kids pay or don't play Paying price: Jane Coles with her children (from left) Jessica, Max and Sarah. 'You want to do the best for your children,' she says. Photo: Mick Tsikas Children from affluent families are almost twice as likely to play sport at the weekend, while those from poorer families miss out and also get less physical activity each day. A new study into the income-related disparities in sport revealed few children from low-income families are involved in expensive sports such as swimming and tennis. The research by South Australian academic Carol Maher showed that children from low-income families got about 25 minutes less physical activity a day compared with children from better-off families. They were also playing half as much sport at weekends compared with children from high income families (23 minutes against 45 minutes). The University of South Australia study involved 528 children aged nine to 11, whose family income ranged from less than $20,000 to more than $140,000. Dr Maher said results had shown that factors such as club fees, supervision and uniforms were stifling access to sport opportunities for poorer children outside of school. "Some clubs require parents to be present for the duration of training sessions and games," she said. This ... probably disadvantages kids from lower income families as their parents are more likely to be shift workers and work in jobs that have inflexible work hours. A Smith Family research report released this month found that almost half of the country's most disadvantaged children do not play sport outside school. Professor of physical activity at the University of Wollongong, Tony Okely, said surveys done in NSW show that the level of physical activity of children from poorer backgrounds is plateauing, but not increasing at the same rate as those from wealthy families. He said children from low income backgrounds didn't participate in as much organised sport, particularly hockey, dancing and gymnastics. In private schools the value placed on sport is particularly high, said Professor Okely, as parents see it as an "aid to moral and character development." For kids that participate in multiple sports then the cost becomes even more of an issue. Low income families can probably only afford a single sport," Professor Okely said. Last year, the Bureau of Statistics found that 60 per cent of children in NSW between the ages of five to 14 participated in at least one sport outside school hours that had been organised by a school, club or association. Jane Coles, from Annandale, estimates it costs $4000 a year to send her two daughters to gymnastics . Her three children - Jessica, 11 Sarah, 9 and Max, 7 - practise almost every afternoon. The girls do rhythmic gymnastics four times a week, while their brother Max plays a mix of Australian rules football and indoor soccer and swims three days a week. "The time commitment can be overwhelming, but as a parent you want the best for your children," Ms Coles said. Dr Maher said there needed to be more focus on subsidising fees for children from low income families. "There is an increasing trend towards formal time-tabling of kids activities ... kids don't tend to have a kick of soccer at the local park any more," she said.