Would you go out and tell them off?

[Esgaroth]

We have a communal garden shared by us and four other families - it's often full of children but usually it's the children who live here and their friends/cousins/etc. There's a group of about 6 boys out there right now, probably aged about 9 or 10 and I don't recognise any of them. I think they're just roaming around because they go in other gardens too - presumably at least one of them does live in the neighbourhood but not our direct neighbours. I don't care at all about playing - it's not a private garden and I'm not territorial about it when it's just kids. But they're climbing all over our fence and jumping off it and I'm thinking it can't be good for it.

I don't want to be a miseryguts, but would you tell them off? Not meanly, just tell them to stop that? I'm in two minds because they're having fun and maybe it's not such a big deal to climb on a fence.

It's a standard wooden fence, quite sturdy, I suppose? But how much climbing can a garden fence take?

I would say something in a friendly way to them.

Of course you can tell them not to climb on it.

Be friendly, but it's fine to give them a reminder that other people's property matters.

Why not say something along the lines of..
' Hi, would you mind not jumping on the fence. I'm not sure how sturdy it is and I'd hate for you to hurt yourselves. Thanks lads'
Then maybe you could busy yourself in the garden for a bit and hopefully they will move on

Absolutely speak to them in a non confrontational manner. We have a similar problem and I ask them if they would be happy to live with the noise etc. They always say no!

Get the hose out.

We have a similar problem and I go out, ask if they are ok and I can get a feel for what I'm dealing with. If they haven't told me to fuck off at that point or if they are young, as in not big burly teens, I might say "oh are you helping me look after the grass, trees? usually something they appear to be mistreating" it's worked out ok so far and I've had nods and smiles and they immediately get down and start behaving.
I know you can't always say that type of thing as it depends on your residential area/nature of the children/other factors. On other occasions, a different group have been smashing my property with tree branches and I've had to yell out the window "no" sternly and they've all run off. Good luck with it OP whichever way you go about it.

They went off before I got a chance but it wasn't the first time so I doubt it'll be the last. I'll have a friendly word with them next time. They are probably too young to get mouthy I would say!