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Daily time use in households with young children in 2024
July 02, 2025
On an average day in 2024, adults living in households with children under age 6 spent 3.2 hours in leisure and sports activities, which was 2.4 hours less than adults in households with no children under age 18.
Average hours adults spent doing selected activities by presence of household children, 2024
Presence of household children
Personal care activities
Working and work-related activities
Leisure and sports
Caring for and helping household members
Household activities
Eating and drinking
Purchasing goods and services
Youngest household child under age 6
9.50
3.76
3.20
2.57
2.15
1.25
0.59
Youngest household child age 6–17
9.51
4.55
4.09
0.88
1.99
1.15
0.66
No household child under age 18
9.86
3.25
5.64
0.08
2.09
1.26
0.71
Adults in households with children under age 6 spent 2.6 hours caring for and helping household members, compared with about 53 minutes for those living in households with children between the ages of 6 and 17.
Time use of adults with young household children also varied by employment status. Among adults living in households with children under age 6, those who were employed spent almost an hour less in leisure and sports activities than those who were not employed.
Average hours per day adults living in households with the youngest child under age 6 spent in selected activities, by employment status, 2024
Employment status
Personal care activities
Working and work-related activities
Leisure and sports
Caring for and helping household members
Household activities
Eating and drinking
Purchasing goods and services
Employed
9.29
4.98
2.97
2.23
1.82
1.27
0.60
Not employed
10.15
-
3.91
3.61
3.16
1.18
0.55
Note: - indicates data did not meet publication standards.
Those who were not employed spent more time caring for and helping household members on an average day than those who were employed—3.6 hours compared with 2.2 hours. Those who were not employed also spent more time doing household activities—such as housework, food preparation and cleanup, and lawn and garden care—than those who were employed (3.2 hours and 1.8 hours, respectively).
United States Department of Labor
