Fathers with children under 18 dedicate an average of 27.5 hours weekly to leisure activities, a few hours more than mothers, who clock in at 24.5 hours. A significant chunk of this time—64 percent—is spent watching television or using other media.
Sports and physical activities also feature prominently in their schedules, as fathers tend to participate in sports or exercise more frequently than mothers.
Social activities like attending or hosting gatherings are less common for fathers, as these are more often part of mothers’ leisure routines. Interestingly, the subjective experience of leisure differs, with mothers rating 63 percent of their leisure activities as “very meaningful,” compared to fathers’ 52 percent. Fathers also report lower levels of stress and exhaustion during their leisure time compared to mothers, likely due to fewer interruptions and multitasking.
Parental Engagement and Shared Activities
American children spend around 2.5 hours daily with their fathers on weekdays and a more significant 6.2 hours on weekends. Nearly half of this time is spent in direct engagement—activities such as playing, eating meals together, shopping, or watching television side-by-side.
Fathers devote approximately 40 percent of their shared time with children to various forms of play. This includes casual activities like board games, outdoor games, and family streaming marathons. However, only a small fraction—around five minutes daily—is spent engaging in achievement-focused tasks like homework or reading.
On routine caregiving, fathers contribute notable time as well, averaging 27 minutes on weekdays and 51 minutes on weekends to tasks such as bathing and feeding. Additionally, fathers spend about 30 minutes on weekends running errands or getting involved in household chores alongside their kids.
Gaming and Online Entertainment Choices
Many stay-at-home dads incorporate gaming into their downtime as a way to unwind. Some opt for console or computer gaming, while others turn to mobile options for convenience. For instance, card-based games or strategy apps are common picks due to their accessibility and time flexibility. Among these activities, popular online casino apps are often a go-to, offering a mix of casual gameplay and competitive thrill. This category joins other hobbies like puzzle apps and trivia games as part of their entertainment routines.
Such apps are not always used in isolation. Dads sometimes include friends in these gaming activities through multiplayer modes or spend time trying their luck in virtual betting environments. This pastime seldom overshadows other forms of leisure but instead blends into a larger set of interests that include board games with family, occasional sports bets, and streaming shows during quieter evenings.
Education, Age, and Modern Trends
Parenting time trends show American fathers have increased the hours they dedicate to caregiving by about an hour per week over the past two decades, now averaging 7.8 hours weekly. Fathers with at least some college education are more likely to allocate more time to caregiving, playing, and education-focused activities with their children. These fathers spend more than ten hours weekly taking care of their children, two hours above the average for less-educated dads.
Children benefit from these differences, too. They reportedly spend more time socializing or engaging in significant activities when fathers have a higher education level. Conversely, kids with less-educated fathers may spend less time in these interactions.
Interestingly, father-child time tends to decline as the father’s age increases, with younger dads more active in outside-the-home activities. Fathers aged under 50, for instance, are likelier to spend recreational hours with their kids outside compared to older dads over 65.
By understanding these time use patterns and their context, there is a clearer picture of the stay-at-home dad’s evolving role—not as a novelty but as an enduring fixture in modern parenting.
