The Contribution of Active and Passive Leisure to Children's Well-being

The relation between leisure and well-being, including happiness and self-concept, was examined in 375 children aged 8-12 years. Active leisure (e.g. physical activity) was positively correlated with well-being. Passive leisure (e.g. television and video games) was negatively correlated with well-being. Aspects of active leisure (e.g. the importance of sport to the child and how sports made the child feel) as judged by both parents and children accounted for unique variance in children's wellbeing; passive leisure did not. Similar to previous research on adolescents and adults, active leisure activities were related to children's well-being.