4147.4.55.001 - Culture and Recreation News, Sep 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/09/2009   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

CHILDREN'S PARTICIPATION IN CULTURAL AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES

The survey of Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities was conducted in April this year and was a repeat of a similar survey conducted in 2000, 2003 and 2006. The survey output will present information about the organised culture and leisure activities in which children aged 5-14 years participate after school hours. These activities include music, drama, dancing, singing and participating in a variety of organised sports. Information will also be presented regarding children's participation in recreation and leisure activities after school hours. These include bike riding, skateboarding, watching television and videos, playing computer games and other computer usage. Information about homework and about attendance at art galleries, libraries and live theatre will also be included.

The 2009 survey questionnaire is very similar to that conducted in 2006 in order to maintain the time series. The sport and culture sections of the 2009 questionnaire have remained the same as the 2006 survey, with a few changes and additions to the section on recreational and other activities, due to changes in the way children spend their leisure time and technology changes. We previously asked about hours spent watching television and DVDs and in the 2009 survey we have revised a question in order to capture time spent on all screen-based activities, such as using a computer, accessing the Internet or playing games on a mobile phone or games console. We have found that riding a scooter has become more popular with children since the 2006 survey, so the question on skateboarding and rollerblading now also captures riding a scooter. We have also added questions to collect participation in organised art and craft activities and reading for pleasure.

The results of the survey will be published in Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities (cat. no. 4901.0) in late October 2009.