How much do you spend on kids sports/lessons a month or a year?

[mommyoffive]

I was just thinking about this last night as one of the kids asked me how much all their dance classes cost. 

 

 

[theelfqueen]

I spend $100 /month on karate, $130 per month on MMA/BJJ.

 

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[2ndGenHomeschooler]

We spend $185/month for our family of 6 for karate. That’s for three classes a week for me and two for everyone else.

 

ETA: We also have $20per person grading fees every three months potentially but we haven’t all graded at the same time since the very beginning. Usually it’s two or three of us each time.

 

We haven’t done any tournaments yet but plan to next year. That’s another $35 each four times a year.

Edited November 14, 2017 by 2ndgenhomeschooler

[4everHis]

$300/year. 1 kid volleyball, 1 kid baseball

[Miss Peregrine]

Approximately $300/month.

 

2 in biweekly piano lessons and one in club soccer.

Edited November 14, 2017 by Miss Peregrine

[Raifta]

Currently:

 

DD choir - $400/year (8 months) so about $50/month

DD Guides - $300/year approx (that's for registration fee, weekly dues and camp fees for 9 months), so about $35/month

DS Cubs - $450/year approx (again, reg fee, weekly dues, camp fees for 9 months), so about $50/month

 

This is a particularly slow session for us.  That was deliberate as we are trying to pay off debt.  In January we'll add piano which could be $80/month and swimming which is probably about $30/month.

 

Some years DD has been in 7 activities and DS in 3 or 4 so those years have been more along the lines of $600/month.  Yikes.  When I add it all together that's a lot.

[snowbeltmom]

About $700 per month for my D and $200 per month for my boys (Their schools supply them with everything except shoes and string, and their shoes last about a month before they get holes in the soles.)

[Hilltopmom]

Gah! I try not to add it up.

 

Teen dancer- 6 classes a week $300 ish a month plus costumes, tights SO many pairs of tights, shoes...

She helps teach a few too but that’s volunteer.

I can’t bring myself to figure the costs of shoes per year

 

Robotics kid- mostly just fees for hotels for out of town competitions a few times a year, they fundraise the rest

 

Preschooler has kindergym once a week $10 week

Edited November 14, 2017 by Hilltopmom

[Elizabeth86]

Well currently nothing as I am now anti-activities for small kids. I can save my money and time and watch my kids dig in the dirt, be silly and pick their noses at home. :lol: tball and soccer did not go over well for us.

[Jen500]

About $600/month-- 3 kids, lessons for 4 instruments and one plays basketball year round

 

That doesn't include all the extras like buying strings, music etc

[Hilltopmom]

Well currently nothing as I am now anti-activities for small kids. I can save my money and time and watch my kids dig in the dirt, be silly and pick their noses at home. :lol: tball and soccer did not go over well for us.

We did that for years! I didn’t want to drag little ones all over for years. They’re making up for it now ;)

[Amber in SJ]

I am going to regret adding this up

 

1 kid:  $190/ month TKD + $90/ month piano = $280

 

1 kid $100/ month TKD + $274/ month dance = $374

 

Total for both kids = $654/ month  

 

For just 2 kids.  We used to have 4 in activities :)

 

That is why I homeschool through a charter.  All of our instructional funds go to classes & field trips.  We live in one of the highest COL areas of the country on one income.  I don't know how we would manage otherwise.

 

Amber in SJ

 

Edited to add Scout camp $175/ year, YW camp $175/ year and $10-$20/ month on Scouting activities (camp out food, etc)

 

 

Edited November 14, 2017 by Amber in SJ

[freesia]

A lot of this depends on ages or kids. We spend a lot more now than ever.

 

Boyscouts  $250 per year, plus summer camp

piano lessons: $200 month for two

TaeKwanDo: probably around 300 a year through rec center

FLL:120 a year

Fencing: through co-op depends.  For 2 it was 160 this semester, not sure who will continue

Soccer: 125 for spring and fall soccer

Church music program: 100 for the year for our family (about  20 weeks of 3 hours of singing/guitar or drum lessons)

 

[edelweiss]

A lot.  Younger daughter dances ballet.  Her regular class fees are $475 a month.  Plus, she does private lessons.  She does one once a week with a teacher that charges $75/hour.  She does one once a week with a teacher that charges $45/hour.   She goes to summer intensives in the summer.  Those vary in lengths from 5-8 weeks and are not cheap!

 

Older daughter's activity makes younger daughter's dance look like a bargain.  Older daughter rides horses.  We own three horses and she does lessons on them weekly.  She also shows two of them competitively.  She is away at horse shows about 30 weekends a year.  I honestly don't even have a tally of all of the expenses for the horses and the showing. DH handles all of that, and I've told him not to tell me the costs because it would probably give me a heart attack!

[Wheres Toto]

For the 2 younger kids in TKD it's $188 per month.  That's the only sports thing they are doing. 

 

When my oldest was in high school and dancing, we spent WAY more on her dance than we have on anything for the younger guys.  But they don't have the kind of passion for something that she did.

[Guinevere]

Various activities, multiple kids $6-700 per month. That doesn't include gear and equipment, or other random associated costs. I'd like to put 2 more in music lessons, but that's another $230 each month, and we just can't right now.

[BarbecueMom]

For piano, violin, baseball, soccer, hockey, and incidental classes, divided between three kids, around $350-$375 a month. Includes equipment, instrument rental, skate sharpening, etc. Does not include one-off fun activities like open gym/skate or jumping park and educational outings.

[nixpix5]

Our charter pays for our piano, cooking classes, karate, art and musical theater thank goodness! Otherwise it would be a small fortune. Out of pocket we just have $225 per month for gymnastics for the three kids and about $300 per year for soccer.

[Selkie]

Golf lessons for ds - $400-500/month

Violin lessons for dd - $200-250/month

The horses that we own (four belong to my kids, two are mine) - an exorbitant amount that I have never added up  :ohmy:

[emmaluv+2more]

I'm going to estimate around $8000+/yr for 4 kids. My parents help some, and I don't always stick 100% to my budget, hence the estimate.

[kroe1]

Soccer was the cheapest for us, even travel soccer was not bad because the motels chosen for the team trips were normally a dive. Competition dance was the most expensive, but, I hear hockey and ice skating can be worse. As long as a family can afford it, sports and other extra-curriculars certainly have great benefits.

[Elizabeth86]

We did that for years! I didn’t want to drag little ones all over for years. They’re making up for it now ;)

I honestly would suck it up and do it if they enjoyed the activities, but we haven't found the thing for them yet. We will try again in a few years.

[teachermom2834]

We currently have one in dance at $179/mo.

 

Another has 4H as a main activity which does not have a monthly fee but he does attend a lot of events and conferences and that probably is about $700/yr in fees and related expenses.

 

Older two boys did sports which didn't have monthly fees but fees by season. The boy who did not do travel teams was not too expensive in fees but the gas to games, having to eat on the road when gone for very long periods of time, and being limited in dinner options being out of the house at night, etc. was still significant.

 

Our $179/month dance bill makes me cringe and I don't really think it is worth it. But we can afford it and dance is close to our home. The schedule is predicatable and manageable and does not force the gas and misc. expenses the sports did. So I have really learned to look at the whole picture of what expenses an activity incurs outside of the straight fee. In some cases, the fee is the least of the expenses.

 

(I do understand that competition dance can force those expenses but that is not what I am referring to and not in my dd's future)

[SKL]

I try not to think about it.

 

It varies a great deal depending on the sport.  Below is per kid.  (I'm not counting academic lessons or scouts.)

 

School sports - almost free.  I did have to buy one jersey last year; they probably won't need another one.  Come Jr. High it might cost more.

 

School band is $150/yr plus I bought each kid 1 used instrument and a lesson book.  Rough average say $25/month.

 

Rec center sports (we've done swim and soccer) about $$20-35/month per, plus we have a family rec center membership of $400/year so they can swim whenever, which I am not counting here.  This year we are not doing any rec center sports so I am not counting this in the total below.

 

Running - I pay entrance fees for races, so it can range up to maybe $70?/month for the one who runs.  But many months have no races.  Let's say average $30.

 

TaeKwonDo - I paid about $3,000 one time which takes the whole family through black belt.  Plus belt test fees and any gear and extras.  A rough estimate for our family is about $35/month.

 

Gymnastics - I think it is about $3,000 per year and one kid is more active, so it would average about $170 for one kid and $80 for the other kid.

 

Last but certainly not least is horse riding.  4 lessons a month would be $220, but it's more complicated than that.  :p  My eldest just takes weekly lessons and often has a scheduling conflict, so I'm gonna say $165/mo for her, plus minimal purchases of stuff.  The other kid is doing a half lease of a horse, and I don't even remember what that was, but it was a lot.  Was it $400 or $600, I dunno but somewhere in there.  Plus she has to purchase more stuff.  So I'm gonna say a rough $500/month but it might be more.  (We just started this and I don't know how long we'll continue it.)

 

So all together right now - kid 1 $325/month.  Kid 2 $640/month.  Counting only sports, $300 / $615.  Wow, that doesn't sound very good!

Edited November 14, 2017 by SKL

[Corraleno]

DD's gymnastics classes are $170/month (2x/wk rec class, no competition). DS's fencing classes (5x/wk) + private lessons are about $500/month, but that doesn't include equipment, shoes, uniforms, 3 week-long "intensives" per year, or travel to national and international competitions (last year we did 5 national and 4 international competitions, with an average of 5 days away per competition), all of which add up to more than the cost of lessons. But we're very lucky in that DS will be getting much of that back via an athletic scholarship ($120K over 4 yrs).

 

 

Edited November 14, 2017 by Corraleno

[alisoncooks]

$288/semester for homeschool PE class (2 kids, 1x a week).

$60/kid/sport if we do YMCA soccer or basketball. (We didn't this fall.)

 

We'd like to do more (martial arts, music, art) but it's just not affordable.

[Hilltopmom]

Ha, I forgot to count the private tap lessons the last few months. Oh well, good thing I got a job this year.

 

But- dance is her thing. She’s not gonna be a pro, but with the academic and mental health struggles she has had, I’d pay just about anything to keep her happy and right now, that’s dance.

[ScoutTN]

I think that the numbers don't tell the full story because costs can vary so much place to place. 

 

 

Piano is our big one, $300/month for two kids.

Scouts and AHG, $300 a year total, plus camp if they go.

Sports, $500 a year. 

 

[theelfqueen]

I didn't include scouts ... $200 each per year for general stuff, $1300 for sea base for Muppet Boy, $400 for camp for Sherlock... monthly events ranging from free lock in to $15 each for regular campout up to whitewater raft trips and ski trips. Plus gear.

 

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[prairiewindmomma]

$0

 

 

[mommyoffive]

I spend $100 /month on karate, $130 per month on MMA/BJJ.

 

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is MMA mixed Martial arts?  What is bjj? 

[mommyoffive]

I never added it up--too depressing. Piano ran about $30 a week per kid--sometimes 4 kids. Strings were $50 a week a kid--sometimes 3-4 kids. Unless we traveled out of town and then they were $100 for the hour. And 6 hours of driving, and dinner... 

 

High school sports were $100 a kid a season. Plus driving, suits, leos, goggles, t-shirts, hotels, food... Summer swimming ran about $500 a kid but my dad paid for it, plus food, hotels, driving, etc. 

 

Scouts ran about $1200 a year, but ds worked it all off. 

 

4-H? Well, don't even want to THINK OF IT! 3 new barns, llamas, LGDs, 100 sheep, 6 horses, fencing, new horse trailer, wear and tear on the big pickup, tack, worming, feed, new well, new heifers, brand inspectors, vet calls, entry fees, show clothes, registrations, shearers, and on and on.And then there were the shooting sports with rifle and archery. And cake baking and costume sewing. At least with the cattle and sheep we can EAT them!

 

Ha.  I thought 4-h was cheap! 

 

Was that scouts for one kid?  

[Guinevere]

is MMA mixed Martial arts? What is bjj?

Not elfqueen, but my kids do mma and bjj, too. Mixed martial arts, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

[mommyoffive]

Gah! I try not to add it up.

 

Teen dancer- 6 classes a week $300 ish a month plus costumes, tights SO many pairs of tights, shoes...

She helps teach a few too but that’s volunteer.

I can’t bring myself to figure the costs of shoes per year

 

Robotics kid- mostly just fees for hotels for out of town competitions a few times a year, they fundraise the rest

 

Preschooler has kindergym once a week $10 week

 

Fellow dance mom here.   I get it.  

[mamaraby]

Club soccer x3 kids minus tournament fees $1400/year for two seasons and winter training which includes any tryout fees and uniforms. Tournament fees for all three are probably around $200/yr or so depending on how many tournaments.

 

I was feeling like this is a lot, but I feel better now.

[lewelma]

Are you including music lessons? If so 😱. Both my kids take weekly violin lessons at 80 dollars/ hour. So 160 per week!! Accompanist is 70 per hour, so 4 times a year for concerts adds to an additional 500. And DS's music exam was 550 dollars this year. I started tutoring to pay for the music lessons!!

 

Luckily for me, swimming is 1.50 per lesson, badminton is 2.00 per lesson. Sports here are subsidized for kids through the clubs.

 

Ruth in NZ

[Insertcreativenamehere]

We spent about $500 last year for three kids.

 

That includes one season of basketball for one kid, summer and fall soccer for two kids and one session of homeschool gymnastics for one kid. 

 

We don't do traveling sports. 

[Heatherwith4]

For several years, all 3 kids did gymnastics, and it cost $150 or so a month.

Boy Scouts is around $100/year, plus some extra for camps, uniforms, and other equipment.

Girl Scouts is about the same.

Church youth group is free except we pay for camps and some special activities.

Then there is DD7 dance costs. :svengo: We pay about $100 a month for 2 classes a week plus her recital costumes are averaged in. However, there are performance fees, shoes, leotards, tights, picture fees, recital tickets, etc. It’s definitely the most we have spent on an activity, but it’s been very good for her so far, so we will see how it goes. :)

[edelweiss]

Golf lessons for ds - $400-500/month

Violin lessons for dd - $200-250/month

The horses that we own (four belong to my kids, two are mine) - an exorbitant amount that I have never added up  :ohmy:

 

I feel ya!  We own three horses and they are boarded. Just their board is about $1000/each horse per month.  And then you add in all of their tack and the many horse shows that my daughter travels to.   :scared:   Not to mention the vet bills, the farrier bills, the chiropractor bills, etc.... Yikes!!  I honestly don't know how we got in so deep with the horses!  I used to say that we would only lease and never own a horse.  Now we somehow own three!!

[Dmmetler]

$200/month for cheer, but that doesn't include uniform (about $800 this year because we had to get everything-that includes competition uniform, practice clothes, cheer shoes, warm ups, and competition makeup kit) or competition travel/hotel. There is no difference except for travel cost between regional and national level teams, but the Nationals teams typically have thousands of dollars in travel in a year, because most of their competitions are far enough to require flying.

[Seeking Squirrels]

Right now:

DD9 - $40/month for theater with ~$100 for the year of fees, costumes, etc... 

DD5 - $50/month for tumbling. She wears a lot of older DD's old leo's, so not much on extras for her.

 

But we significantly cut down from prior years. Last year we had:

DD9:

$35/month Highland dance plus $100/yr costume rental, ~50/yr competition fees, plus $60 shoes 1-2x/yr

$50/month tumbling plus leos

$80/yr soccer plus shoes and ball

DD5:

$35/month highland dance plus shoes

$50/month tumbling

 

I do want to add in piano. I keep waiting because I *could* teach them myself and intend to, but it never happens. Every time I think of the added cost of lessons I plan on starting myself, then after a few months of us not doing it, I start thinking of lessons again. And round and round I go. 

[scrapbookbuzz]

My two kids, both teens, are involved in tae kwon do, twice a week. The martial arts school charges $185/month for this, 

which is really reasonable actually. 

Edited November 14, 2017 by scrapbookbuzz

[tdbates78]

Ours isn't too bad compared to some of y'all! :)

 

Tumbling -$80 per month for one DD

Pottery - $78 per month for one DD

Homeschool PE - $30 per quarter x 2

 

And probably a few hundred per year for Brownie fees

[scrapbookbuzz]

Gah! I try not to add it up.

 

Teen dancer- 6 classes a week $300 ish a month plus costumes, tights SO many pairs of tights, shoes...

She helps teach a few too but that’s volunteer.

I can’t bring myself to figure the costs of shoes per year

 

Robotics kid- mostly just fees for hotels for out of town competitions a few times a year, they fundraise the rest

 

Preschooler has kindergym once a week $10 week

 

I don't blame you. Dance shoes are EXPENSIVE. I still have my pointe shoes that I only used for a few weeks a couple of years ago. Need to get back in shape so I can use those again!

[Kim in Appalachia]

I saw your topic question, and I thought to myself that if I add it up, I may cry.

 

Currently for the youngest, it's $90 a month for piano and $75 for tennis, but tennis ends up more.  There is summer camp, the racquets, team stuff, etc...

 

My middle son is currently the highest, with may somewhere around $400 a month, on average, for baseball.  That includes summer ball, fall ball, batting cage, lessons, extra sport training, and extra stuff for school.  It could be higher then that, but I really don't want to sit and add it all up.  

 

We used to spend it on swimming.  My oldest no longer does club swim, just swimming at school.  We spend money for that, but not a lot.  There is also some money for water polo.  But overall we now spend less than $100 a month on him, that includes suits and stuff. 

 

 

[theelfqueen]

is MMA mixed Martial arts? What is bjj?

MMA= Mixed Martial Arts, BJJ = Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

 

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[GoodGrief]

At our peak, with three daughters in various high cost activities (comp figure skating, dance, multiple musical instruments, comp soccer, swim team, skiing, you name it), it was easily a couple thousand a month. We're down to one in college (her costs are mostly covered) and one at home, who just does comp cheer and saxophone. Probably $300-400/month for her stuff, which seems relatively inexpensive.

[kbutton]

Hmm...

 

Choir/band for one and choir/music class for the other: @$300 per year x 2 = $600 

Piano for 2 and trombone for one: $45 per week x 40 weeks (rounding for days missed) = $1800 (DH also takes lessons, but won't include him in total)

Soccer one season, one kid, very low-key: @$35 

Saturday Enrichment (12 hours total, usually one session per year): @$200 for both (fees vary)

 

So, a little over $2600 per year. Only one activity requires substantial driving, and that is for six classes per year. All of the music activities are taught by friends who don't charge what their instruction is worth, honestly. They are exceptional teachers and keep fees reasonable. The piano teacher frequently gives us more than a half hour lesson without upcharging.

[Zinnia]

Sports run $150-300/season per kid. I have 3 that like to play all 4 seasons, but we took fall off to save money. Only one is playing winter, at $250 and minimal equipment costs (it is rugby). But if all 3 play even just 3 seasons, that's about $1800/year. This is all rec league/church league, non academy, non travel, teams

 

Choir is $200/semester for 2 kids. I allowed a 3rd to drop as he lost interest (he goes to school and has daily music instruction).

 

The 5 year old is begging for ballet. We will probably give her that for Christmas. That is about $50/month.

 

All told about $2500/year, and they are little (5-11).

Edited November 14, 2017 by Zinnia

[Zinnia]

We spent about $500 last year for three kids.

 

That includes one season of basketball for one kid, summer and fall soccer for two kids and one session of homeschool gymnastics for one kid.

 

We don't do traveling sports.

Church league basketball here is $175 for the season.