FIRST ANNUAL FUN REPORT REVEALS HOW WE GET OUR FUN
Based on robust research from a cross section of Canadian adults, the inaugural 2024 Fun Report reveals in detail what adults across Canada do for fun, how much time and money we spend on fun, and how it differs between age groups and the sexes.
Adults Surveyed
Total Data Points
Ways To Have Fun
The Fun Report is a yearly research project commissioned by online gaming brand PlayOJO and conducted by market researcher Global Market Insights.
Featuring analysis of 4200 survey responses across several countries, the report is a serious exploration of the many ways adults seek out fun in their daily lives, from how we choose to spend our leisure time to how social media influences those choices.
Every year, the report will provide an up-to-date snapshot of fun trends in Canada, identify changing preferences, and uncover differences between demographic groups.
Between January and March 2024, market research firm Global Market Insights conducted an online survey of 600 adults in Canada. The representative sample includes an equal proportion of adults from all age groups, starting from 18 to 24, up to 65 and over.
Design
The Fun Report is based on research from a primarily quantitative online survey, designed to gather data on consumer behaviour, preferences, and demographics. employed a straightforward data collection process, inputting survey responses into excel for analysis.
Sampling
Each national Fun Report includes responses from 600 adults, balanced by age and gender, to ensure we achieve a representative sample of the population.
Survey
The Fun Report online survey was live from 29th July to 4th September 2024, allowing sufficient time for diverse participation. The survey included both closed-ended and open-ended questions to gather quantitative data and qualitative insights and was pre-tested for clarity and relevance.
Analysis
Data quality checks were used to identify inconsistencies and incomplete responses, and statistical techniques including segmentation analysis were used to identify trends, correlations, and key insights, and understand differences among demographic groups and countries.
THE ANNUAL FUN REPORT
It’s incredibly easy for everyday routines and responsibilities to sometimes feel like they can suck the fun out of life, but it’s still important to find time to let loose a bit and enjoy yourself. A great way to do this is to take part in things that make you feel good, such as leisure activities. Given our mantra at PlayOJO is ‘feel the fun’, we wanted to take a temperature check of the nation’s attitude towards leisure activities and find out what’s bringing the joy.
We analysed everything from how often and how much people spend on leisure activities, to what brings them the most amount of joy. We’ve even looked at what Canadians like to do for fun on a first date.
Having fun and taking part in leisure activities helps to break up the monotonous cycle of everyday life, and also offers numerous benefits like reducing stress, and aiding personal development. Better still, people find that they even make new friends thanks to taking part in the activities that make them happy.
WHAT WE SPEND ON FUN
Leisure time is something Canadians are willing to invest in, with 1 in 4 spending between $150-$300 every month on leisure activities. With over 32 million adults in Canada, that’s $5-$10 billion a year! Even so, 40% of people carefully plan their fun to fit their monthly budget, compared with 25% who don’t mind what it costs. As expected, older people have more disposable income than young un’s, with 12% of over 65’s happy to spend over $450 per month, compared to only 4% of 18-24 year olds.
SOCIALISING AND MENTAL HEALTH ARE SIGNIFICANT ‘FUN FACTORS’
Cost, time and proximity are all important factors that determine how Canadians have fun, but the social aspect and mental health benefits topped our list of influencing factors. And social media influencers themselves came last! In Canada, almost 1 in 4 people find time for fun stuff every day. Only 2% of men will go a week without leisure time, while 6 times as many women would regularly consider a leisure-free week.
THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA
For most Canadians (54%), social media doesn’t drive their choice of fun, but there are still plenty of people – 20% in fact – that see an activity for the first time on social media and give it a try themselves. Yoga, running, cooking a new recipe and pickleball were popular on social media, and 8% of adults say they even tried axe throwing!
UNWINDING AFTER A STRESSFUL DAY
According to Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report, over a third or adults (35%) experience high or extreme levels of stress always or often in the past year and it can be hard to find ways to really relax and unwind after a particularly tough day. For many, all they want to do when they get home from a hard day in the office is lie down on the sofa and scroll through their phone, watch their favourite movie or TV show, take a long bath or shower and take part in low intensity activities such as yoga, Pilates and walking.
HOW WE FIND LOVE
Online dating is still a popular way to meet your perfect match, but singletons in Canada are finding new and interesting ways to find love offline. A pub quiz was the most popular pick (18%), with supper clubs (15%), running clubs (14%) and yoga classes (13%) other popular choices. The 18-24 crowd is up for anything – 30% of them thought rock climbing would be the best place to find a love match!
Unsurprisingly, a meal out (40%) and the cinema (30%) are the most popular 1st date choices in Spain. Men are 7 times more likely than women to suggest extreme sports as a 1st date (15% to 2%), with 18-24 years fancying a romantic bungee or a sky dive the most!
Conclusion
Having fun and taking part in leisure activities helps to break up the monotonous cycle of everyday life, but it also has a huge impact on our social, mental and physical wellbeing.
Whether it’s going for a run around your local park, trying the latest trend you’ve seen on social media with a friend or playing your favourite online game, it’s important to carve out time in your weekly schedule to have a bit of fun.