The Average Cost of Each Children's Sport: From Low Cost Playground Equipment to the Most Expensive Team Sports

She shoots, and she scores! Youth sports’ positive effects are bountiful and evergreen, thriving into adulthood. This can be a powerful opportunity for many children to develop healthy habits, grow confidence, build executive functioning skills, sharpen cognitive abilities, and establish a sense of community and belonging. Unfortunately, the cost of youth sports can be a major obstacle for families, especially if more than one child wants to participate. In fact, nearly 60% of families say youth sports are a financial strain. So what can be done? The first step is to gain awareness about the overall cost of kids’ sports. The team at Playground Equipment has created a guide to the most expensive youth sports and the least expensive youth sports to get you started:

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Children’s Sports Can Be Expensive. Playing on the Merry-go-Round at the Community Playground is Free

The average cost of youth sports for one child each year is $693. That can be hard for families to swing sometimes. But that doesn’t mean your kids can’t get outside and get active; go take a ride on the playground merry-go-round or swing on the commercial swing set.

What Is the Most Expensive Children’s Sport?

What sport is most expensive to play for children? According to data from the Aspen Institute of Play and the Utah State University’s Families in Sports Lab, the most expensive kids’ sport is ice hockey. How much does ice hockey cost per year? Ice hockey for children costs an average of $2,583 per year, with the most significant costs being travel ($829) and equipment ($389).

Here are the top ten most expensive youth sports:

Youth ice hockey annual cost: $2,583
Youth skiing/snowboarding annual cost: $2,249
Youth field hockey annual cost: $2,125
Youth gymnastics annual cost: $1,580
Youth lacrosse annual cost: $1,289
Youth tennis annual cost: $1,170
Youth bicycling annual cost: $1,012
Youth golf annual cost: $925
Youth swimming annual cost: $786
Youth martial arts annual cost: $777

Why is ice hockey so expensive? Ice hockey is a full-contact sport, so abundant safety equipment is essential, especially for growing brains and bodies! Beyond the ice hockey equipment cost, ice hockey travel costs can really add up: Since hockey rinks can be limited, students may have to travel far for access to time on the ice.

What Is the Most Affordable Children’s Sport?

What are the most affordable youth sports? If the cost of youth sports is an obstacle, you should know that there are plenty of fun, fulfilling options for low-cost kids’ sports. The cheapest children’s sport on average is track and field, mainly because the equipment is cheap, travel is minimal, and registration is affordable. That does not mean it’s not worth pursuing, of course — the benefits of track and field are plentiful, including endurance, mental toughness, healthy long-term habits, confidence, stress relief, and improved sleep.

Here are the top ten cheapest youth sports:

Youth track and field annual cost: $191
Youth flag football annual cost: $268
Youth skateboarding annual cost: $380
Youth cross country annual cost: $421
Youth basketball annual cost: $427
Youth wrestling annual cost: $476
Youth football annual cost: $485
Youth soccer annual cost: $537
Youth volleyball annual cost: $595
Youth softball annual cost: $613

Are Youth Sports Worth It? Is it Better Than a Childhood of Freeplay on the Outdoor Playground Equipment?

If your child is itching for more than freeplay on the community park playground equipment and is eager and willing to pursue participation in a youth sport, the cost can be balanced out by the countless benefits that playtime, exercise, teamwork, and games have to offer! Here are several of the incredible benefits of youth sports that can set them up for success and happiness and resonate through the rest of their lives:

According to Health.gov, 73 percent of parents believe that sports benefit their children’s mental health. The mental health benefits of children’s sports include lower rates of anxiety and depression, lower amounts of stress, higher confidence, reduced risk of suicide, less substance abuse, fewer risky behaviors, increased cognitive performance, increased creativity, and more! Check out the official government Benefits of Youth Sports article that was developed by the President’s Council of Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition’s Science Board.
Regular physical activity helps build and protect healthy bones, muscles, and joints. It also helps control weight, reduce fat, and prevent the development of high blood pressure.
Adolescents who participate in sports are eight times more likely to be active at age 24.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 88% of parents believe participating in youth sports benefits their child’s physical health, 83% stated it gives the their child something to do, 81% stated it helps their child learn about discipline and dedication, 78% stated it helps their children learn how to get along with other people, and 73% said it improves their child’s mental health. The benefits of participating in a youth sport earn shining marks across the board!
An American Journal of Public Health study found that kindergarten students who enjoyed opportunities to develop and practice social skills during play graduated from high school and college more often.
According to the University of Missouri Health Care, it is a misconception that participating in youth sports distracts student athletes from schoolwork. The opposite is true! Sports require repetition, focus, memorization, determination, and learning — skills that translate directly to the classroom.
So do sports improve grades? Maybe. A recent study by the University of Kansas found that high school athletes were ten percent more likely to graduate over classmates who never participated in sports.

We believe every child deserves to get to play their own way. So what can be done to make youth sports more affordable and accessible? Here are some further resources to explore on low-income sports programs, youth sports fundraising, and more:

How to Get and Keep Your Kids Playing — Project Play by the Aspen Institute
Youth Sports Grants — All Kids Play (501(c)(3) nonprofit organization)
Every Kid Deserves a Chance to Play Sports — Every Kid Sports (national 501(c)(3) and GuideStar Platinum Transparency-awarded nonprofit organization)
Sports Matter — Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation (501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation)
The Ultimate Guide for Sports Sponsorship Grants — LeagueSide
Sports Fundraising Ideas That Work — DonorBox
The National Youth Sports Strategy — Health.gov
Play for All — Good Sports (501(c)(3) organization)
Leveling the Playing Field — “LPF redistributes equipment to expand access and equity within youth sports and recreation programs in under-resourced communities.”