Lifestyles and sport
Time with friends popular with 9 out of 10 children
Free time activities performed by children aged 11 to 15, 2007, England
Spending time with friends was the most common leisure activity carried out in their free time by nine out of ten (89 per cent) of children aged 11 to 15 in England in 2007. This was followed by watching television (87 per cent), and listening to music (76 per cent). Around seven out of ten (71 per cent) children spent time with their family, and completed their homework in their free time, while just under seven out of ten (69 per cent) took part in sporting activities.
Nearly two-fifths (38 per cent) of children reported that spending time with friends was their most enjoyable free time activity, while just over a fifth (23 per cent) said that participating in sporting activities was the most enjoyable. Playing computer games was enjoyable to 8 per cent of children, while 7 per cent reported spending time with family was the most enjoyable free time activity. Although homework was carried out by 71 per cent of children in their free time, less than 1 per cent reported that it was enjoyable.
Participation in selected sporting activities, overall and out of school: by children aged 11 to 15, 2007, England
Nearly all (95 per cent) children aged 11 to 15 in England took part in an active sport in the four weeks prior to interview in 2007. Of these children, 93 per cent had participated in an active sport outside of school lessons.
Football was the most common sporting activity, with nearly six out of ten (59 per cent) children playing the sport, and 47 per cent playing outside of school. The second most common sporting activity was swimming or diving, where nearly two-fifths (39 per cent) participated overall and a third (34 per cent) took part outside of school.
Other common types of sport were basketball (30 per cent), badminton (25 per cent) and cricket (24 per cent). Outside of school lessons, cycling or bike riding were popular with 21 per cent of children, walking or hiking with 20 per cent, and snooker, pool and billiards with 18 per cent.
Three-quarters (75 per cent) of children took part in an active sport outside school in the week prior to interview. Of these children, over a fifth (23 per cent) had participated for at least an hour on one day, a further 19 per cent had participated for an hour on at least two days, and 27 per cent for at least an hour on five or more days.
Source: Taking Part: The National Survey of Culture, Leisure and Sport: Child Survey 2007, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Notes: The category ‘other’ in the first chart includes playing musical instruments and participating in drama and dance.
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