Time use and time use satisfaction: an examination of children’s out of school activities in Namibia

Abstract: Population-based information on how school-going children spend their daily lives outside of school from their own perspective in African contexts is limited. Using representative data from 2124 four- and six-graders who completed the 2018 International Survey of Children’s Wellbeing in Khomas region, Namibia, this article describes children’s out-of-school activities, the contextual factors that influence patterns of time use and how these patterns of time use affect subjective wellbeing. Results indicate that children in Namibia spend time on diverse activities related to school, family, and leisure. Furthermore, children’s participation in chores contributed positively to their life satisfaction and both play and spending time with family had a valuable impact on their wellbeing. By describing at a population level children’s out-of-school time use and satisfaction, this study contributes to understanding the richness of children’s lives in Khomas region and the valuable contributions they make to their families and communities.

Keywords: Time use, time use satisfaction, children, subjective wellbeing, Namibia.

Article posted to Journal of the British Academy, volume 10, supplementary issue 2 (Searching for the Everyday in African Childhoods).