A family is a community which forms a natural and unique environment where a person is born, develops and grows up. It is one of the reasons why it is an important object of research. Although there have been many changes in the functioning of families – some of them worrying – and even though a family encounters a lot of obstacles relating to children’s upbringing, a family remains a fundamental and the most important social group. Spending time together by family members has a special place in forming a family community. Leisure time is indispensable for a proper functioning of an individual in their social environment. Children need help mostly from their parents to be able to use their free time well. This is why one of the most important roles a family has to play is to teach free time management. New, changing living conditions of a family raise a number of questions. This thesis includes a report of research relating to participation of professionally active parents in organizing their children’s free time and provides answers to these questions: What are the current forms of spending free time by children and adolescents?, and Do members of families spend their time together and how? This research was conducted in Wadowice district.