While boys and girls typically spend 30 hours and 50 minutes at school, research by Center Parcs found they also tend to spend nearly eight hours per week at clubs and doing homework.
Speaking on Premier's News Hour, Christian childcare expert and author, Rachel Waddilove, said: "It's really easy to overpush children and for them to have too many things after school."
"It's really important that our children have time to wind down, have time on their own to relax, have imaginery play and all that sort of thing."
The study, which included 2,000 parents, also found the average youngster spends 37 minutes per week helping with housework.
Colin Whaley, marketing director from Center Parcs, said: "What has undoubtedly come out of this is the need for families - parents and children alike - to take time out to relax."
Dr Sam Wass from the Channel 4 television show The Secret Lives of 4 Year Olds was commissioned by Center Parcs to determine a recommended daily allowance of free time for children.
His result equates to three hours and 51 minutes of free time each day.
Dr Wass said: "Many parents are desperate to do the right thing for their children - we shuttle them back and forth from school, to football, to an after-school club, and then get them home and sit and ensure they do their homework.
"But research suggests it's much more beneficial for children if their time is not always so structured.
"It's the down-time, when there is not such much going on and the child has to entertain themselves, when they do their best learning.
Rachel Waddilove says a balance between work and play for children is important, adding: "I'm so thankful to my parents that I grew up with a strong work ethic and I don't think that does any harm at all but I think it's [about] having a balance.
"Obviously, you don't want children sitting around on screens - that's far more damaging really than doing after school clubs and things like that."
Click here to listen to Rachel Waddilove speaking with Premier's Alex Williams: