"What are the kids into these days?"
It's a question that's vexed parents for generations. From slang terms to music to activities, parents are always trying to keep up with their kids' interests—and the same goes for sports.
There are always the staples—soccer and basketball come to mind—but what about the lesser known sports that suddenly spike in popularity like skateboarding in the '90s?
The Sports & Fitness Industry Association researched youth enrollment in sports over a three-year period to see which activities experienced the most growth, and the results might surprise you.
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10 Fastest Growing Sports for Kids
Written by
Scott Brown
10) Trail Running
1 of 21
Find a trail and run on it; seems simple enough. Trail running squeaked into the top 10 with 40.2 percent growth during the three-year period.
9) Roller Hockey
1 of 21
Anybody else get flashbacks of "D2: The Mighty Ducks" when they saw this one? Roller hockey topped trail running by a tenth of a percent, with a growth of 40.3 percent.
8) Squash
1 of 21
Really? Are these kids trying to squeeze in a game between investment meetings? According to SFIA, youth enrollment in squash grew by 43.6 percent from 2011 to 2014.
7) MMA for Fitness
1 of 21
Is your kid tough enough to train like an MMA fighter? Apparently more and more kids are up to the challenge, as MMA for fitness enrollment increased by 44.7 percent.
6) Rugby
1 of 21
Watch out football; youth rugby enrollment rose by 50.2 percent over the three-year period. How can kids not enjoy jumping into scrums and serving up banana kicks?
4) Triathlon (Non-Traditional/Off-Road)
1 of 21
Why participate in one sport when you could participate in three? With a participation increase of 72.3 percent, more kids are now swimming, biking and running their way to an active lifestyle.
3) MMA for Competition
1 of 21
While MMA for fitness remains more popular, kids are now taking their skills into the ring. MMA for competition grew by 73.4 percent between 2011 and 2014.
5) Boxing for Competition
1 of 21
It looks like more kids want to float like butterflies and sting like bees, as the sport of the late, great Muhammad Ali grew by 71.1 percent.
Adventure Racing
1 of 21
What kid doesn't love an adventure, especially a timed one? Adventure racing, which saw a 97 percent growth, is a multidisciplinary sport that involves anything from trekking, mountain biking, paddling, climbing and more.
1) Stand Up Paddling
1 of 21
Far and away the fastest growing sport for kids from 2011 to 2014, stand up paddling (SUP) participation grew 140.1 percent. It's like the standing desk movement, but for kayaking.
10) Trail Running
1 of 21
Find a trail and run on it; seems simple enough. Trail running squeaked into the top 10 with 40.2 percent growth during the three-year period.
9) Roller Hockey
1 of 21
Anybody else get flashbacks of "D2: The Mighty Ducks" when they saw this one? Roller hockey topped trail running by a tenth of a percent, with a growth of 40.3 percent.
8) Squash
1 of 21
Really? Are these kids trying to squeeze in a game between investment meetings? According to SFIA, youth enrollment in squash grew by 43.6 percent from 2011 to 2014.
7) MMA for Fitness
1 of 21
Is your kid tough enough to train like an MMA fighter? Apparently more and more kids are up to the challenge, as MMA for fitness enrollment increased by 44.7 percent.
6) Rugby
1 of 21
Watch out football; youth rugby enrollment rose by 50.2 percent over the three-year period. How can kids not enjoy jumping into scrums and serving up banana kicks?
5) Boxing for Competition
1 of 21
It looks like more kids want to float like butterflies and sting like bees, as the sport of the late, great Muhammad Ali grew by 71.1 percent.
4) Triathlon (Non-Traditional/Off-Road)
1 of 21
Why participate in one sport when you could participate in three? With a participation increase of 72.3 percent, more kids are now swimming, biking and running their way to an active lifestyle.
3) MMA for Competition
1 of 21
While MMA for fitness remains more popular, kids are now taking their skills into the ring. MMA for competition grew by 73.4 percent between 2011 and 2014.
Adventure Racing
1 of 21
What kid doesn't love an adventure, especially a timed one? Adventure racing, which saw a 97 percent growth, is a multidisciplinary sport that involves anything from trekking, mountain biking, paddling, climbing and more.
1) Stand Up Paddling
1 of 21
Far and away the fastest growing sport for kids from 2011 to 2014, stand up paddling (SUP) participation grew 140.1 percent. It's like the standing desk movement, but for kayaking.
About the Author
Scott Brown is a senior content editor for Active.com. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in Electronic News before working for FC Dallas of Major League Soccer for four years. Scott enjoys kayaking, reading and playing with his three dogs. You can follow him on Twitter, Instagram or Google+.