The Relationship Between School-Age Children’s Physical Activity and Their Leisure Activity Interests: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Physical activities and leisure engagement are important occupations that children partake in. However, the association between physical activities and leisure engagement preferences in children remains largely unexplored in Australian contexts. As such, this study investigated the relationship between children’s physical activities and their leisure activity engagement preferences. A study was conducted involving 27 pairs of school-aged children and their parents/caregivers. Children completed the Preferences for Activities of Children and Children’s Leisure Assessment. Parents/caregivers completed the Children’s Physical Activity Questionnaire. Spearman rho correlations and linear regression analyses with bootstrapping were completed. Children’s games and sports activity variety was significantly correlated with active school activity duration (rho = .452, p = .018). In addition, children’s preferences for instrumental indoor activities predicted sports frequency on weekdays (R2 = .446, p = .003). Similarly, self-enrichment activities variety was predictive of sports activities frequency on weekdays (R2 = .446, p = .006) and weekends (R2 = .151, p = .026). Finally, children’s sociability in instrumental indoor activities predicted active leisure activity duration on weekends (R2 = .120, p = 043). Findings suggest that children’s leisure engagement preferences are predictive of their participation in physical activities. Specific aspects of leisure participation, such as variety and sociability, can also predict children’s physical activity levels. When promoting physical activities, it is important to understand children’s leisure engagement preferences so that clinicians can develop individualized plans by incorporating children’s interests. This will inform child-centered goal setting and intervention planning. Further research in this area is recommended.