Minisčítání 2025: From Smartphones to AI Tools – Insights into Children’s Everyday Lives

The Minisčítání conducted by the Czech Statistical Office provides fascinating insights into the lives of Czech children. It shows how much digital media, games, and AI tools shape their daily routines – but also how they read, play sport, and spend their free time.

As part of this year’s Minisčítání (Mini Census), the popular educational project of the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ), almost 84,000 pupils from around 1,100 schools and 5,500 classes participated – a new record in the initiative’s history. The project introduces children and adolescents aged 9 to 15 to basic statistical knowledge in a playful way.

The current survey clearly demonstrates how digital media dominate children’s everyday lives. Children most often spend three hours online daily (22 %), while around a fifth spend more than five hours per day on the internet. Online games are particularly popular among boys (44 % vs. 12 % for girls), while girls mainly use the internet for listening to music (19 %). The most popular social networks are Instagram (16 %) and TikTok (14 %). In terms of video consumption, YouTube leads clearly with 46 %, followed by TikTok (23 %) and Instagram (16 %). Already nine out of ten children have used AI tools at least occasionally.

Children read less – mobile phones and digital media ever-present

Book reading varies strongly by age and gender: a fifth of children did not read a book last year, with a quarter of boys and a third of 15-year-olds not reading at all. More than ten books were read by 12 % of children, with 20 % of nine-year-olds reaching this number. Only 2 % of children do not own their own mobile phone; even before starting school, nearly a quarter already had their own device.

In terms of physical activity, children spend an average of 2 to 3 hours per week on sport (35 %), with 17 % training more than seven hours. “The results of Minisčítání show that computer games, videos, social networks, and AI tools are natural for children and strengthen their digital skills. Interest in traditional information media such as books and magazines has clearly declined. Physical activity and sport still bring enjoyment to the youngest,” comments Marek Rojíček, President of the Czech Statistical Office.

Interesting trends also emerge in sleep patterns and leisure activities: 9 % of children go to bed after midnight, while the majority go to sleep between 8 pm and 10 pm. Sleeping outdoors has been experienced by 28 % of boys and 24 % of girls; almost two-thirds have spent a night in a tent at least once.

Minisčítání has been a successful project of the Czech Statistical Office since 2010. In 2025, the survey was conducted for the sixth time. The full results are available online (CZ) and allow comparisons between regions, districts, or according to selected criteria. For the first time, teachers can also access methodological materials developed in cooperation with experts.