The aim of this study is to investigate the socioeconomic situation of families on physical activities of 10-12 years old students of Kermanshah city. The present study is qualitative. Data collection has been done through focus groups; 26 focus groups including 182 male students from 18 elementary schools in two social classes of high and low socioeconomic status were interviewed in 2012 in three main areas: 1. The way parents encourage students to do physical activity, 2. Parents' participation in physical activities and 3. The type of physical activity that students undertake. Data were coded and analyzed through Nvivo software (version 2.01). The findings indicate that the socioeconomic situation of family plays a significant role in children' physical activities. Students from both high and low socioeconomic status reported that their parents encourage them to do physical activity, however, the way they encourage them was different. Parents of high socioeconomic status usually encouraged their children through active and non-verbal methods and those from low socioeconomic status used verbal method to encourage their children. Furthermore, parents of high socioeconomic classes participated in physical activities more often. Students of high socioeconomic status usually participated in organized sports and students from low status usually participated in unstructured sports. Planning for families leisure time, reducing costs of sport clubs, developing and encouraging free games through building parks… play significant role in increasing students' physical activity.
