I'm not sure if it is the economy or this group of parents but in my area there is a huge renewal of interest in enrolling children in sports or other activities. In little kids soccer this year, the league was twice the size as last year. In Girlscouts, evidently they have had about 30 new troops start in this region while last year it was about 20.

It is an interesting contrast to years before when they have thought about closing a lot of these activities down due to lack of interest. I know the high school football team last year barely had enough players to play and then hoped for no injuries since they wouldn't have enough to start. It has been this way for several years.

It is the same way here. I wanted to get dd started in girl scouts but there is a HUGE waiting list. Our YMCA had to turn away quite a few parents with their soccer this fall too.

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That's weird. In my area I'm hearing how programs are suffering because so many parents can't afford it anymore. My DD's cheer program was one such activity that suffered because of that reason. We even had one girl drop out mid-season because their family was losing their house and they couldn't stand the pressure to do extras like the fundraiser or the after-season party.

We're also having a problem because so many families are going back to being two-income households so the adults aren't signing up their kids because they can no longer transport the kid to the activity, are overwhelmed with time constraints (ie: too tired), and they can no longer volunteer to be coach or leader.

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I have been signing my kids up for things , for the past 15 years, since my oldest is 19 and youngest is 5 , it seems like forever!!
Anyway , I notice that every few years there will seem like a big increase in kids signing up for things , and more kids attending different events.
I just always attributed it too a bigger number of a certain age group that particular year. I don't know , maybe I am wrong , but like last year their were only 3 brownies in my daughters troop who were 2nd graders. Now this year there are 15 girls in her troop who are 2nd graders, and still there are only 3 3rd graders.