From October 2021 to April 2022, 242 parents of children between 6 and 17 completed the survey. The mean age of the children was 12.45 years (± 3.23, range 6–17 years). Of those children, 123 (50.83%) were males, 119 (49.17%) were females, 137 (56.61%) were below 14 years, and 105 (43.39%) were 14 years and above. The mean number of hours these children played sports per week was 7.23 hours (± 6.3, range 0–45 hours) and 7.25 hours (± 6.2, range 0–35 hours) before and after COVID-19, respectively.
Table 1 details the distribution of sports participation across gender before and after COVID-19. The parents could multi-select the nature of their child’s physical activities, including gym class, school competitive, club non-competitive, club competitive, pick-up games, none of the above, and others. Additionally, they listed specific sports their child played, such as basketball, football, gymnastics, hockey, karate, skateboarding, skiing, soccer, swimming, volleyball, track and field, and others. Among the categories, children’s changes in participation in gym class (P = 0.0007), pick-up games (P = 0.0027), basketball (P = 0.0020), soccer (P < 0.0001), and track and field (P = 0.0290) were demonstrated to be statistically significant (Table 2). We found significant differences in the five categories: gym class is mandated at school, pick-up games are free play, and basketball, soccer, track and field are three types of organized sports. After the pandemic, 32 (13.22%) children ceased participating in gym class, whereas 10 (4.13%) children began participating. 27 (11.16%) children ceased to participate in pick-up games, whereas 9 (3.72%) children began playing pick-up games. 26 (10.74%) children ceased to play basketball, whereas 8 (3.31%) children began playing basketball. 23 (9.50%) children stopped playing soccer, whereas 3 (1.24%) children began playing. 4 (1.65%) children ceased to play track and field, whereas 13 (5.37%) children began playing track and field (Fig. 1).
Table 1
Distribution of Sports Participation Across Gender Before and After COVID-19
| COVID-19 | Demographic distribution |
Male (N = 122) | Female (N = 116) | Prefer not to say (N = 2) |
Gym class | Before | 97 (79.51%) | 97 (83.62%) | 2 (100.00%) |
After | 95 (77.87%) | 78 (67.24%) | 1 (50.00%) |
School competitive | Before | 27 (22.13%) | 21 (18.10%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 33 (27.05%) | 27 (27.05%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Club noncompetitive | Before | 17 (13.93%) | 26 (22.41%) | 1 (50.00%) |
After | 22 (18.38%) | 19 (16.38%) | 1 (50.00%) |
Club competitive | Before | 39 (31.97%) | 33 (28.45%) | 1 (50.00%) |
After | 38 (31.15%) | 39 (33.62%) | 1 (50.00%) |
Pickup games | Before | 73 (59.84%) | 69 (59.48%) | 2 (100.00%) |
After | 64 (52.46%) | 38 (32.76%) | 2 (100.00%) |
None of the above | Before | 5 (4.10%) | 7 (6.03%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 4 (3.28%) | 9 (7.76%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Other competitions specified | Before | 6 (4.92%) | 6 (5.17%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 4 (3.28%) | 10 (8.62%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Specific sports involvements | | |
Basketball | Before | 69 (56.56%) | 30 (25.86%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 60 (49.18%) | 21 (18.10%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Football | Before | 41 (33.61%) | 4 (3.45%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 41 (33.61%) | 4 (3.45%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Gymnastics | Before | 4 (3.28%) | 29 (25.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 4 (3.28%) | 25 (21.55%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Hockey | Before | 7 (5.74%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 5 (4.10%) | 1 (0.86%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Karate | Before | 14 (11.48%) | 4 (3.45%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 9 (7.38%) | 3 (2.59%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Skateboarding | Before | 12 (9.84%) | 7 (6.03%) | 1 (50.00%) |
After | 9 (7.38%) | 5 (4.31%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Skiing | Before | 16 (13.11%) | 10 (8.62%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 14 (11.48%) | 10 (8.62%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Soccer | Before | 45 (36.89%) | 28 (24.14%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 35 (28.69%) | 18 (15.52%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Swimming | Before | 25 (20.49%) | 30 (25.86%) | 1 (50.00%) |
After | 18 (14.75%) | 27 (23.28%) | 2 (100.00%) |
Volleyball | Before | 6 (4.92%) | 13 (11.21%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 8 (6.56%) | 15 (12.93%) | 0 (0.00%) |
Track and Field | Before | 10 (8.20%) | 4 (3.45%) | 0 (0.00%) |
After | 10 (8.20%) | 12 (10.34%) | 1 (50.00%) |
Other | Before | 25 (20.49%) | 37 (31.90%) | 2 (100.00%) |
After | 27 (22.13%) | 35 (30.17%) | 1 (50.00%) |
Table 2
Distribution of Sports Participation Before and After Covid-19
| Before COVID-19 | After COVID-19 | p-value |
No | Yes |
Gym class | No | 34 (14.05%) | 10 (4.13%) | 0.0007* |
Yes | 32 (13.22%) | 166 (68.60%) |
School competitive | No | 167 (69.01%) | 26 (10.74%) | 0.0858 |
Yes | 15 (6.20%) | 34 (14.05%) |
Club noncompetitive | No | 187 (77.27%) | 11 (4.55%) | 0.6831 |
Yes | 13 (5.37%) | 31 (12.81%) |
Club competitive | No | 147 (60.74%) | 20 (8.26%) | 0.5050 |
Yes | 16 (6.61%) | 59 (24.38%) |
Pick-up games | No | 110 (45.45%) | 9 (3.72%) | 0.0027* |
Yes | 27 (11.16%) | 96 (39.67%) |
None of the above | No | 219 (90.50%) | 10 (4.13%) | 1.0000 |
Yes | 10 (4.13%) | 3 (1.24%) |
Specific sports involvements |
Basketball | No | 135 (55.79%) | 8 (3.31%) | 0.0020* |
Yes | 26 (10.74%) | 73 (30.17%) |
Football | No | 188 (77.69%) | 7 (2.89%) | 0.7963 |
Yes | 8 (3.31%) | 39 (16.12%) |
Gymnastics | No | 203 (83.88%) | 6 (2.48%) | 0.3173 |
Yes | 10 (4.13%) | 23 (9.50%) |
Hockey | No | 233 (96.28%) | 1 (0.41%) | 0.5637 |
Yes | 2 (0.83%) | 6 (2.48%) |
Karate | No | 222 (91.74%) | 2 (0.83%) | 0.0578 |
Yes | 8 (3.31%) | 10 (4.13%) |
Skateboarding | No | 219 (90.50%) | 3 (1.24%) | 0.0833 |
Yes | 9 (3.72%) | 11 (4.55%) |
Skiing | No | 210 (86.78%) | 4 (1.65%) | 0.5271 |
Yes | 6 (2.48%) | 22 (9.09%) |
Soccer | No | 166 (68.60%) | 3 (1.24%) | < 0.0001** |
Yes | 23 (9.50%) | 50 (20.66%) |
Swimming | No | 172 (71.07%) | 13 (5.37%) | 0.1282 |
Yes | 22 (9.09%) | 35 (14.46%) |
Volleyball | No | 212 (87.60%) | 11 (4.55%) | 0.3458 |
Yes | 7 (2.89%) | 12 (4.96%) |
Track and field | No | 215 (88.84%) | 13 (5.37%) | 0.0290* |
Yes | 4 (1.65%) | 10 (4.13%) |
Other | No | 161 (66.53%) | 16 (6.61%) | 0.8618 |
Yes | 17 (7.02%) | 48 (19.83%) |
We assessed whether gender contributed to the five categories where children's participation showed significant changes (Table 3). Only female children contributed to the significant change in gym class participation (P < 0.0001) (Fig. 2). Both male and female children contributed equally to the significant change in pick-up game participation (P = 0.0290). Both male and female children contributed with varying impacts to the significant change in basketball participation (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0020, respectively). Both male and female children contributed with varying impacts to the significant change in soccer participation (P = 0.0075 and P = 0.0039, respectively). Only female children contributed to the significant change in track and field participation (P = 0.0027).
Table 3
Sports Participation by Gender Before and After Covid-19
| Gender | Before COVID-19 | After COVID-19 | p-value |
No | Yes |
Gym class | Female | No | 16 | 3 | < 0.0001** |
Yes | 24 | 76 |
Male | No | 18 | 7 | 0.6171 |
Yes | 9 | 89 |
Pick-up games | Female | No | 66 | 4 | 0.0290* |
Yes | 13 | 36 |
Male | No | 45 | 4 | 0.0290* |
Yes | 13 | 61 |
Basketball | Female | No | 84 | 5 | 0.0020* |
Yes | 14 | 16 |
Male | No | 51 | 3 | < 0.0001** |
Yes | 12 | 57 |
Soccer | Female | No | 90 | 1 | 0.0039* |
Yes | 11 | 17 |
Male | No | 76 | 2 | 0.0075* |
Yes | 12 | 33 |
Track and field | Female | No | 106 | 9 | 0.0027* |
Yes | 0 | 4 |
Male | No | 108 | 5 | 0.7389 |
Yes | 4 | 6 |
Furthermore, we assessed whether age contributed to the five categories where children's participation showed significant changes (Table 4). We divided children into preadolescent and younger adolescent (6–13 years) and older (14–17 years) groups. In Figs. 3 and 4, only older adolescents contributed to the significant change in gym class, pick-up game, and basketball participation (P = 0.0076, P = 0.0114, and P = 0.0009, respectively). Both preadolescents and adolescents contributed with varying impact to the significant change in soccer participation (P = 0.0201 and P = 0.0027, respectively). However, age did not significantly affect track and field participation.
Table 4
Sports Participation by Age Before and After Covid-19
| Age | Before COVID-19 | After COVID-19 | p-value |
No | Yes |
Gym class | < 14 | No | 18 | 7 | 0.0881 |
Yes | 15 | 97 |
≥ 14 | No | 11 | 3 | 0.0076* |
Yes | 14 | 52 |
Pick-up games | < 14 | No | 61 | 8 | 0.2008 |
Yes | 14 | 54 |
≥ 14 | No | 38 | 1 | 0.0114* |
Yes | 9 | 32 |
Basketball | < 14 | No | 75 | 8 | 0.3711 |
Yes | 12 | 42 |
≥ 14 | No | 45 | 0 | 0.0009* |
Yes | 11 | 24 |
Soccer | < 14 | No | 90 | 3 | 0.0201* |
Yes | 12 | 32 |
≥ 14 | No | 58 | 0 | 0.0027* |
Yes | 9 | 13 |
Track and field | < 14 | No | 122 | 8 | 0.0578 |
Yes | 2 | 5 |
≥ 14 | No | 73 | 1 | 0.0564 |
Yes | 2 | 4 |