The categorization of occupation that is commonly used today in occupational therapy and science lacks an empirical foundation. There is no common definition or conceptualization, which limits the ability to understand and evaluate the impact of occupation on wellbeing. Research within this subject has been conducted with adults. Research about children and youths has mainly focused on specific occupational forms and/or diagnosis, and the aim of the study was to identify experience based categories of occupation from children’s perspective. Through qualitative interviews with 10 children aged 12-15, data were collected which were then analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Eight experience based categories were identified: occupations focused on manipulating time, experiencing enjoyment and satisfaction, experiencing boredom and tediousness, occupations which lead do deeper engagement, relaxation and recovery through occupations, basic occupations of everyday life, occupations on a continuum based on level of challenge, and self-identification through occupation. The categories shows connections to earlier research within the field. The presented experience based categories shows a possible way of understanding children’s experience of occupation. Further research is needed to confirm their relevance and if there is a connection to wellbeing.