After school, aside from homework and household responsibilities or perhaps a job for older youth, much of young people’s waking time is spent in recreational programs. On average, children ages 6 - 12 have 67 hours of discretionary time each week that is not spent in school. Recreation services are provided by most municipalities as well as by a variety of community organizations.

There are generally more recreation programs available for children than for youth. Programs for younger children and pre-teens tend to focus on structured, skill development activities. Once the teen years are reached, young people are more interested in informal social activities, with little or no adult supervision.

To be child and youth friendly, recreation and community services need to meet a wide range of needs of children and youth. Involving young people in planning recreation services will help ensure that their needs are addressed.