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Research note: American children's time use in after-school activities
Joan Newman1, Anastassios Matsopoulos, Yiping Chang
1Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, University at Albany, SUNY, NY 12222, USA.
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|November 19, 2003
Summary
Fourth-grade children spend most of their after-school time in enjoyable, self-chosen activities like play and watching television. Contrary to some concerns, there was no evidence of children being "hurried" or overly pushed academically.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Concerns exist among some psychologists regarding children's after-school activities.
- Potential for "hurrying" childhood or "hot-housing" academic development is a debated topic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nature of after-school activities among fourth-grade children.
- To assess whether children are experiencing undue pressure for academic or other excellence.
Main Methods:
- A "what I usually do" questionnaire was administered to 90 fourth-grade students.
- Participants reported on their typical after-school activities.
Main Results:
- The majority of children's time was dedicated to enjoyable, self-selected activities.
- Nonacademic pursuits, particularly play and television viewing, were the most common activities.
- No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that children were being "hurried" or "hot-housed."
Conclusions:
- Fourth-grade children's after-school hours are predominantly filled with leisure and self-directed activities.
- Current after-school habits do not indicate a trend of excessive academic pressure or accelerated development.
- Findings suggest children are largely engaging in age-appropriate, non-pressured activities.