UK: Game console usage children by age 2020

The use of games consoles for consuming media among children has seen a significant decrease in the United Kingdom from 2013 to 2018. Over the course of 2020, the use of gaming consoles fore media consumption in the UK increased over several age brackets then. In 2020, children aged between 12 and 15 years were the most likely to use a games console to consume media at home, with 89 percent doing so.

Devices used to consume media among children

Games consoles had been widely used by children to access various media types, but they have recently been losing popularity, along with the TV set; another medium used to consume media. In 2018, tablet devices overtook TV sets for the first time as the most common medium to access media among UK children aged 5 to 15.

Gaming in the UK

Time spent by children on gaming is constantly increasing. On average, 12 to 15-year-olds in the UK spend almost 14 hours a week gaming. Meanwhile, only 8 percent of UK adults spend between 11 to 15 hours per week playing video games.

Use of games consoles and players among children to consume media at home in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2013 to 2020, by age group

Characteristic	3-4 years	5-7 years	8-11 years	12-15 years
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Release date

April 2021

More information

Region

United Kingdom

Survey time period

2013 to 2020

Number of respondents

2,972 respondents

Age group

3-15 years old

Special properties

parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15

Method of interview

Face-to-face interview

Supplementary notes

* In 2013: n (3-4) = 685, n (aged 5-7) = 533, n (aged 8-11) = 587, n (aged 12-14) = 569.
In 2014: n (aged 3-4) = 731, n (aged 5-7) = 453, n (aged 8-11) = 609, n (aged 12-15) = 598.
In 2015: n (aged 3-4) = 688, n (aged 5-7) = 399, n (aged 8-11) = 492, n (aged 12-15) = 488.
In 2016: n (aged 3-4) = 684, n (aged 5-7) = 398, n (aged 8-11) = 503, n (aged 12-15) = 474.
In 2017: n (aged 5-15) = 1,388, n (aged 3-4) = 677, n (aged 5-7) = 412, n (aged 8-11) = 497, n (aged 12-15) = 479.
In 2018: n (aged 5-15) = 1,430, n (aged 3-4) = 630, n (aged 5-7) = 448, n (aged 8-11) = 497, n (aged 12-15) = 485.
In 2019: n=2,343.
In 2020: n (aged 3-4) = 782, n (aged 5-7) = 756, n (aged 8-11) = 694, n (aged 12-15) = 740.
Prompt: "I’m going to read out a list of different types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not use." Prompted responses, single coded.

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