Report / industry research

2026 Outdoor Participation Trends Report: Executive Summary

Annual participation estimates track who takes part in outdoor recreation and how often.

Publication details

Author and publication date

  • Published

Research context

Population and methodology

  • Population United States outdoor-recreation participants, including a reported subgroup of children ages 6 to 12; ages 6 and older; child finding covers ages 6-12; United States.
  • Methodology Annual industry participation trend analysis; the public executive summary reports population estimates but does not provide the full sampling instrument.
  • Fieldwork 2025 annual participation period summarized in the 2026 report; interview dates are not listed in the executive summary

How to use this source

Evidence strength

Limitations Outdoor recreation is only one part of offline play, industry reporting limits methodological audit, and the report notes participants are going outside less frequently than in 2019.

Trace the claim

Extracted evidence

editorial inferenceeditorial inference

Outdoor participation among U.S. children ages 6-12 grew 5% to 22.6 million in the 2025 annual wave; this is a directional inference that another form of offline recreation gained participants.

Locator Executive summary, key trends list, children ages 6 to 12 finding.

Scope United States outdoor-recreation participants, including a reported subgroup of children ages 6 to 12; 6 and older; child finding covers ages 6-12; United States; 2025 annual participation period summarized in the 2026 report; interview dates are not listed in the executive summary.

Limitations Outdoor recreation is only one part of offline play, industry reporting limits methodological audit, and the report notes participants are going outside less frequently than in 2019.

Connected conclusions

Themes

Play & Belonging

Related insights

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