Free and $10 park programs: which one applies where you live
Los Angeles has two separate parks systems, and which one serves you depends on whether your address is inside the City of Los Angeles or in unincorporated county territory. LA County Parks runs free drop-in afterschool programming; the City of LA charges about $10 a season for youth sports with waivers available.
- LA County — Every Body Plays
- Free, ages 7–17, weekdays 2:30–6 p.m., no registration
- Season
- 1 September 2026 through 21 May 2027
- City of LA — PlayLA
- About $10 per sport, waivers for households under about $91,000
- South LA-area county sites
- Athens, Jesse Owens, Ted Watkins, Roy Campanella, Magic Johnson, Ladera, Alondra
City of LA vs unincorporated county parks programs
Several of the highest-Black-share communities in Los Angeles County are not inside any city. View Park-Windsor Hills is about 70% Black. Ladera Heights is about 64%. Willowbrook, Athens and West Rancho Dominguez are all unincorporated too.
That means the County serves them, not the City. A parent in Windsor Hills who is told to sign up for PlayLA has been sent to an agency that does not serve their address — and most people, reasonably, conclude there is nothing available and stop looking. The free program that does serve them is Every Body Plays.
Every Body Plays: free LA County park afterschool
No registration, no fee, no income test. A child aged 7 to 17 can walk into a participating county park on a weekday afternoon. Programming includes coding labs, STEM activities, sports and homework help.
The county also runs Our SPOT teen centres at sixteen unincorporated sites, and Parks After Dark in the summer.
PlayLA: $10 youth sports and fee waivers
Inside the City of Los Angeles, Recreation and Parks runs youth sports seasons at about $10 per sport — judo is on the list — with fee waivers for households under roughly $91,000. This is registration-based, so there are sign-up windows.
Free and $10 park programs: who to contact
Choose the agency that serves your address or school. These are the contacts we have verified so far; coverage varies by area and enrollment.
For more information, contact City of Los Angeles Recreation & Parks — PlayLA.
City of Los Angeles recreation centers and pools. Ask the facility about youth sports registration, fees and waivers. This is a City program; unincorporated communities have County parks.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
Contact verified · Source
For more information, contact LA County Parks & Recreation — administrative office.
County-operated parks in unincorporated LA County. Ask to be directed to your local County park for youth programs. Confirm participation and schedules with that park; this is not the City’s PlayLA.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
For more information, contact Inglewood Parks, Recreation & Community Services.
City of Inglewood recreation programs. Ask about youth programs, fees, residency rules and any available assistance. City programs are separate from LA City PlayLA and County parks.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
Contact verified · Source
For more information, contact Compton Recreation Department.
City of Compton recreation programs. Ask about youth programs, fees, residency rules and any available assistance. City programs are separate from LA City PlayLA and County parks.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
Contact verified · Source
For more information, contact Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine.
City of Long Beach recreation programs. Ask about youth programs, fees, residency rules and any available assistance. City programs are separate from LA City PlayLA and County parks.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
Contact verified · Source
For more information, contact Carson Parks & Recreation.
City of Carson recreation programs. Ask about youth programs, fees, residency rules and any available assistance. City programs are separate from LA City PlayLA and County parks.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
Contact verified · Source
For more information, contact Gardena Recreation & Human Services.
City of Gardena recreation programs. Ask about youth programs, fees, residency rules and any available assistance. City programs are separate from LA City PlayLA and County parks.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
Contact verified · Source
For more information, contact Lancaster Parks, Arts, Recreation & Community Services.
City of Lancaster recreation programs. Ask about youth programs, fees, residency rules and any available assistance. City programs are separate from LA City PlayLA and County parks.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
Contact verified · Source
For more information, contact Palmdale Community Programs / Parks & Recreation.
City of Palmdale recreation programs. Ask about youth programs, fees, residency rules and any available assistance. City programs are separate from LA City PlayLA and County parks.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
Contact verified · Source
For more information, contact Lynwood Recreation & Community Services.
City of Lynwood recreation programs. Ask about youth programs, fees, residency rules and any available assistance. City programs are separate from LA City PlayLA and County parks.
Let them know you found them through Black American Homeschools.
Contact verified · Source
Free and $10 park programs FAQs
- How do I know if I live in the City of LA or unincorporated county?
- Your mailing address may say "Los Angeles" either way, which is what makes this confusing. View Park-Windsor Hills, Ladera Heights, Willowbrook, Athens, West Rancho Dominguez and East Los Angeles are unincorporated county. If you are unsure, the county registrar's address lookup will tell you.
- Does Every Body Plays cost anything?
- No. It is free drop-in programming for ages 7 to 17 on weekday afternoons at participating LA County parks, with no registration required.
- Is PlayLA free?
- Not quite — it is about $10 per sport season, and the City offers fee waivers for households earning under roughly $91,000 a year.
Facts on this page were verified 2026-09-12. Districts change operators mid-year and charters change their amounts — confirm with the agency before you plan around anything here.