Recreation, play, and fun are not the preserve of humans; nearly
all creatures indulge in this to some extent. Play is essential
for the development of skills, the most basic of which are motor
skills in young creatures.
The choice of hours for recreation is for employees restricted
by the requirements of, and agreements with, the employer (working
time), and for students restricted by school hours. For people
with their own business it is also restricted by the requirements
of the work, such as the opening hours of the business based
on wishes of customers, laws, and customs.
The weekend is typically a time for recreation, perhaps (in
Judeo-Christian and Muslim cultures) because the Sabbath falls
on the weekend and the Sabbath is "the day of rest."
Holidays are also a common time for recreation.
Traditionally music and dance serve as recreation in many cultures,
as do sports, hobbies, games (playing) and tourism. Watching
TV and listening to music are common forms of recreation, or
rather leisure.