Middle class kids don't play out as much as working class children

We always played out, this was the 1970’s, there was very little traffic though so I do understand why people are worried.

On the expensive road I live in on so it would be classed as MC children did all play out. But there was a big bulge of children born within 5 years of each other from 2001 to 2006. Within 10 houses there were 14 children, it was a lovely time with hopscotch chalked on the pavements and people looking out for the children. Now the road has just two families with small children one lets their 6 and 8 year old out the front and it’s been lovely to see children out again, they do love a chat and are delightful kids, the other does not let them out the front at all. It also means I know their Mum and Dad as the children are friendly little souls, the Mum or Dad are always close by, leaving their front door open. I also grew up in a road that had a bulge of children born there was 21 of us within around six houses. Families were bigger back then.

Whereas I was out all day and my mum would holler from the bedroom window when it was time to go home. And I'd get a crack round the head if I was late.

I grew up in a naice village in the North East on a very middle class road (in fact it was an 'Avenue') and we were all out all the time.

Free roam if the street, the village, the River bloody Tyne (almost drowned in that more than once).

1980s kids of academics, doctors, architects etc

This sounds like my mother! To be fair she would never have said it to someone else so I don’t it was judgemental but rather her firm
belief that hanging around street corners led to kids getting into trouble and to be fair lots of the kids who did it left school early, didn’t go to uni, got pregnant early etc. there’s a bit of judgement coming from you too suggesting that it’s ridiculous too. Just different styles of parenting.

I agree. It's a shame because unstructured play is so important for children, you'd think middle class parents would be all over it.

Huh? So there needs to be a 'green' for it to count as playing outside? My kids still played out unsupervised with friends. Why does there need to be a 'green' for it to count? We don't live anywhere near a 'green' as I am sure is the case for a lot of children..not sure it makes a difference

Working class doesn't necessarily mean cash strapped though. I'm working class and my DS horse rides which isn't cheap but I can afford to pay for it.

TheYearOfSmallThings
I didn’t say I did it just seemed cliched but fair enough if that’s what they do (Ps lived in south county Dublin until college so hi!!)

I know the children and I know the families and I know what a tennis racket looks like, and I know what tennis club they belong to, and I know what schools play rugby in South Dublin and the girls show me their ballet. I can say with complete certainty that they are not doing street dance or martial arts, and although they play football for fun, they wouldn't be going to training or anything.

No idea why you would assume you knew the area better than I do.

One of my dd's friends Mum's very judgementally told me "No we don't do hanging out on street corners" when I asked if her 11 yo daughter was allowed to go to the park with my dd after school. There is definitely a judgemental element to why some people don't let their kids play out. It's a bit ridiculous when they are approaching secondary age to not allow them a bit of freedom.

I think you're right in general, but I do think it depends on the area. We live in a mixed but mostly middle class village in Derbyshire. I have three kids and all three of them have played out on the various little parks in the village from the age of about 7. I do think it's partly because of how many little parks there are here - it makes it easier to find a central space to play in. My friends boys, who are from a similar background but a village a few miles away, love coming here because the play equipment is so much better than in their village.

Roads also make a difference imo. This was a tiny village which has had lots of new development, so it only really has traffic coming or going, not through traffic. It makes it slightly more 1980s in terms of car safety.

I'm sorry but tennis, rugby or ballet? You surely don’t know this for sure, could be football or a martial art or hip hop- you can’t just pick what would be seen as posher pastimes!!

Being brutally honest here there's a huge social divide in hobbies here. The less well off kids do football, martial arts & street dance - those classes are much cheaper.

Where i live there's one road of council housing and the kids there play out a lot. Their homes are smaller, tiny flats, less room to play indoors, most have at least one adult not out at work so there are people to supervise. They do very few activities so have more time playing out. My road most of the parents work & the kids are at sports & activities after school, plus the houses are bigger with more space to play.

We're working class and my DS never "played out" the town centre is grim and full of drunks, the park is not much better. I didn't feel safe letting him.

YANBU. My parents area is now firmly middle class and although lots of children live near, you hardly see them unless they are coming home from teatime club and piano lessons at dinnertime or getting in the car for swimming or tennis class or rugby or ballet. If they play out it is with a parent and siblings, not with the neighbour children.
I'm sorry but tennis, rugby or ballet? You surely don’t know this for sure, could be football or a martial art or hip hop- you can’t just pick what would be seen as posher pastimes!! (But fair enough and sorry if you do see them with their gear for tennis or with rugby gear or tutus on, it just seems a bit … you know!!)

I live in a working class area. The kids all play out unsupervised from a young age. Not always safely either - there's often little kids stood in the road which is lined with double parked cars and popular with boy racers.

I don't live in the greatest of areas , children do play out though. There's 3 parks within 5ish minutes walk from our house and ds who is now in year 6 plays out most days now . Ds 13 was never a big fan of playing out but goes to the local youth club a couple of times a week

I'm well aware due to my job what can happen I see an awful lot of online grooming offences , never any stranger abductions where online grooming hasn't taken place though.

I remember being incandescent with rage (and I'm normally quite mild-mannered 😂), when during Covid after playgrounds were allowed to reopen, our local playground was taken over by a whole load of adult fitness fanatics who were obviously struggling with gyms still being closed. We had around 3 weeks of sharing the space with a bunch of huffy adult men clogging up the monkey bars doing pull-ups and leaving their mats and weights lying around and getting annoyed when the toddlers walked over them or tried to pick up the weights. Finally, enough people must have complained because the council eventually posted a sign on the gate reminding people that this was an area for children and asking them to refrain from these sorts of behaviours.

Even within spaces primarily intended for children, adults often seem to think that they have priority.

Garden size has a huge influence too. We bought our current house partly because the garden is big enough for a cricket net…and that’s where DSs can be found most afternoons after school (when not at swimming or Scout’s or yet more cricket). If DS1 (11) wanted to meet up with a friend out he’d be allowed but they’d rather be in our garden with a supply of drinks and the odd snack.

You are correct. We used to meet to play but then went to others houses else we were accosted by the retired peering out and terrified we may damage their front roses or told off for making too much noise.

It’s getting worse too imo. The estate I grew up on even has a security team now. It’s quite riotous for the community cohesion (half for/ half against) and group WhatsApp. Even the adults are accosted and grilled about their comings and goings . In a way it provides endless comical gossip. On the other hand it’s very dystopian sad. I wouldn’t want my children playing out when there are these unidentified men with an air of pseudo authority rolling around in fake police cars.

May we all live behind a ring door bell, behind smalls flimsy gates, behind an even bigger gate. Amen 🙏

Yes true I think. ‘Can do and so play out’ was a common doorstep call when I wa a kid.

when my kids went knocking for other kids to play out they often got a knock back from the mums opening the door.

I grew up in a very middle class estate - we all played out unsupervised. My mother still lives there and the kids don't play out at all anymore. So maybe it's generational as well as class.

mine are younger but thinking back to when I was young, I definitely wasn’t allowed to just hang around with no parental supervision at that age - but in someone’s garden that would have been fine if a parent was at home and taking responsibility. I think you need to get chatting to the other families - is there a local WhatsApp group? Try catching neighbours with kids the same ages to see can kids call around to yours/neighbours house. I hope your kids make friendships soon, moving can be an adjustment xx

Can’t agree with this. The only “kids playing outside” that I saw in London, were teenagers on scooters popping laughing gas canisters… Now we’re coastal, in quite cliquey area (all detached houses, not new builds) and there are genuine young children around, with balls or badminton or bikes.