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Original poster

Big garden - how much do you + kids use it?

31 replies

Curlewwoohoo · 27/12/2023 20:57

If you've got a big(ish) garden, how much do you / kids use it? Particularly young secondary school aged kids. Weighing up if it's worth considering moving to get more out for space, in a couple of years time. Or if we will have passed peak playing outside ages... I would love a bigger garden myself in an ideal world, but we'd be financially better off to stay put.

OP posts:
CatherinedeBourgh · 27/12/2023 20:59

Our last garden we used lots and lots, all year round.

This one is a mud pit in winter, so doesn't get used until it dries out in spring. Gets used lots in summer.

We are outdoor kind of people, so appreciate being out of the house.

Lizzieregina · 27/12/2023 20:59

My Kids didn’t play much in the garden once they were past 6 or 7.

DelurkingAJ · 27/12/2023 21:00

DSs (11 and 7) are in it all the time (and have to be hauled in from the rain at times). Both are cricket obsessed and we have a net up in the garden…we bought the house partially to have a garden big enough for the net.

Original poster
Curlewwoohoo · 27/12/2023 21:41

It probably depends on the child, doesn't it.

OP posts:
CurlyhairedAssassin · 27/12/2023 21:56

Lizzieregina · 27/12/2023 20:59

My Kids didn’t play much in the garden once they were past 6 or 7.

Same here. I find the garden just another chore to keep on top of now for the most part, trying to fit it round working FT and cleaning the house too. Everything grows too fast for me to keep on top of how I'd like it then it stresses me out seeing it get out of hand.

So I'd say if you work FT and you want a large garden without a gardener, make sure you make it a low maintenance garden with lots of easy care shrubs etc

I'm sure I'd enjoy ours more once I retire.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 27/12/2023 21:57

I actually wouldn't move for a bigger garden. Bigger house I would. But bigger garden, no. Unless it enabled you to extend if you need more space and your current garden doesn't allow for it.

NotTheLastUserName · 27/12/2023 22:01

Past 11/12 not so much. Was fabulous when they were younger. Neighbours' kids, fat enough down the garden not to come whining at any little disagreement..they just sorted it out themselves. (I did need a football whistle to call them in). Now? As PP said it is now just a big chore rather than a benefit.

ThreeRingCircus · 27/12/2023 22:01

CurlyhairedAssassin · 27/12/2023 21:57

I actually wouldn't move for a bigger garden. Bigger house I would. But bigger garden, no. Unless it enabled you to extend if you need more space and your current garden doesn't allow for it.

I agree, and I love gardening! Realistically though if you've got enough space for young children to have a play and somewhere to sit/have a BBQ then I think that's enough.

FloweryWowery · 27/12/2023 22:02

As PP i see the garden as an additional chore and as i live in the suburbs of a northern English city rather than the south of France i spend less time in it than i might elsewhere.

Do you have places to walk/green space close to you? Is anyone outdoorsy?

wideawakeinthemiddleofthenightagain · 27/12/2023 22:06

14yo & 11yo have been out in the garden together for at least a couple of hours every day this holiday. I have been doing a lot of washing as a result!
Ideally, we would have a flat garden and then, in the summer, we could have one of those free standing pools as a paddling pool just doesn't cut it these days but they really miss having something to splash about it when it's hot.
We're trying to work out if we can have a bit of a re-design and get another seating area as, if they have friends over, they often want to sit & chat these days but don't want to sit & chat where I am!

Original poster
Curlewwoohoo · 27/12/2023 22:07

We've got enough room to have a bbq and sit and have some plants I've worked hard on and some rough lawn and a shed for bikes. No garage. We don't have space to kick a ball about, or have a basketball hoop, or have a trampoline, or for kids to bugger off down the garden!

If we were moving we'd also get a bigger house. I currently work from home in the living room. Would like a different space. And 6yo ds has a very small room, room for a single bed and about the same again, which might get difficult when he gets big. But a bigger house is a LOT more money and would triple our monthly mortgage costs.

OP posts:
SonicAllanKey · 27/12/2023 22:08

My 12 year old is out in our garden all the time. She was out in the tree swing until it was pitch black last night and the 9 year old goes in the trampoline in snow and ice as well as in good weather.

WaitingfortheTardis · 27/12/2023 22:09

Ours is used all the time, it also means we aren't so close to any neighbours which we feel is a big plus as we prefer to feel a bit separate.

TheChosenTwo · 27/12/2023 22:14

When they were younger they were out in it all the time. We had a big trampoline, swing set, slide, sandpit, water table, fun stuff.
now the youngest is 12 and the older 2 are adults, youngest is still out there most days kicking a ball in his goal, but we got rid of the other toys and equipment when we did the garden up.
Mind you everyone is out when we start Swingballdon in July 😂
They do still all use the garden but in a different way now.

mindutopia · 27/12/2023 22:15

Mine are 5 & 10 and we are all in it every day in spring through autumn. Like barely in the house at all at least half the year. Less so in the winter because it’s dark after school and work. But it’s the reason we bought this house and I love it.

Twoshoesnewshoes · 27/12/2023 22:17

My kids used it lots right up to leaving home.
they liked it as teens - bbqs and camping, fires etc.

Original poster
Curlewwoohoo · 27/12/2023 22:18

Dd would be out on a swing forever. Balls... I think we need to move... And in many ways I love my house! And it's so affordable!

OP posts:
RandomQuestionOfTheDay · 27/12/2023 22:25

We had a big garden when the DC were in primary school. They played in it a lot,so did all the neighbours’ children. We had a climbing frame and slide and swings, big paddling pool in the summer, a lot of football was played. (Not many plants survived!).

We moved when they were end of primary and we now have a small garden. They play football in local parks now anyway. They never go in our garden! So I’d definitely not look for a large garden for over 12s.

But the upside of a large garden is being further from neighbours, that’s the one thing I miss as we’re all a bit cramped with our small gardens on top of each other.

Grimbelina · 27/12/2023 22:30

My children (tweens) hardly ever play in our huge garden unless other children come over which was a surprise to us - we thought they would love it when we moved here 5 years ago. However, I do like that the neighbours are so far away!

Sundaefraise · 27/12/2023 22:34

I would say my garden was medium sized. Like a pp it’s a bog in winter, but in spring/summer we use it all the time. Even my teenager will come out and play badminton. We have pub benches that will seat 8-12 and entertain quite a lot too. But, I do love gardening so that’s more a hobby than a chore. Hard to weigh up whether it is worth considerably increasing your mortgage for though.

Xmasbaby11 · 27/12/2023 22:34

My 9 and 11 yo rarely go in our garden, even in the summer. They did more when they were younger but basically it's only when friends come over and they use the trampoline.

I do feel bad about it and think we could have encouraged them more - but I hate gardening and DH only does a bit here and there, so we really struggle, it's definitely more of a chore for us.

Nix32 · 27/12/2023 22:35

Use it loads and is big enough that we were able to build a cabin at the bottom. Hasn't taken away from the garden but has created a den for the kids. Means we can get away with having a smaller house

Lizzieregina · 27/12/2023 23:10

Someone mentioned a basketball hoop, and my kids DID play with that forever! But it was over the garage door, so not technically in the garden!

idontlikealdi · 27/12/2023 23:27

When the kids were small, all the time. Now they're 13 not so much. We have a metal stand and set pool that they'll use but last summer was pretty crap. I can't see them using it much next summer. Right now I'd prioritise and extra bathroom over a large garden

Gilead · 27/12/2023 23:35

When mine were teens they each had a patch that was theirs, two grew fruit and veg, one grew dahlias and fuschia and one grew herbs. They were out there all the time, either gardening, barbecuing (with supervision) with friends, swingball, badminton, that sort of thing. Home from school and straight out there if it was dry and warmish.