Photo description: Teenagers are chilling and looking at their phones on a bench in Oranjestad

What do young people like to do in their spare time?

In 2020, the most popular leisure activity among young people on Bonaire was gaming. Gaming was also popular on Saba, as was spending time outdoors with friends. On both islands, boys were significantly more likely to play video games and sports than girls. They also met up with friends outside more often. On Bonaire, girls were more likely than boys to be engaged in creative activities. No figures are available for St Eustatius on this subject.

On Bonaire, 43 percent of 11 to 17‑year-old pupils in secondary education (VO) or secondary vocational education (MBO) reported that they often spend their spare time gaming. They were also relatively likely to do sports (37 percent), be engaged in creative activities such as playing music, drawing or doing crafts (35 percent) and meet up with friends outside (30 percent). 16 percent of the young people indicated they often do volunteer work in their spare time, there was hardly any difference between boys and girls in this regard. Boys (61 percent) were more likely to play video games than girls (26 percent). They also played sports and met up with friends outside relatively more often. Girls, on the other hand, were more likely to be engaged in creative activities: 39 percent, versus 31 percent of boys.

    Leisure activities of VO and MBO students on Bonaire (11 to 17 yrs), 2020 (% often)
    Activity Total Boys Girls
    Gaming 43.2 60.6 25.5
    Play sports 37.0 48.5 25.5
    Engage in creative activities 34.8 30.6 39.1
    Meet up with friends outside 30.5 36.7 24.2
    Meet up with friends at home 24.5 26.2 22.7
    Do volunteer work 16.0 16.8 15.1

    On Saba, 54 percent of young people between the ages of 11 and 18 reported that they often meet up with friends outside. This makes it a popular leisure activity on the island, just like gaming (53 percent), playing sports (52 percent) and being engaged in creative activities (48 percent). Similar to Bonaire, boys were significantly more likely to play video games and sports than girls were. They also met up with friends outside or at home more often. As for creative activities, there was hardly any difference between boys and girls on Saba.

    Leisure activities of VO and MBO students on Saba (11 to 17 yrs), 2020 (% often)
    Activity Total Boys Girls
    Meet up with friends outside 53.8 59.6 46.3
    Gaming 52.7 71.2 29.3
    Play sports 51.6 63.5 36.6
    Engage in creative activities 48.4 48.1 48.8
    Meet up with friends at home 23.7 26.9 19.5
    Do volunteer work 15.1 17.3 12.2
    61% of boys in VO and MBO on Bonaire and 71% on Saba often game in their spare time Buitenvorm Binnenvorm

    Spare time

    For a number of activities, including meeting up with friends, playing sports, being engaged in creative activities, gaming and doing volunteer work, the students were asked how often they do this in their spare time. The response categories were: often, sometimes, never.

    More information (Dutch only) on secondary and secondary vocational students up to 18 years of age and their time use

    Colophon

    This web publication was developed by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) in cooperation with Textcetera The Hague.
    If you have a question or comment about this publication, please contact us.

    Disclaimer and copyright

    Cookies

    On this website, CBS uses functional cookies on this website to allow proper functioning of the site. These cookies do not contain personal user data and have minimal or no consequences for your privacy. In addition, CBS uses analytical cookies to track visitor statistics, including the number of page views, which topics users are searching, and how visitors reach our website. The purpose is to gain insight into the functioning of the website in order to improve your user experience. We minimise traceability of visitors to our website as much as possible by anonymising the final octet (group of eight bits) of each IP address. These data are not shared with other parties. CBS does not use tracking cookies. Tracking cookies are cookies that track visitors during their browsing of other websites.

    The functional and analytical cookies have minimal or no consequences for your privacy. In accordance with current regulations, these cookies may be placed without prior consent.

    More information (in Dutch only): https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/telecommunicatie/vraag-en-antwoord/mag-een-website-ongevraagd-cookies-plaatsen

    Explanation of symbols

    Empty cell figure not applicable
    . figure is unknown, insufficiently reliable or confidential
    * provisional figure
    ** revised provisional figure
    (between two numbers) inclusive
    0 (0.0) less than half of unit concerned
    2016–2017 2016 to 2017 inclusive
    2016/2017 average for the years 2016 up to and including 2017
    2016/’17 crop year, financial year, school year etc., beginning in 2016 and ending in 2017
    2004/’05–2016/’17 crop year etc. 2004/’05 up to and including 2016/’17

    Due to rounding, some totals may not correspond to the sum of the separate figures.

    About CBS

    Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

    In a society where the amount of information is growing explosively, free access to reliable and integral data is crucial. As the national statistical office, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) provides reliable statistical information and data to produce insight into social issues, thus supporting the public debate, policy development and decision-making while contributing to prosperity, well-being and democracy.

    CBS was established in 1899 in response to the need for independent and reliable information that advances the understanding of social issues. This is still the main role of CBS. Through time, CBS has grown into an innovative knowledge institution, with continuous adoption of new technologies and developments in order to safeguard the quality of its data and its independent position.

    CBS in the Caribbean Netherlands

    Statistics Netherlands opened an office on Bonaire in 2010. The Bonaire office is responsible for all statistics referring to the three islands of the Caribbean Netherlands: Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, compiling statistics about prices, population, labour, income, the economy, tourism and trade.

    Publications can be found in the dossier Caribbean Netherlands.

    StatLine

    StatLine is the database of Statistics Netherlands. Statistics Netherlands offers a wealth of figures about the economy and society in the Netherlands and Caribbean Netherlands, freely available as tables, graphs of maps.

    If you have any questions, or can’t find what you’re looking for, please contact us:

    Statistics Netherlands

    Bulevar Gobernador N. Debrot 67, unit 9 | Kralendijk, Bonaire

    Telephone number +599 717 8676

    Email: caribischnederland@cbs.n

    Please find us on Facebook

    Contact

    Should you have any questions or need more information, please contact us.