Would you rather your kids played indoors than out?

Thanks Helen. Not much of a mystery!

I must admit, I read 'We've been asked' and immediately thought by who.

Why can't we know - because it may affect our answers?

Actually I prefer them to be outside when they can. We usually have so much rain that I like to take advantage of any dry weather at all.

Either.

I also think it's extremely odd that MNHQ don't know who is asking the question.

Outside. They tire themselves out and my house stays clean.

Outside. We try to get out every day. If they play inside they fight over toys. If they play outside they run around pretending to hunt for dinosaurs. No fighting and they wear themselves out. It's a win win situation.

Outside. ds needs to burn off energy, and the garden or the green opposite is the best place to be running round.
At the weekends we are out all the time.

Outside. Healthier and limited because of weather conditions, so seems more precious.

MNHQ, I also want to know who wants to know.

I prefer outdoors, but our garden isn't terribly safe at the moment and I can't spend all day every day at the park, so they spend more time indoors than I would like.

If my garden were safe, they'd spend most of the holiday outside.

Mine prefer to be out, they are 7 & 9, at the moment they just come in to be fed.

They enjoy the freedom of being out, lots of friends to play with and just seem happier in general to be outside

Sorry, pressed send to early!

What a funny question! Who thinks kids belong indoors?

Not me. Outside getting muddy/wet/covered in sand from the beach etc

Fresh air exhausts children like nothing else, as well as being active and healthy it's fun and easy to stimulate them.

I've brought two children up (now in their 20's) in a three bedroom 2nd floor flat. Fortunately the flat was huge but there was a communal garden. The Dc's rarely went out there so they mainly played inside. The area we lived in at the time had a rather dodgy reputation and I didn't want them to play outside anyway.

So I suppose it depends on awful lot on what is available and where . For us at the time inside was definitely better than outside

What a funny question! Who thinks kids belong indoors?

Not me. Outside getting muddy/wet/c

Happy to go with the flo

The question is oddly worded. A bit leading? But not in the expected direction, as others have noted.

Outside, definitely. Far easier to hose the mud off the DC than spend all day tidying and cleaning up after them.

Outdoors, in theory.

In practice, they often don't want to do anything active unless I'm outside running around with them. Which tires me out before them, and then I'm worn out and they're grumpy that I've stopped playing so soon!

Maybe less tidying up to do when they play in the garden (it's overgrown and not much cared for)... although I often discover things they've abandoned outside only after it's rained (toys, shoes, that kind of thing).

Outside. For my benefit as in the house stays tidy, i get peace and the fresh air tires them out. Win win for me.

Obviously everyone is going to say 'outside'. See my first post. We know it is the Right Answer.

Equally obviously Whoeveritis who has posed the question needs people to say they do feel it is unusual. Probably for a study/feature on Cooped Up Kids.

outdoor, every time! fresh air, more choice and imagination, easier to tidy up and tires them out more

But helen, you must know WHO asked?

I prefer to get her out and about, i dont let her play out on her own as it is not a suitable road and she doesn't have friends on this road either. She is 8.

Why?

Outside, although I live in Northern Canada where it can be -30 from October to April. It's a very dry cold though, so you can have fun outside for a little while if you're suitably dressed.