In the three years since The Harris Poll last asked Americans to detail their two or three favorite leisure time activities, things have remained the same, yet at the same time, changed. Topping the list of favorite activities are reading, TV watching and spending time with friends and family. While these are the same top three as in 2004, what has changed is the share of people who cite these as their favorites. In all three cases, the numbers have dropped. Over one-third (35%) cited reading in 2004, in 2007 that is down to 29%. TV watching has dropped from 21% to 18% and spending time with friends and family has dropped from 20% to 14%. Rounding out the top five leisure time activities are computer activities, which has risen from 7% to 9% and going to the movies, which has dropped from 10% to seven%.
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Americans activity by share of time spent, 1995-2007 |
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| Activity | 1995 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2007 |
| Reading | 28 | 28 | 30 | 27 | 31 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 35 | 29 |
| TV watching | 25 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 18 |
| Spending time with family/kids | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 17 | 20 | 14 |
| Computer activities | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 |
| Going to movies | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 7 |
| Fishing | 10 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
| Gardening | 9 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Walking | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Playing team sports | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| Exercise (aerobics, weights) | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Golf | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Church/church activities | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Listening to music | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Watching sporting events | * | * | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Shopping | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Socializing with friends/neighbors | * | * | 2 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
| Traveling | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Playing music | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Entertaining | 7 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Renting movies | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Eating out/dining out | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Hunting | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Crafts (unspecified) | * | * | * | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Swimming | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Camping | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Bicycling | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Outdoor activities | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | 3 |
| Sewing/crocheting | 7 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Relaxing | * | * | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Playing cards | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Hiking | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | * | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Housework | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Cooking | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Working on cars | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Boating | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Animals/pets/dogs | * | * | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Painting | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Dancing | 1 | * | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Horseback riding | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Sleeping | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Running | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Writing | * | * | * | * | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Bowling | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Motorcycling | * | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Woodworking | 1 | * | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Skiing | 1 | * | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Tennis | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| * less than 0.5% | ||||||||||
| Source: Harris Poll | ||||||||||