4901.0.55.001 - Children's Participation in Sport and Leisure Time Activities, 2003 - 2012 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 21/12/2012   
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Contents >> Participation in other activities >> Screen-based activities

SCREEN-BASED ACTIVITIES

Since 2003 the proportion of children who watched TV, videos or DVDs outside of school hours in the two weeks prior to interview has decreased from 98% in 2003 to 96% in 2012. A decrease was seen for both boys (99% to 96%) and girls (98% to 96%) over this period.

The average number of hours that children spent watching TV, videos or DVDs decreased from 22 hours in 2003 to 15 hours in 2012.

The proportion of children accessing the Internet, either during school or outside of school hours, has increased from 64% in 2003 to 90% in 2012.

4.2 Children participating in selected activities, By sex - 2003 to 2012
NUMBER ('000)
PARTICIPATION RATE (%)
2003
2006
2009
2012
2003
2006
2009
2012
MALES
Other activities(a)
Watching TV, videos or DVDs
1 338.6
1 333.5
1 354.2
1 372.0
98.6
97.6
97.0
96.0
Reading
919.2
940.8
901.9
931.0
67.7
68.8
64.6
65.1
Bike riding
957.4
1 003.0
922.5
999.8
70.5
73.4
66.1
69.9
Recreational art and craft(b)
. .
. .
. .
472.3
. .
. .
. .
33.0
Organised cultural activities(c)
Playing a musical instrument
179.0
240.0
260.7
228.8
13.2
17.6
18.7
16.0
Singing
31.6
39.2
43.3
36.3
2.3
2.9
3.1
2.5
Drama
31.5
38.6
38.6
50.1
2.3
2.8
2.8
3.5
Organised art and craft(b)
. .
. .
. .
66.7
. .
. .
. .
4.7
Accessed the Internet(d)
846.7
892.1
1 116.5
1 278.4
62.4
65.3
80.0
89.4
FEMALES
Other activities(a)
Watching TV, videos or DVDs
1 262.4
1 262.5
1 296.2
1 297.0
97.9
97.3
97.7
95.6
Reading
1 061.8
1 043.3
1 063.9
1 050.3
82.3
80.4
80.2
77.4
Bike riding
687.4
803.2
721.1
770.6
53.3
61.9
54.4
56.8
Recreational art and craft(b)
. .
. .
. .
735.7
. .
. .
. .
54.2
Organised cultural activities(c)
Playing a musical instrument
266.5
280.6
274.7
261.4
20.7
21.6
20.7
19.3
Singing
90.9
107.8
121.4
106.9
7.0
8.3
9.2
7.9
Drama
81.0
80.5
88.2
80.2
6.3
6.2
6.6
5.9
Organised art and craft(b)
. .
. .
. .
123.2
. .
. .
. .
9.1
Accessed the Internet(d)
846.6
838.6
1 046.5
1 221.3
65.6
64.6
78.9
90.0
PERSONS
Other activities(a)
Watching TV, videos or DVDs
2 601.0
2 596.0
2 650.4
2 669.0
98.2
97.4
97.4
95.8
Reading
1 981.0
1 984.0
1 965.8
1 981.3
74.8
74.5
72.2
71.1
Bike riding
1 644.8
1 806.2
1 643.6
1 770.4
62.1
67.8
60.4
63.5
Recreational art and craft(b)
. .
. .
. .
1 208.0
. .
. .
. .
43.4
Organised cultural activities(c)
Playing a musical instrument
445.5
520.5
535.4
490.2
16.8
19.5
19.7
17.6
Singing
122.5
147.0
164.7
143.2
4.6
5.5
6.1
5.1
Drama
112.6
119.1
126.7
130.3
4.3
4.5
4.7
4.7
Organised art and craft(b)
. .
. .
. .
189.9
. .
. .
. .
6.8
Accessed the Internet(d)
1 693.3
1 730.7
2 162.9
2 499.7
64.0
64.9
79.4
89.7
Total population aged 5-14 years
2 647.5
2 664.7
2 722.5
2 786.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
. . not applicable
(a) Children aged 5-14 years who were involved in selected other activities outside of school hours in the last two weeks of school prior to interview in April of the survey year.
(b) Data for this category is not comparable as the 2012 survey collected data on organised art and craft separately to recreational art and craft.
(c) Children aged 5-14 years who participated in selected organised cultural activities outside of school hours during the 12 months prior to interview in April of the survey year.
(d) Children aged 5-14 years who used the Internet during or outside school hours during the 12 months prior to interview in the survey year.





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