BOYS are more likely to play a musical instrument and be more adventurous, while girls are more inclined to dance, read a book and visit a museum, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
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The bureau's 2012 Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities survey, released yesterday, also showed that 90 per cent of children aged between five and 14 accessed the internet in the 12 months to April - 25 per cent more than in 2006.
The survey showed that one-third of children participated in at least one organised cultural activity outside school hours, with boys playing a musical instrument more than any other organised cultural activity.
About 53 per cent of all children visited a public library an average 15 times, while a third of Australian children had a mobile phone in April.
Launceston mother Lee-Ann Patterson said she was surprised by the survey's music content.
``In our family they are both music and movie buffs,'' Mrs Patterson said.
``Miranda really loves reading, but there are other things that are as important in her leisure activities besides just reading. It all depends on the individual and how diversified the environment is that you open your children up to.''
The survey also revealed that children were spending more time playing computer games and watching television, with the average child spending 15 hours a week glued to the TV. Of the 2.8 million children surveyed, 60 per cent participated in at least one sport in their own time.