Around 90 per cent of Australian children are spending 10 or more hours looking at screens each week, according to a new report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

This is nearly double the five hours children spend reading per week. 

“Our report looks at the activities that children are doing outside school hours. Screen-based activities are the most popular, followed by reading for pleasure,” ABS Director of Education, Training and Culture Statistics, Michelle Ducat said. 

"Screen based activities include watching TV, using the Internet or playing screen-based games (including playing games on consoles and activities via smart phones or tablets)," said Ms Ducat.

Moreover, the participation rate for reading for pleasure declined with older age groups, with 73 per cent for 12 to 14 year olds, compared to 80 per cent for 5 to 8 year olds. 

In addition, the report also found that 63 per cent of children are participating in a creative activity such as dancing and arts and craft. 

Children living in highest income households had a higher creative activity participation rate of 75 per cent, while children in the lowest income households had a considerably lower participation rate of 55 per cent. 

The participation rate for creative activities was also lower for older children with a 57 per cent participation rate for 12 to 14 year olds, compared to 67 per cent for 5 to 8 year olds.