Sports leagues · winter 2026–27Des Moines · Iowa’s capital

Youth sports for kids under 6 in Des Moines: soccer, basketball, learn to skate and more.

Youth soccer, basketball and learn to skate leagues around Des Moines that take kids under 6, from each league’s own page, including Urbandale and West Des Moines. They’re sorted by what you can do right now: sign up, get ready for sign-ups, or see what’s already playing. Anything a league hasn’t posted says “Not posted”. We recheck every league twice a month.

The quick answersChecked
What can we sign up for now?6 leagues, including Johnston Urbandale Soccer Club soccer and Urbandale Parks and Recreation basketball.6Anything for under 2s?Not on this list. Most leagues here start at 2 or 3.0

Last checked · 12 leagues · Every listing links to its official page. How we choose

Find your kid’s league

Youth sports in Des Moines by age

Use your child’s age on the league’s cutoff date (it’s on each card when the league posts it). Filters apply to the whole page.

Registration open

Youth sports sign-ups open now in Des Moines

Open for registration today, soonest deadline first. Full and waitlist-only leagues stay at the bottom in grey.

Johnston Urbandale Soccer Club: 4U Discovery

Urbandale · Urbandale Soccer Complex

Sign up nowSoccerWith a grown-up
Ages4U, born 8/1/22-7/31/23
SpringNot posted
WhenMondays, tentatively mid-April to mid-May, 5:00-5:35 p.m.
Price$60 per season

Registration: $25 late fee on or after 01/31/2027 · Age rule: born 8/1/22 - 7/31/23

What it’s like: Five sessions of soccer play with coaches. A parent stays at the field.

Good to know: Spring registration is open. Dates are tentative, mid-April to mid-May, with no year printed. A $25 late fee starts on 01/31/2027.

Sign up on the league page ↗Checked Report a problem

Johnston Urbandale Soccer Club: 5U-6U Discovery

Urbandale · Johnston or Urbandale Soccer Complexes

Sign up nowSoccer
Ages5U born 8/1/21-7/31/22; 6U born 8/1/20-7/31/21
SpringNot posted
WhenSaturday mornings. 5U starts at 9 a.m. 6U starts at 10 or 11 a.m.
Price$100 per season

Registration: $25 late fee on or after 01/31/2027 · Age rule: 5U born 8/1/21-7/31/22; 6U born 8/1/20-7/31/21

What it’s like: Seven training sessions, then a 3v3 game. Co-ed or girls teams.

Good to know: Spring registration is open. Saturday dates are tentative, April 3 or 4 through May 15 or 16, with no year printed. No games on Easter or Memorial Day weekend.

Sign up on the league page ↗Checked Report a problem

Urbandale Parks and Recreation: DASH basketball tykes, ages 2–6

Urbandale · Urbandale

Sign up nowBasketball
Ages2-3 and 4-6
Ages 2-3Not posted
WhenSundays, February 21-March 14, 10:00-10:30 a.m. Register by February 11.
Price$65

Registration: Open now

What it’s like: Short basketball activities for coordination and fundamentals.

Good to know: Winter registration is open. The Sunday dates do not include a year.

Also: Ages 4-6: sign-up open

Sign up on the league page ↗Checked Report a problem

Urbandale Parks and Recreation: DASH volleyball tykes, ages 4–6

Urbandale · Urbandale

Sign up nowOther
Ages4-6
Volleyball tykesNot posted
WhenSaturdays, January 16-February 6, 1:00-1:45 p.m. Register by January 6.
Price$69

Registration: Open now

What it’s like: Passing, serving and hitting, mixed with games.

Good to know: Winter registration is open. The Saturday dates do not include a year. Volleyballs are provided.

Sign up on the league page ↗Checked Report a problem

Urbandale Parks and Recreation: DASH floor hockey tykes, ages 4–6

Urbandale · Urbandale

Sign up nowHockey
Ages4-6
Floor hockey tykesNot posted
WhenSaturdays, April 3-24, 11:00-11:45 a.m. Register by March 25.
Price$69

Registration: Open now

What it’s like: Floor hockey activities for coordination, skills and teamwork.

Good to know: Winter registration is open. The Saturday dates do not include a year.

Sign up on the league page ↗Checked Report a problem

i9 Sports: Soccer, basketball, flag football and baseball, ages 3 and up

Des Moines · Des Moines area

Sign up nowMulti-sport
Ages3 and up
Local leaguesNot posted
WhenOne day per week
PriceNot posted

Registration: Open now

What it’s like: One day a week, with practice before the game. No tryouts.

Good to know: The page says to choose a league today. It does not post dates or prices.

Sign up on the league page ↗Checked Report a problem

Mark your calendar

Sign-ups opening soon in Des Moines

Dates are from each league’s page. Spring T-ball and soccer usually post in winter; leagues that haven’t posted yet are at the end.

Dates not postedRookie soccer

YMCA of Greater Des Moines: Rookie soccer, ages 3–4

West Des Moines

Offered in the fall, with an occasional indoor winter season. No current dates or price are on this page. Kindergarten players are pointed to the youth league.

League page ↗
Ages 3-4Soccer
Dates not postedRookie basketball

YMCA of Greater Des Moines: Rookie basketball, pre-K and kindergarten

West Des Moines

A shirt is included. No dates or price are on this page.

League page ↗
Ages pre-K to kindergartenBasketball
Dates not postedYouth soccer

YMCA of Greater Des Moines: Youth soccer, ages 5–8

West Des Moines

No current dates or price are on this page.

League page ↗
Ages 5-8Soccer
Dates not postedSampler

YMCA of Greater Des Moines: Rookie sports sampler, ages 3–5

West Des Moines

The registration page said this program has no active session. Parents are encouraged to take part. No price is posted.

League page ↗
Ages 3-5Multi-sport
Dates not postedLearn to Skate

West Des Moines Parks and Recreation: Learn to Skate, ages 3 and up

$110 · West Des Moines

The registration page lists the fee and says there are 0 sessions.

League page ↗
Ages 3 to 99Skating
Dates not postedLearn to Skate clinics

Des Moines Parks and Recreation: Learn to Skate clinics, ages 4 and up

$12, or $10 for Des Moines residents · Des Moines

Dates are posted as Dec. 5 and 19, Jan. 9 and 23, and Feb. 6, at 10:30–11:30 a.m. The page does not print a year, so those days are not stored as dates.

League page ↗
Ages four and upSkating

By sport

Youth sports in Des Moines by sport

Every league on this page, grouped by sport. Tap one for its card with ages, dates and price.

Youth soccer in Des Moines

Youth basketball in Des Moines

Learn to skate and youth hockey in Des Moines

Before you go

Three things to check before you sign up

AgesThe cutoff dateLeagues place kids by age on a set date, not on sign-up day. When a league posts it, it’s on the card.
Grown-upsOn the field or on the sidelineSome programs for the youngest kids need a parent playing along. The card says “With a grown-up” when the league does.
DeadlinesSign-ups close earlyPopular time slots fill before the posted deadline. We mark “Waitlist” or “Full” when a league’s page says so.

Keep planning

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Good questions

Sports leagues in Des Moines: the FAQ

Johnston Urbandale Soccer Club (ages 4U, born 8/1/22-7/31/23; sign-up open); Johnston Urbandale Soccer Club (ages 5U born 8/1/21-7/31/22; 6U born 8/1/20-7/31/21; sign-up open); YMCA of Greater Des Moines (ages 3-4; next season not posted); YMCA of Greater Des Moines (ages 5-8; next season not posted). See youth soccer in Des Moines.

Yes: Urbandale Parks and Recreation (ages 2-3 and 4-6); YMCA of Greater Des Moines (ages pre-K to kindergarten). See youth basketball in Des Moines.

Urbandale Parks and Recreation: DASH floor hockey tykes, ages 4–6 (ages 4-6); West Des Moines Parks and Recreation: Learn to Skate, ages 3 and up (ages 3 to 99); Des Moines Parks and Recreation: Learn to Skate clinics, ages 4 and up (ages four and up).

Six, including Johnston Urbandale Soccer Club, Johnston Urbandale Soccer Club, Urbandale Parks and Recreation, Urbandale Parks and Recreation. Soonest deadlines are at the top of Sign up now.

Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Nov 11, 2026, and we recheck them twice a month. How we choose and check.

One short email, every Thursday.

One short email every Thursday evening with the best things to do with little ones in Des Moines that weekend.

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