If you have 8/9 year olds and they play outside what time do they come inside?

[PlayingOutIsGoodButNeedToCompromise]

DC, aged 8, thinks 6.30pm to come in from playing out is to early. We tried DC coming in for tea at 5.15/5.30ish then going out again, but they’d either refuse to come in at all or eat one mouthful and declare themself full, we tried doing food right from school but again DC would refuse to eat or eat one mouthful so they could go out again so now we do food at 6.30 then bath and bed by 7.30. Friday and EO Saturday (when with me not their dad) I do food for 7pm and bed by 8pm.

The others all seem to go in between 7.30 and 11pm. But the children DC is playing with are aged from 4 up to 13.

I think 6.30pm is more than enough time aged 8 especially as they refuse food in that time but they’re starting to refuse to come in to eat and wanting to stay out with their friends.

This a new thing and started just before Easter Holidays so it’s new territory for me, I am pleased DC wants to play outside with friends but need to get the balance right. There’s also SN at play here (not ASD and DC is sensible but does push the boundaries and think everything is unfair).

So what time does your DC aged 8 or 9 (school Year 4) come in when playing out and is 6.30 early? I’m planning to extend the time by 15-30 minutes each summer until its around 9pm, and they’ll be able to go further than outside our house once they’re in Year 6. I also think 6.30pm is late for eating, especially as they've gone since 12.30 without anything.

Mine need to come in when it's time for dinner, which is usually anywhere from 7-8pm, but their friends usually disappear around 6-6:30 as they eat earlier than we do. So if they are outside after that, it's just in the garden as no one else to play with.

We live rurally though, so not like in an estate or a town. Friends are about a 1/2 mile walk across fields in various directions, so usually once they go home for dinner, unless it's summer and they are outside having a BBQ, they are home.

Son is 10 (y5) SN at play and just started playing out before Easter. Generally 630 here too

My girl has just turned ten and I like her to be in by 6:30 to 7 pm.

Give him a snack directly after school and let him out until 7? It's pointless to come in to eat and then go out again, games will carry on and it's not a lot of fun.

We never eat so early so by the time we are home from work or activities dinner won't be on the table before 7pm.

Depends which day of the week. She asks me what time she has to be home (and has a check in time as well, every 60-90 mins as they tend to be in a more open space than our road... shes 10 though)

My DD is 9.5 and during the school week it's 7. Just with the light nights. She comes in dinner shower pj's and does some school reading bed at 9. Friday and Saturday and holidays it's 8pm- 8.30pm very latest. Dark nights she doesn't go out at all. She may do the weekends that's it. She has a phone and I have Life360 on it too. X

@mindutopia I get the games carrying on bit hence why I moved evening meal to 6.30, they need to be in bed by 7.30 on school nights as we get up at 6.15 so any later than 6.30 and its pushing it into not getting enough sleep territory (due to the SN, I'm not judging parents who send their DC to bed later).

Plus I also have an earlish night due to work and need some downtime (single parent)

In the summertime, DS (10) can come in at 9pm at the weekend. He plays with the neighbourhood kids, some being around 7/8-years-old. Those children also come in at 8pm or 9pm in summer, or weekends.

8pm is the weekday time. Same as the younger kids here, tbh. DS will often go out before and after dinner.

Dark nights by about 5/6. This is the thing we all like least about the winter - being stuck indoors in the evening.

I am in full support! So lovely to see them come in flushed and tired after lots of lovely play outside. Makes bedtime a breeze, too.

Slightly older - my 10 yo is out till 930 on at weekends and 9pm on a school night.

When she was 8 - it would have been an hour earlier.

Could you push it to 7pm just for this last bit before the Summer ? I think we all need a bit less sleep with these light evenings and mornings

11 & 13 Ideally 6, but I sometimes let them stay to 630.

My 10 year old is in for dinner at 18:00 and then we do reading/times tables. He has to wait for me to finish eating before he does this so we avoid the one mouthful thing. I then get him in for 19:30, bed at 8. We are up at six most week days.

My 8yr old DD only plays out if I'm watching her. We live in a very nice area but sadly times have changed since we were kids! So I'm answer to your question about 6/6:30 is the latest I would agree to being out