Czech families face rising costs for children's extracurricular activities

Rising costs for children's extracurricular activities are placing significant pressure on family budgets in the Czech Republic. According to a survey by the Czech Council of Children and Youth (ČRDM) involving over 200 providers, nearly three-quarters of organizations have increased their prices. Specifically, 41% of providers have raised prices for all their activities, while 33% have increased prices for at least some of their offerings.

Price hikes typically average around 5%, though some sports activities have seen increases as high as 15%. These rises are attributed to higher costs for energy, rent, equipment, and instructor wages. The financial strain has forced more than a quarter of parents to limit their children's sports activities, and 8% of children have stopped participating entirely. An analysis suggests that without financial assistance, 22% of surveyed families would be unable to afford any organized leisure activities for their children in 2025.

In response, the 'Darujeme kroužky dětem' (We Give Clubs to Children) project has launched a campaign to support children through individual donations. The Czech Council of Children and Youth offers vouchers to help families, providing up to 1,500 CZK per child per half-year, with special support of up to 5,000 CZK annually available for families in material need.