Opinions on taking kids for a kick about on village green?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

Is it acceptable to take my kids to play football on our village green providing no one else is around (very quiet village), day for 30 minutes?

Isn’t it “use your common sense” yet again. We are lucky, 50 metres from us is a huge open space with 5 goal posts scattered around. Families can perfectly safely kick a ball around keeping much further than 2 metres from anyone else. People are considerate and move away if other people look as though they want the space.

In a smaller, busier space, it’s not safe or sensible.

aren't you allowed only 2 from each family out at one time?

Afaik you're allowed to exercise with 'members of your household'

I suppose it's possible police looking at specific situations might have reasons to break up groups even if they are all from the same household ... if the actual police rather than self-appointed ones tell you you're not behaving reasonably then don't argue the toss with them.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/pdfs/uksi202003500_en.pdf

For context - quiet remote village (only accessible by car, you can't wander in from another villages of maybe 75 houses, 2 fairly large greens nearby and plenty of walking space. Very quiet when out and about. So not zone 1 London (thank god)

Well our PCSOs cheered for DS when he scored a Goal against his Dad.

The priority is to ensure distancing, we're usually out an hour or two. Not every day.

The area is absolutely massive though.
4 x football areas
1 x Rugby and then more space around and between them.

We've explained to the kids that even if they do see people we know we can't go near them and they can't play.

We also add in 'warm up' drills so sprinting, star jumps etc.

Who is telling you stay home at all times fleamaker123
We are allowed outside ffs

I’m in Ireland @GlummyMcGlummerson
We went to the park yesterday with a football.. stayed away from others.. there were a few other families over the other side of the park (it’s a huge park)
There was no close contact with others. The police were walking around making sure this was the case.

People are losing their minds, desperate to police others. I’ll stick to government advice and listening to the actual police.

No one will die of you take your children to a green space with no one else around. Christ 🙄

There is no doubt that this is permissible as per the guidance (one exercise activity per day with your household group). Whether you choose to run, skip, hop, play football etc that's your prerogative. Nowhere have you stated you'll let others join in (why would they, everyone surely knows the rules?!). Of course you'll be careful and keep a safe distance if anyone walks/passes by in near proximity.

Yes. We are going out to do similar in the park near us this afternoon.

Of course you can. Far too many posters on this site are making up their own rules lately. The government have not said that we are only allowed to walk, run or cycle

Thanks all - I think common sense dictates it's fine, we will of course make way for anyone coming through and stay 30 minutes tops.

It is permitted. However I saw two families out, mums were keeping apart but the seven kids between them were running about together. That is not ok.
It's reasonable to be out there for an hour or so (though there has been no limit set - despite people quoting Mr Gove, his reply was a guide), and be mindful that other people may want to use the park for the same activity if it's not possible for more than one family to use it at a time.

Pipandmum
Gove said no when asked. He was very clear that it’s walking, cycling or jogging. Up to you what you do with that info...

I wouldn't personally

Children have started to die from this. I wouldn't go near somewhere like a park personally

@Mummyoflittledragon nowhere in the legal guidance does it say walking running and cycling are only permitted - Gove has not stated those are the only options either.

Seriously folks, it takes less time to google this information than it does to post misinformation on MN

I wouldn’t be that bothered if I saw it tbh, but as others have said walk, run or cycling has been made very clear - the reason it’s empty is because most people are sticking to that. If everyone did as you’re wanting to then this partial lockdown would be pointless.

@Hoggleludo it isn't a park it's a village green we cycle over every day anyway

walk, run or cycle, the rules are clear

No. That is not meant to be a definitive list. It's just been used as examples of exercise.

Families can of course go out together. You can't leave one child at home whilst you take the other out can you?!

Having a kick about is fine. There are people doing yoga, badminton, thai chi etc in my local park. Just give yourselves some space and obey the rules sensibly. The advice is one session of outdoor exercise a day - it's not limited to walking, running or cycling and it's not limited to one hour. Just use common sense!

The government have not said that we are only allowed to walk, run or cycle

Isn’t that what Boris Johnson said in his initial broadcast? Thats where I’ve got it in my head from. Happy to be corrected if I’m wrong.

Are there houses around it?

@Pinkblueberry no, he used walking cycling and running as examples

@SerendipitySunshine no, it backs up against a wall that separates the green and the woods. Houses across the road though

Not ok. Walk, run or cycle. The rules are clear
Oh for goodness sake those were suggestions, other forms of exercise are not prohibited!
We're using the green behind our house that our garden backs onto, private housing estate, we pay to have the greens kept by gardeners, no-one else uses it, ever. Another family were using the 'main' green on our estate yesterday when we cycled past, 4 young boys playing football, they weren't near anyone else, no harm done. Have seen others do the same but only one family at a time, presumably if someone was using it other families will come back later.

Cut and paste from official government guidelines ( hence odd format)

STAYING AT HOME
You should only leave the house for very limited purposes:
• shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as
possible.
• one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your
household.
• any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide
care or to help a vulnerable person.
• travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home.
These reasons are exceptions - even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent
outside of the home and ensuring you are 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your household.
These measures must be followed by everyone.
It makes it clear that run walk cycle are examples, not the only exercise you can do!

Read the legislation. The relevant lines are just:

6.—(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living
without reasonable excuse.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need
...

(b) to take exercise either alone or with other members of their household;

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/pdfs/uksi202003500_en.pdf

PCSOs were moving people playing footy/rugby off our local green yesterday. They said a small family group could quickly escalate into a large gathering.
Really frustrating, but if we all stick to the rules, we can get through this quicker.
Obviously the rules are open to interpretation. I didn't think taking my children for a kick about would be an issue, but am happy to abide by what we've been told. Well, not happy, but we'll stick to the walk/run/cycle.