With a pleasant, sunny climate all year long and miles of coastline, San Diego, California, is an ideal location for outdoor activities and sports for kids. The city of San Diego's Parks & Recreation Department and various private organizations provide a range of indoor and outdoor sports for children with a variety of interests and abilities.
Water Activities
In a city that borders the wild Pacific Ocean, opportunities for water sports abound. While kids can take swimming classes at the city pools and race for the city's youth swim teams, there are other options available to them as well. The city sponsors water polo teams, and San Diego kids can take surfing courses or learn to scuba dive. Refer to the City of San Diego Parks & Recreation website to see local pool schedules and team information and to the San Diego Kids website for links to local surf and scuba classes.
Skate Parks
Does your child love to roller skate, inline skate or skateboard? Several skate parks are scattered around the city where kids can hone their skating skills. The city of San Diego's skate parks open every day, including holidays, at 10 a.m., and most close at dusk. Parks are unsupervised, and park rules require that children under the age of 12 be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. All skaters must wear elbow pads, knee pads and a helmet in order to use the skate park.
Tennis
Kids can play tennis at San Diego's many public tennis courts. Parents might opt to teach children themselves at tennis courts operated by the city Parks and Recreation Department, hire a tennis instructor or enroll their children in classes at a tennis academy. Follow the link in the Resources section for a list of San Diego's public tennis courts.
Baseball
There are a number of baseball, softball and T-ball leagues for children that operate in the San Diego area, like San Diego American Little League or the Clairemont Girls Fastpitch Softball League. Kids can get great exercise, gain pitching and throwing skills, and learn important lessons about working together as a team.
Soccer
Children ages 4 to 18 can play soccer in San Diego as members of one of several local chapters of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). As children age and their soccer skills improve, they can move up through the organization to more challenging teams and competitions. AYSO also offers week-long summer camps where kids can have fun while fine tuning their skills.
