Do Children Have a 'Third Place'? A Survey of 500 Parents of Elementary and Junior High School Students

Atam Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Atsushi Miyazawa; hereinafter "Atam Academy"), which operates an online illustration school, conducted an awareness survey regarding "children's third places" targeting 500 parents of elementary and junior high school students, and ranked the data. A "third place" refers to a location outside of the home and school where individuals feel a sense of connection with others and find comfort. It is gaining attention that having a third place positively impacts a child's psychological development. Recently, Atam Academy, the operator of the online illustration school, carried out a questionnaire targeting 500 parents of elementary and junior high school children concerning "children's third places." The results were summarized in a ranking format. Dr. Kazumi Ehara, a specialist of the Japan Pediatric Society, provided an analysis regarding the survey results. [Request regarding the citation and reproduction of data] When using the survey results and images from this release, please ensure to include a link to the "Atam Academy" URL. [Survey Overview] Target: Parents with elementary and junior high school children Period: May 8 to 11, 2026 Agency: In-house survey Method: Voluntary online responses Valid responses: 500 (411 women / 89 men) Respondent age groups: 20s: 4.2% / 30s: 42.2% / 40s: 46.4% / 50s and older: 7.2% [Survey Results Summary] - 95.8% of parents believe a third place is necessary for children. - The No. 1 third place for children is "extracurricular activities/lessons." - The main benefit of having a third place is "being able to be oneself." - The skill felt hardest to develop in communities limited to just school and home is "communication skills." 95.8% of parents think a third place is necessary for children Out of the 500 parents surveyed, those who answered "I think a third place is necessary for children" reached 95.8%, combining "strongly agree" (50.2%) and "somewhat agree" (45.6%). The vast majority of parents believe that children need a place of belonging outside the home and school. The No. 1 third place for children is "extracurricular activities/lessons" The overwhelming No. 1 third place for children is "extracurricular activities/lessons" (50.2%), accounting for half of the total. This is followed by "grandparents' house" in 2nd place (15.2%) and "online games" in 3rd place (7.4%). Although many answers point to "a physically different place from home and school," there were also answers like "online games," and the No. 1 ranking of extracurriculars also includes "online lessons." This shows cases where even if a child is physically at home, their mind is in their third place. It suggests that the concept of a third place is diversifying. - "Programming classes and a soccer club." (Male, 30s) - "The sports club they attend after school has become a third place for my child. Because they can interact with friends and adults different from school, it seems to help them switch gears mentally." (Female, 40s) - "They love Kendama, so they found an English teacher online who also teaches Kendama. They've joined circles through Kendama connections and seem to be gaining experience interacting with different age groups." (Female, 40s) Extracurricular activities gather children from various schools and grades, and instructors interact with them differently than parents or school teachers. It is a place to engage with members separate from school or family, under rules unique to that activity. When their favorite thing or strong suit is made into a lesson, it builds connections with people who share that passion, making it easier to form relationships. - "Grandparents' house. From my perspective, it's my husband's family home, but for the child, it's the home of their kind grandpa and grandma." (Female, 40s) - "A prefab detached from the grandparents' house. They live in the neighborhood." (Male, 50s+) A characteristic of the time spent with grandparents is that "it offers the security of being close to home, yet with a distance and set of values different from the parent-child relationship." From the survey responses, it is clear that while being spoiled by kind grandparents and relaxing in a different environment from home, it becomes a place where children can free their feelings. Because they are blood relatives, some voices noted it as "a helpful third place that parents can confidently rely on." - "The community on online games played with friends on weekends."