diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_booleans.cu b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_booleans.cu
index bf73800ad06..6b64006fa24 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_booleans.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_booleans.cu
@@ -16,23 +16,19 @@
 
 #include <cudf/column/column_device_view.cuh>
 #include <cudf/column/column_factories.hpp>
-#include <cudf/detail/iterator.cuh>
 #include <cudf/detail/null_mask.hpp>
 #include <cudf/detail/nvtx/ranges.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/convert/convert_booleans.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/converters.hpp>
-#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children.cuh>
+#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children_ex.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/string_view.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
 #include <cudf/utilities/default_stream.hpp>
-#include <cudf/utilities/traits.hpp>
-#include <cudf/utilities/type_dispatcher.hpp>
 
 #include <rmm/cuda_stream_view.hpp>
 #include <rmm/exec_policy.hpp>
 #include <rmm/resource_ref.hpp>
 
-#include <thrust/for_each.h>
 #include <thrust/iterator/counting_iterator.h>
 #include <thrust/transform.h>
 
@@ -99,13 +95,14 @@ struct from_booleans_fn {
   column_device_view const d_column;
   string_view d_true;
   string_view d_false;
-  size_type* d_offsets{};
+  size_type* d_sizes{};
   char* d_chars{};
+  cudf::detail::input_offsetalator d_offsets;
 
   __device__ void operator()(size_type idx) const
   {
     if (d_column.is_null(idx)) {
-      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_offsets[idx] = 0; }
+      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_sizes[idx] = 0; }
       return;
     }
 
@@ -113,7 +110,7 @@ struct from_booleans_fn {
       auto const result = d_column.element<bool>(idx) ? d_true : d_false;
       memcpy(d_chars + d_offsets[idx], result.data(), result.size_bytes());
     } else {
-      d_offsets[idx] = d_column.element<bool>(idx) ? d_true.size_bytes() : d_false.size_bytes();
+      d_sizes[idx] = d_column.element<bool>(idx) ? d_true.size_bytes() : d_false.size_bytes();
     }
   };
 };
@@ -143,8 +140,8 @@ std::unique_ptr<column> from_booleans(column_view const& booleans,
   // copy null mask
   rmm::device_buffer null_mask = cudf::detail::copy_bitmask(booleans, stream, mr);
 
-  auto [offsets, chars] =
-    make_strings_children(from_booleans_fn{d_column, d_true, d_false}, strings_count, stream, mr);
+  auto [offsets, chars] = experimental::make_strings_children(
+    from_booleans_fn{d_column, d_true, d_false}, strings_count, stream, mr);
 
   return make_strings_column(strings_count,
                              std::move(offsets),
diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_datetime.cu b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_datetime.cu
index d6449fbb6c8..ddf68eae951 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_datetime.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_datetime.cu
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #include <cudf/detail/utilities/vector_factories.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/convert/convert_datetime.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/converters.hpp>
-#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children.cuh>
+#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children_ex.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/utilities.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/string_view.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 #include <rmm/resource_ref.hpp>
 
 #include <thrust/execution_policy.h>
-#include <thrust/for_each.h>
 #include <thrust/functional.h>
 #include <thrust/iterator/counting_iterator.h>
 #include <thrust/logical.h>
@@ -756,8 +755,9 @@ struct datetime_formatter_fn {
   column_device_view const d_timestamps;
   column_device_view const d_format_names;
   device_span<format_item const> const d_format_items;
-  size_type* d_offsets{};
+  size_type* d_sizes{};
   char* d_chars{};
+  cudf::detail::input_offsetalator d_offsets;
 
   /**
    * @brief Specialized modulo expression that handles negative values.
@@ -1087,14 +1087,14 @@ struct datetime_formatter_fn {
   __device__ void operator()(size_type idx) const
   {
     if (d_timestamps.is_null(idx)) {
-      if (!d_chars) { d_offsets[idx] = 0; }
+      if (!d_chars) { d_sizes[idx] = 0; }
       return;
     }
     auto const tstamp = d_timestamps.element<T>(idx);
     if (d_chars) {
       timestamp_to_string(tstamp, d_chars + d_offsets[idx]);
     } else {
-      d_offsets[idx] = compute_output_size(tstamp);
+      d_sizes[idx] = compute_output_size(tstamp);
     }
   }
 };
@@ -1109,7 +1109,7 @@ struct dispatch_from_timestamps_fn {
                               rmm::cuda_stream_view stream,
                               rmm::device_async_resource_ref mr) const
   {
-    return make_strings_children(
+    return experimental::make_strings_children(
       datetime_formatter_fn<T>{d_timestamps, d_format_names, d_format_items},
       d_timestamps.size(),
       stream,
diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_durations.cu b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_durations.cu
index 77c750848cf..faf9a83f016 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_durations.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_durations.cu
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 #include <cudf/detail/null_mask.hpp>
 #include <cudf/detail/nvtx/ranges.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/convert/int_to_string.cuh>
-#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children.cuh>
+#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children_ex.cuh>
 #include <cudf/types.hpp>
 #include <cudf/utilities/default_stream.hpp>
 
@@ -26,10 +26,8 @@
 #include <rmm/resource_ref.hpp>
 
 #include <thrust/execution_policy.h>
-#include <thrust/for_each.h>
 #include <thrust/functional.h>
 #include <thrust/iterator/counting_iterator.h>
-#include <thrust/iterator/transform_iterator.h>
 #include <thrust/transform.h>
 #include <thrust/transform_reduce.h>
 
@@ -192,8 +190,9 @@ struct from_durations_fn {
   column_device_view d_durations;
   format_item const* d_format_items;
   size_type items_count;
-  size_type* d_offsets{};
+  size_type* d_sizes{};
   char* d_chars{};
+  cudf::detail::input_offsetalator d_offsets;
 
   __device__ int8_t format_length(char format_char, duration_component const* const timeparts) const
   {
@@ -378,14 +377,14 @@ struct from_durations_fn {
   __device__ void operator()(size_type idx)
   {
     if (d_durations.is_null(idx)) {
-      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_offsets[idx] = 0; }
+      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_sizes[idx] = 0; }
       return;
     }
 
     if (d_chars != nullptr) {
       set_chars(idx);
     } else {
-      d_offsets[idx] = string_size(d_durations.template element<T>(idx));
+      d_sizes[idx] = string_size(d_durations.template element<T>(idx));
     }
   }
 };
@@ -415,11 +414,11 @@ struct dispatch_from_durations_fn {
     // copy null mask
     rmm::device_buffer null_mask = cudf::detail::copy_bitmask(durations, stream, mr);
 
-    auto [offsets, chars] =
-      make_strings_children(from_durations_fn<T>{d_column, d_format_items, compiler.items_count()},
-                            strings_count,
-                            stream,
-                            mr);
+    auto [offsets, chars] = experimental::make_strings_children(
+      from_durations_fn<T>{d_column, d_format_items, compiler.items_count()},
+      strings_count,
+      stream,
+      mr);
 
     return make_strings_column(strings_count,
                                std::move(offsets),
diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_fixed_point.cu b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_fixed_point.cu
index 446baa8dea9..34f81b8b407 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_fixed_point.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_fixed_point.cu
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/convert/fixed_point.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/convert/fixed_point_to_string.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/converters.hpp>
-#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children.cuh>
+#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children_ex.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/string_view.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
 #include <cudf/utilities/default_stream.hpp>
@@ -37,10 +37,7 @@
 #include <cuda/std/limits>
 #include <cuda/std/type_traits>
 #include <thrust/execution_policy.h>
-#include <thrust/for_each.h>
-#include <thrust/generate.h>
 #include <thrust/iterator/counting_iterator.h>
-#include <thrust/optional.h>
 #include <thrust/transform.h>
 
 namespace cudf {
@@ -198,8 +195,9 @@ namespace {
 template <typename DecimalType>
 struct from_fixed_point_fn {
   column_device_view d_decimals;
-  size_type* d_offsets{};
+  size_type* d_sizes{};
   char* d_chars{};
+  cudf::detail::input_offsetalator d_offsets;
 
   /**
    * @brief Converts a decimal element into a string.
@@ -219,13 +217,13 @@ struct from_fixed_point_fn {
   __device__ void operator()(size_type idx)
   {
     if (d_decimals.is_null(idx)) {
-      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_offsets[idx] = 0; }
+      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_sizes[idx] = 0; }
       return;
     }
     if (d_chars != nullptr) {
       fixed_point_element_to_string(idx);
     } else {
-      d_offsets[idx] =
+      d_sizes[idx] =
         fixed_point_string_size(d_decimals.element<DecimalType>(idx), d_decimals.type().scale());
     }
   }
@@ -244,8 +242,8 @@ struct dispatch_from_fixed_point_fn {
 
     auto const d_column = column_device_view::create(input, stream);
 
-    auto [offsets, chars] =
-      make_strings_children(from_fixed_point_fn<DecimalType>{*d_column}, input.size(), stream, mr);
+    auto [offsets, chars] = experimental::make_strings_children(
+      from_fixed_point_fn<DecimalType>{*d_column}, input.size(), stream, mr);
 
     return make_strings_column(input.size(),
                                std::move(offsets),
diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_floats.cu b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_floats.cu
index c6061f7d8e6..0ed80b976fd 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_floats.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_floats.cu
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include <cudf/strings/convert/convert_floats.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/convert/string_to_float.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/converters.hpp>
-#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children.cuh>
+#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children_ex.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/string_view.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
 #include <cudf/utilities/default_stream.hpp>
@@ -32,9 +32,7 @@
 #include <rmm/exec_policy.hpp>
 #include <rmm/resource_ref.hpp>
 
-#include <thrust/for_each.h>
 #include <thrust/iterator/counting_iterator.h>
-#include <thrust/iterator/transform_iterator.h>
 #include <thrust/transform.h>
 
 #include <cmath>
@@ -356,8 +354,9 @@ struct ftos_converter {
 template <typename FloatType>
 struct from_floats_fn {
   column_device_view d_floats;
-  size_type* d_offsets;
+  size_type* d_sizes;
   char* d_chars;
+  cudf::detail::input_offsetalator d_offsets;
 
   __device__ size_type compute_output_size(FloatType value)
   {
@@ -375,13 +374,13 @@ struct from_floats_fn {
   __device__ void operator()(size_type idx)
   {
     if (d_floats.is_null(idx)) {
-      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_offsets[idx] = 0; }
+      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_sizes[idx] = 0; }
       return;
     }
     if (d_chars != nullptr) {
       float_to_string(idx);
     } else {
-      d_offsets[idx] = compute_output_size(d_floats.element<FloatType>(idx));
+      d_sizes[idx] = compute_output_size(d_floats.element<FloatType>(idx));
     }
   }
 };
@@ -404,8 +403,8 @@ struct dispatch_from_floats_fn {
     // copy the null mask
     rmm::device_buffer null_mask = cudf::detail::copy_bitmask(floats, stream, mr);
 
-    auto [offsets, chars] =
-      make_strings_children(from_floats_fn<FloatType>{d_column}, strings_count, stream, mr);
+    auto [offsets, chars] = experimental::make_strings_children(
+      from_floats_fn<FloatType>{d_column}, strings_count, stream, mr);
 
     return make_strings_column(strings_count,
                                std::move(offsets),
diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_hex.cu b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_hex.cu
index 95af378fc3f..1f9fc3858f8 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_hex.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_hex.cu
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #include <cudf/detail/null_mask.hpp>
 #include <cudf/detail/nvtx/ranges.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/convert/convert_integers.hpp>
-#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children.cuh>
+#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children_ex.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/utilities.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/string_view.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
@@ -123,8 +123,9 @@ struct dispatch_hex_to_integers_fn {
 template <typename IntegerType>
 struct integer_to_hex_fn {
   column_device_view const d_column;
-  size_type* d_offsets{};
+  size_type* d_sizes{};
   char* d_chars{};
+  cudf::detail::input_offsetalator d_offsets;
 
   __device__ void byte_to_hex(uint8_t byte, char* hex)
   {
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ struct integer_to_hex_fn {
   __device__ void operator()(size_type idx)
   {
     if (d_column.is_null(idx)) {
-      if (!d_chars) { d_offsets[idx] = 0; }
+      if (!d_chars) { d_sizes[idx] = 0; }
       return;
     }
 
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ struct integer_to_hex_fn {
         --byte_index;
       }
     } else {
-      d_offsets[idx] = static_cast<size_type>(bytes) * 2;  // 2 hex characters per byte
+      d_sizes[idx] = static_cast<size_type>(bytes) * 2;  // 2 hex characters per byte
     }
   }
 };
@@ -181,7 +182,7 @@ struct dispatch_integers_to_hex_fn {
   {
     auto const d_column = column_device_view::create(input, stream);
 
-    auto [offsets_column, chars] = cudf::strings::detail::make_strings_children(
+    auto [offsets_column, chars] = experimental::make_strings_children(
       integer_to_hex_fn<IntegerType>{*d_column}, input.size(), stream, mr);
 
     return make_strings_column(input.size(),
diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_integers.cu b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_integers.cu
index f3e639817a6..918369ead4d 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_integers.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_integers.cu
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/convert/int_to_string.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/convert/string_to_int.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/converters.hpp>
-#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children.cuh>
+#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children_ex.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/string_view.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
 #include <cudf/utilities/default_stream.hpp>
@@ -34,9 +34,7 @@
 #include <rmm/resource_ref.hpp>
 
 #include <thrust/execution_policy.h>
-#include <thrust/for_each.h>
 #include <thrust/iterator/counting_iterator.h>
-#include <thrust/iterator/transform_iterator.h>
 #include <thrust/logical.h>
 #include <thrust/pair.h>
 #include <thrust/transform.h>
@@ -314,8 +312,9 @@ namespace {
 template <typename IntegerType>
 struct from_integers_fn {
   column_device_view d_integers;
-  size_type* d_offsets;
+  size_type* d_sizes;
   char* d_chars;
+  cudf::detail::input_offsetalator d_offsets;
 
   /**
    * @brief Converts an integer element into a string.
@@ -334,13 +333,13 @@ struct from_integers_fn {
   __device__ void operator()(size_type idx)
   {
     if (d_integers.is_null(idx)) {
-      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_offsets[idx] = 0; }
+      if (d_chars == nullptr) { d_sizes[idx] = 0; }
       return;
     }
     if (d_chars != nullptr) {
       integer_element_to_string(idx);
     } else {
-      d_offsets[idx] = count_digits(d_integers.element<IntegerType>(idx));
+      d_sizes[idx] = count_digits(d_integers.element<IntegerType>(idx));
     }
   }
 };
@@ -363,8 +362,8 @@ struct dispatch_from_integers_fn {
     // copy the null mask
     rmm::device_buffer null_mask = cudf::detail::copy_bitmask(integers, stream, mr);
 
-    auto [offsets, chars] =
-      make_strings_children(from_integers_fn<IntegerType>{d_column}, strings_count, stream, mr);
+    auto [offsets, chars] = experimental::make_strings_children(
+      from_integers_fn<IntegerType>{d_column}, strings_count, stream, mr);
 
     return make_strings_column(strings_count,
                                std::move(offsets),
diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_ipv4.cu b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_ipv4.cu
index 3d259f0ab82..33f6c553001 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_ipv4.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/convert/convert_ipv4.cu
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 #include <cudf/detail/nvtx/ranges.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/convert/convert_ipv4.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/convert/int_to_string.cuh>
-#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children.cuh>
+#include <cudf/strings/detail/strings_children_ex.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/string_view.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
 #include <cudf/utilities/default_stream.hpp>
@@ -124,13 +124,14 @@ namespace {
  */
 struct integers_to_ipv4_fn {
   column_device_view const d_column;
-  size_type* d_offsets{};
+  size_type* d_sizes{};
   char* d_chars{};
+  cudf::detail::input_offsetalator d_offsets;
 
   __device__ void operator()(size_type idx)
   {
     if (d_column.is_null(idx)) {
-      if (!d_chars) d_offsets[idx] = 0;
+      if (!d_chars) { d_sizes[idx] = 0; }
       return;
     }
 
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ struct integers_to_ipv4_fn {
       shift_bits -= 8;
     }
 
-    if (!d_chars) { d_offsets[idx] = bytes; }
+    if (!d_chars) { d_sizes[idx] = bytes; }
   }
 };
 
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<column> integers_to_ipv4(column_view const& integers,
   CUDF_EXPECTS(integers.type().id() == type_id::INT64, "Input column must be type_id::INT64 type");
 
   auto d_column                = column_device_view::create(integers, stream);
-  auto [offsets_column, chars] = cudf::strings::detail::make_strings_children(
+  auto [offsets_column, chars] = experimental::make_strings_children(
     integers_to_ipv4_fn{*d_column}, integers.size(), stream, mr);
 
   return make_strings_column(integers.size(),