Children participating in roller skating or skateboarding in England 2011-2018

2014 to 2016 were the years with the highest proportion of children in England rollerblading/skating or skateboarding. In two annual survey over seven percent of kids between 5 and 15 years participated in these types of sport at least on a monthly Basis. 2017/18 had the lowest outcome for 5 to 10 year olds, with only 3.3 percent stating that the skated. As for adults, roughly 71,600 people in England go skateboarding on at least two occasions per month.

Football and swimming most popular among children

Half of 5 to 10 year old children go swimming and about a third play football on a monthly basis. As they grow older, this shifts to roughly half of 11 to 15 year olds playing football and close to third swimming. In this age group they also get more involved in a variety of other sports, such as gymnastics, basketball, dodgeball, rounders, rugby and plenty other types.

Competitive sports

As of 2018, approximately 72.1 percent of 5 to 15 year olds have participated in a competitive sport in or outside of school. The setting in which 11 to 15 year old children take part in competitive sports is most prominently in physical education or games lessons, followed by organized groups at school, a sports team or as a member of a sports club.