performance } from "perf_hooks";
+
+async function runBenchmark() {
+  const itemCount = 200000;
+  const items = [];
+
+  // Create mock items with diverse data to exercise different paths
+  for (let i = 0; i < itemCount; i++) {
+    items.push({
+      video: {
+        id: `v${i}`,
+        pubkey: `pubkey${i % 100}`,
+        duration: 300 + (i % 600), // 5 to 15 minutes
+        tags: [
+          ["t", "kids"],
+          ["t", "learning"],
+          ["t", i % 2 === 0 ? "preschool" : "science"],
+        ],
+        viewCount: i * 10,
+        created_at: Date.now() / 1000 - (i % 10000),
+        moderation: { trustedCount: i % 5 },
+      },
+      metadata: {},
+    });
+  }
+
+  const context = {
+    runtime: {
+      ageGroup: "preschool",
+      trustedAuthors: ["pubkey1", "pubkey2"],
+    },
+    addWhy: () => {}, // Mock addWhy
+  };
+
+  const scorer = createKidsScorerStage();
+
+  console.log(`Starting kids scoring benchmark with ${itemCount} items...`);
+
+  // Warmup
+  await scorer([...items.slice(0, 1000)], context);
+
+  const iterations = 100;
+  let totalTime = 0;
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < iterations; i++) {
+    // Reset metadata for each run to be cleaner
+    items.forEach(item => item.metadata = {});
+
+    const start = performance.now();
+    await scorer(items, context);
+    const end = performance.now();
+    totalTime += (end - start);
+
+    if (i % 5 === 0) process.stdout.write(".");
+  }
+
+  const avgTime = totalTime / iterations;
+  console.log(`\nAverage time per run: ${avgTime.toFixed(4)}ms`);
+}
+
+runBenchmark().catch(console.error);
diff --git a/js/feedEngine/kidsScoring.js b/js/feedEngine/kidsScoring.js
index 77c9ee7d..ca6af0aa 100644
--- a/js/feedEngine/kidsScoring.js
+++ b/js/feedEngine/kidsScoring.js
@@ -391,27 +391,32 @@ export function createKidsScorerStage({
       const videoId = typeof video.id === "string" ? video.id : null;
       const pubkey = typeof video.pubkey === "string" ? video.pubkey : null;
 
-      const positiveComponents = [
-        { key: "age-appropriateness", value: ageAppropriateness },
-        { key: "educational-boost", value: educationalBoost },
-        { key: "author-trust", value: authorTrust },
-        { key: "popularity", value: popularityWithinKids },
-        { key: "freshness", value: freshness },
-      ];
+      let maxKey = "age-appropriateness";
+      let maxValue = ageAppropriateness;
 
-      let dominantPositive = positiveComponents[0];
-      for (const component of positiveComponents) {
-        if (component.value > dominantPositive.value) {
-          dominantPositive = component;
-        }
+      if (educationalBoost > maxValue) {
+        maxKey = "educational-boost";
+        maxValue = educationalBoost;
+      }
+      if (authorTrust > maxValue) {
+        maxKey = "author-trust";
+        maxValue = authorTrust;
+      }
+      if (popularityWithinKids > maxValue) {
+        maxKey = "popularity";
+        maxValue = popularityWithinKids;
+      }
+      if (freshness > maxValue) {
+        maxKey = "freshness";
+        maxValue = freshness;
       }
 
-      if (dominantPositive.value > 0) {
+      if (maxValue > 0) {
         context?.addWhy?.({
           stage: stageName,
           type: "score",
-          reason: dominantPositive.key,
-          value: dominantPositive.value,
+          reason: maxKey,
+          value: maxValue,
           score: kidsScore,
           videoId,
           pubkey,
diff --git a/tests/feed-engine/kids-scorer.test.mjs b/tests/feed-engine/kids-scorer.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b39919e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/feed-engine/kids-scorer.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { createKidsScorerStage } from "../../js/feedEngine/kidsScoring.js";
+
+test("kids scorer correctly identifies dominant positive component", async () => {
+  const stage = createKidsScorerStage({
+      weights: {
+          w_age: 0.2,
+          w_edu: 0.2,
+          w_author: 0.2,
+          w_pop: 0.2,
+          w_fresh: 0.2,
+          w_risk: 0
+      }
+  });
+
+  // Create an item where one component is clearly dominant
+  // Age appropriateness: 1.0 (perfect duration + tags)
+  // Others: 0
+  const items = [
+    {
+      video: {
+        id: "v1",
+        pubkey: "pk1",
+        duration: 300, // 5 min (perfect for toddler/preschool)
+        tags: [["t", "preschool"], ["t", "learning"]], // Matches preferred
+        created_at: Date.now() / 1000 - 10000000, // Old
+        viewCount: 0
+      },
+      metadata: {},
+    },
+  ];
+
+  const why = [];
+  const context = {
+      runtime: {
+          ageGroup: "preschool",
+          trustedAuthors: []
+      },
+      addWhy: (detail) => why.push(detail)
+  };
+
+  await stage(items, context);
+
+  assert.equal(why.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(why[0].reason, "age-appropriateness");
+  assert.ok(why[0].value > 0);
+});
+
+test("kids scorer picks educational-boost when dominant", async () => {
+  const stage = createKidsScorerStage({
+    educationalTags: ["math"],
+    weights: { w_age: 0, w_edu: 1, w_author: 0, w_pop: 0, w_fresh: 0, w_risk: 0 }
+  });
+
+  const items = [{
+      video: {
+          id: "v2",
+          tags: [["t", "math"]],
+          duration: 300
+      },
+      metadata: {}
+  }];
+
+  const why = [];
+  await stage(items, {
+      runtime: { educationalTags: ["math"] },
+      addWhy: (d) => why.push(d)
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(why.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(why[0].reason, "educational-boost");
+});