The bar chart illustrates the percentage of Australian children in three age groups (5-8, 9-11, and 12-16 years old) who participated in four different leisure activities in 2018.
Overall, watching television was the most popular activity across all age groups, with participation rates exceeding 80%. In contrast, playing computer games had the lowest engagement, particularly among older children. Additionally, while younger children were less inclined to read, they were more likely to play video games compared to their older counterparts.
Regarding watching television, nearly all children aged 5-8 participated (96%), while slightly fewer in the 9-11 and 12-16 age groups did so (both around 80%). Reading, on the other hand, became more common with age, as approximately 70% of 9- to 16-year-olds engaged in this activity, whereas the youngest group had a considerably lower participation rate.
Cycling was another widely practiced activity, with the highest percentage recorded among 12-16-year-olds (82%). The younger groups also exhibited relatively high engagement, though at slightly lower levels. Conversely, playing computer games was significantly less popular among older children, with only 40% of 12- to 16-year-olds participating. In contrast, 60% of 5- to 8-year-olds engaged in gaming, making it more prevalent among younger children.