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Original poster

How important is a garden once kids are bigger?

56 replies

KindergartenKop · 04/07/2021 11:37

We are trying to move house. Currently our garden is about 3x9m and it's not really big enough for my kids to play football in properly. They're 7 and 9. We want a bigger house too, and a quieter road. The problem is that all the bigger houses with bigger gardens are on busy roads. We've seen one fabulous house in a quiet road but the garden is only 5x9m and I'm concerned this isn't big enough. I'm also worried that if we compromise on the road for a bigger garden then in a few years it won't get used and I'll just have loads of work with maintaining it plus the noise of the road. Any advice? Thanks!

OP posts:
FindingMeno · 04/07/2021 11:39

Once they get older, the garden is really only used for parties.

Original poster
KindergartenKop · 04/07/2021 11:41

What is older? 11? Or 14?

OP posts:
MrsMaiselsRedCoat · 04/07/2021 11:42

I think garden size is more important when they're little. The older they get the less they want to be at home. I'd prioritise the house rather than the garden

MrsMaiselsRedCoat · 04/07/2021 11:43

Are you near a park? That would be more of a draw for dc than a garden

PaulGallico · 04/07/2021 11:43

I think your DC's are just getting to the growing out of the garden stage. We have a smallish garden (never big enough for football) but have a school field very near to the house which they used instead.

GinPink · 04/07/2021 11:43

We went for house over garden. We are in a quiet cul-de-sac and house is lovely. Garden is small but it's ok

Beamur · 04/07/2021 11:43

Yep. I only have a small garden, DD enjoyed it when she was quite little - we had a play house and sandpit that got a lot of use but once she'd grown out of those it was nice to have outside space but we'd always have to go elsewhere for games that needed more space.
She's in her teens now and will come out with me and sit/fire pit etc but it's not really somewhere she hangs out.

Caspianberg · 04/07/2021 11:46

I think a garden is always important with children. But to be able to play football in is rare and not needed, the park is perfect for that.

Garden for bbqs, children’s friends over, meals outside, reading outside, game of swingball, planting some edibles

womanity · 04/07/2021 11:46

They’re more likely to want to play in street than in garden - on bikes, scooters etc. So small garden/quiet road is much better.

Original poster
KindergartenKop · 04/07/2021 11:47

Small garden house is 10 mins from the park next to their primary school

OP posts:
30degreesandmeltinghere · 04/07/2021 11:47

Ime however big your garden is post secondary school if not before, dc want to be in the other side of your gate...

Jmaho · 04/07/2021 11:48

We have a similar dilemma right now. Moved from a 1930s semi with a massive long garden to a modern detached with a fairly small garden. We do have a trampoline which is pretty big and a grass area plus patio big enough for a big table and chairs and a sand table. I do often long for a bigger garden but realistically wouldn't move for another 5 ish years by that point eldest will be 17 and youngest 8 so not sure if they will even be bothered by it at that point! Although another reason is the kitchen is small too and any extension would eat further into the garden. But we have a lovely house, great neighbours and lovely quiet position on the road

Trayble · 04/07/2021 11:50

I'd vote for bigger house too. Let's face it gardens are for the most part almost unusable for about 6 months minimum due to the weather then add in all the summer rainy days it makes way more sense to do bigger house smaller garden in this country.

My dc's from about the age of 10 only came outside the odd time to shoot some basketball hoops, for bbqs or to sit out with friends.

RubyFowler · 04/07/2021 11:51

I agree. Garden less important once they grow. I'd put house and location above it on the list.

Original poster
KindergartenKop · 04/07/2021 11:52

Not sure it matters, but they are bouncy boys.

Argh it's so tricky!

OP posts:
MildredPuppy · 04/07/2021 11:55

We found you need a massive garden to ay football in witbout it involving kicking the ball over the fence a lot. Being close to a park is perfect for football.

Iove my garden for me. We eat put a lot. I love plants. The children (11 and 14) use the big paddling pool and play badminton and eat with us out there. But only in summer! We took a chunk of garden out to put a den with wifi in for them too.

Deadleaf29 · 04/07/2021 12:07

We have a small garden - big enough to have a couple of friends over to sit in or a paddling pool out but nowhere near big enough for football. It’s perfect as far as I’m concerned- there are three good parks within a ten minute walk, including one I can actually see from the upper bedroom windows. The council maintains the play equipment and the grass instead of me having to do it at home and the variety of climbing stuff is far more than I’m willing to buy for individual use. Their friends are often hanging out there too. Win all round.

Big gardens are fine but there are perfectly good alternatives, especially given U.K. weather means I barely set foot in it for 8 months a year. I’d always want some outside space, but it doesn’t need to be big and garden would be one of the first things I’d happily compromise on when choosing a house.

Original poster
KindergartenKop · 04/07/2021 12:15

It does rain 90% of the time, that's a good point.

OP posts:
Auntienumber8 · 04/07/2021 12:21

We have a decent size garden but a park is needed for proper football plus it wrecks your plants. There was a lot of football played in ours which was why we just had a lawn with shrubs and trees rounds the edge. DS is 20 now does do some passing and tricks still in the garden. But keeps the ball out of the borders. He played a lot of football in the park at the end of the road from about age 11.

GinPink · 04/07/2021 12:24

Is also take a smaller flat garden over a large sloped garden. We had a HUGE garden in our last house but couldn't use it because it was so sloped. Paddling pools etc weren't do-able

Standrewsschool · 04/07/2021 12:24

Our garden is 7m x9m. We really only use it for barbecues now, and somewhere nice to look at, and to feed the birds. Our kids kicked a football on a nearby grassy area.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 04/07/2021 12:29

very.
especially when friends are over: they play football, have parties, can sleep in the tent.
we have a seating are in the back with fire pit (the teenagers love it!), trampolines, a large hot tub, space for a gazebo, pub benches, swings & playhouse, patio and so on.
we also have some vegetable patches (square foot gardening) - the younger ones tend to it with DH.

There is so much to do for all ages and having a large garden was invaluable in lockdown.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 04/07/2021 12:34

btw our oldest 4 are teenagers and now that they can their friends are here all the time.🤣
I guess we made it too much fun and they love being here.
which is nice.

crimsonlake · 04/07/2021 12:41

I had two boys who are grown and flown the nest now. However, we had a large garden and they used it a lot in to their teenage tears. Huge football net which I hated, but they loved, huge trampoline, etc, all without fear of bothering neighbours. It really suited family life, however I am inclined to say deep down I think the layout and space of the house is more important as in the UK that is where you spend most of your time.

womanity · 04/07/2021 12:55

Small garden house ten minutes from park sounds ideal, as long as you’d be happy to let them go to park unaccompanied.