No place like home

Abstract

There is a need for serious study of home-based leisure, and of the theoretical and methodological issues posed. Over half of leisure time is spent within the home environment, but there is little evidence concerning the choice of the home as a leisure centre or the social constraints which limit out-of-home leisure opportunities. An analysis of the structure and meaning of homebased leisure in relation to routine domestic tasks is required to challenge traditional concepts of ‘leisure’ developed in the context of outdoor recreation. The concepts of ‘home’, ‘family’ and ‘leisure’ need to be developed in terms of role, function, structure and meaning.