Depending on how you define a sport, you can determine the most popular sporting activities among children using a number of different participation surveys. Professional football, basketball and baseball are the most-watched televised sports by children, according to an ESPN survey. When it comes to participating in sports-related activities, however, U.S. Census Bureau rankings draw other conclusions, and data from National Federation of State High School Associations give a different picture entirely.
Swimming
Whether organized or just for fun, swimming is the most popular sports-related activity for children aged 7 to 17 years old, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. More than 8.7 million children 7 to 11 swam at least once during 2007, as did 7.8 million more in the 12 to 17 age group. Among high school-aged children, however, swimming and diving combined to rank 10th among participatory sports during the 2007-2008 school year, according to the NFSHSA.
Football
Football is the most popular high school sport among boys, with more than 1.1 million participating, according to NFSHSA figures. Competitive spirit squads, many of which perform at football games, ranks ninth for girls. Football came in at No. 15 for boys and girls aged 7 to 11 in the Census Bureau survey, and 10th among 12- to 17-year-olds.
Basketball
Basketball was the top sport for high school girls and second-most-popular for boys, attracting approximately 450,000 girls and 550,000 boys, according to the NFSHSA. It ranked fifth among 7- to 11-year-olds in the Census Bureau data, and second among children 12 to 17.
Track and Field
Track and field tied as the third-most-popular sport among high school boys and girls, with almost identical participation levels to basketball, according to the NFSHSA. Listed as running/jogging in Census data, this activity came in 11th among 7- to 11-year-olds and eighth among 12- to 17-year-olds.
Baseball/Softball
America's pastime was the fourth-most-popular sport among high school boys, and fast-pitch softball fourth for girls, according to the NFSHSA. Close to 480,000 boys played baseball; approximately 370,000 girls took to the diamond. Softball participation fell just below volleyball, the No. 3 sport for high school girls. Among 7- to 11-year-olds, baseball ranked seventh, with softball 17th. Among 12- to 19-year-olds, the Census put baseball 15th, with softball 20th.
Soccer
Soccer was the fifth-most-popular sport for high school boys and girls, according to the NFSHSA, with more than 380,000 boys and approximately 350,000 girls playing. The Census Bureau ranked soccer the fourth-most-popular activity for kids 7 to 11, behind swimming, cycling and bowling; soccer was 11th among 12- to 19-year-olds.
