On the surface, children’s activity clubs look like one of the healthiest parts of modern childhood. Football after school. Dance on Saturdays. Music lessons. Coding clubs. Swimming. Drama. A calendar full of opportunities that promise confidence, skills, and a well-rounded upbringing. Parents talk about them as investments. Experiences. Giving kids what they themselves didn’t have. But quietly, beneath all the colourful flyers and enthusiastic coaches, sits a powerful econom