Youth sports is now a $40 billion industry, and the average family spent $1,016 on their child’s primary sport in 2024, a 45% increase from just five years ago, according to Aspen Institute’s Project Play.
When I saw this number, I almost laughed. Last season, we spent $2,292 on extracurricular activities for our two boys, ages 6 and 8. And this just covered registration fees and uniforms. The real total we’re paying is far higher.
As a mom of multiple kids, I couldn’t help but feel that the cost of kids’ sports has become completely out of reach for many families. We’ve found ways to save, but it’s still a big commitment.
The costs add up quickly
Here’s how it breaks down for our family. In the fall, our youngest played t-ball, which had a $98 registration fee, our cheapest activity by far, though it didn’t include the cost of cleats, helmets, or bats. And have you seen how expensive bats are? Our oldest skipped sports last fall, so that gave us a bit of a break.
Both our boys are in Cub Scouts, a yearly commitment. Scouts costs $250 per kid annually, plus the cost of uniforms, which was around $117 for my youngest (my oldest wore his from last year). This totaled up to $617, and that doesn’t include the cost of camping trips.
Then there was winter basketball, which cost $166 per kid, for a total of $332 for our family over the seven-week season. Last winter, I also decided to broaden their horizons and signed my oldest up for piano at $140 a month and my youngest for musical theater at about $78 a month, for a grand total of $862.
It wasn’t always like this
These costs are a stark departure from the $20 youth soccer registration fee my parents said they paid for me when I was a kid.
When did kids’ sports and activities get so expensive? And what can parents do to offset the cost in an already struggling economy? I’m determined to find out and have been experimenting with cost-cutting strategies.
How we’ve saved money
While we certainly could save money by forgoing sports altogether, that wasn’t an option for us. Apart from providing physical benefits, youth sports help kids develop cognitive skills, improve academic achievement, and build important skills like concentration, attention, and better behavior. Those are benefits I’m not willing to give up.
So here’s how we offset costs for youth sports: I only allow my kids to participate in one sport and one activity per season. Cub Scouts is the one exception, since they only meet twice a month and it’s easy to fit into our schedule.
I buy uniforms, cleats, and bats secondhand whenever I can, which definitely helps save money. I’ve also scored cleats, balls, and other gear on our neighborhood’s buy-nothing Facebook page. I also make sure to pass along the gear that my kids have outgrown to share the wealth, pun intended.
Another thing I do to make things easier? Sign them up for the same sports during the same season. Not only does it cut down on drive time and practice nights for me, but it also helps save money. That’s because they can share or pass down uniforms, gloves, balls, and athletic clothing, such as baseball pants and golf clubs. And some sports offer sibling discounts, though it’s usually nominal.
Lastly, we skip summer sports and camps, the latter of which can cost hundreds a week, per kid. This doesn’t just save us money, it also gives us a much-needed break. Plus, I enjoy having a few weeks without carpool duties when I can hang out at the pool instead — at least until the fall season starts.
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