Definition of Leisure, Play and Recreation

Leisure as state of mind

Leisure depends on a participant's perception. Perceived freedom, intrinsic motivation, perceived competence and positive affect are critical to the determination of an experience as leisure or not leisure.

Leisure as activity

Leisure is a set of activities that people engage in during their free time-activities that are not work oriented or that do not invovle life maintenance tasks such as housecleaning or sleeping.

Leisure as time

Leisure is time free from obligations, work (paid and unpaid) and tasks required for existing (sleeping, eating)

Play

Play is imaginative, intrinsically motivated, nonserious, freely chosen and actively engaging. Play is typified by spontaneity, joyfulness and inhibition and is done not as a means to an end but for its inherent pleasure.

Recreation

Recreation is an activity that people engage in during their free time, that people enjoy, and that people recognize as having socially redeeming values. The activity performed is less important than the reason for performing the activity, which is the outcome.