Children’s Leisure-Time Activities in the Context of Maternal Education and the Family’s Perceived Economic Situation

In this study, we integrate two perspectives on inequalities in children’s leisure-time activities: families' cultural and economic resources. In contrast to previous research, we examine organised and unorganised leisure-time activities separately while also distinguishing between sports and cultural activities. We ask: (1) To what extent do maternal educational attainment and the family’s perceived economic situation explain participation in organised and unorganised sports and cultural leisure-time activities? (2) Does the association between the family's perceived economic situation and participation in organised and unorganised leisure-time activities vary according to maternal educational attainment? We use survey data from the 2019 Finnish School Health Promotion study ( n = 87 283), a nationwide survey conducted among all 8th- and 9th-grade pupils in Finnish comprehensive schools. Methodologically, we employ descriptive statistics and linear probability modelling, with schools specified as the second-level grouping variable. We find that children’s leisure-time activities varies according to maternal educational attainment and the family’s perceived economic situation. However, these patterns manifest differently in sports and cultural activities. Although the association between the family’s perceived economic situation and the examined leisure-time activities varies across levels of maternal education, these differences are generally modest. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms through which social inequalities are reflected in children’s leisure-time participation.