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Original poster

Do your children play outside?

98 replies

Frockandahardplace · 23/04/2019 09:30

When I was a child, I played outside all the time. I was either at the park or at my friends house round the corner. My parents always knew roughly where I was but not exactly and I was always home by the time I was told. Now, I live rurally in a small village with my husband and DD9. Nobody seems to send their kids out to play. Whenever I invite a friend over for DD, they’re going out for the day/ on holiday/ having family time. Kids don’t seem to just be sent out to play any more and my DD is bored with no one to play with. We deliberately moved here because we thought this would be a great place to bring up kids but now we’re thinking of moving because of this. Is this the same everywhere or have we just been unfortunate?

OP posts:
ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets · 23/04/2019 10:33

We live on a new build estate, back off the mai n road a bit. DS and his school mates are all allowed out to play and go to the park etc.
However, there are no busy roads, school parents have a WhatsApp group so there's always a 'x y and z are in the park FYI' and if some end up at another's house we always message to let each other know.

Some of the kids have got tracker watches from Amazon, which look really good.

WatchingTheWheels85 · 23/04/2019 10:35

No mine don't play out. We live in pembrokeshire out of town we go out every day of the holidays and on weekends. We live at the beach in the summer. I also don't have children over for playdates or allow mine to go to other people's houses. I won't take any chances and we have no friends or family. This is because I had an awful childhood and yes it has made me very overprotective but it has also made me completely spoil my children they definitely don't miss out by not playing outside.

Babuchak · 23/04/2019 10:39

WatchingTheWheels85
that's a bit of an over reaction! Even in big families kids still like to have friends around - and I mean families of 5, 6 or 7 children. It's important to develop a friends group for them. It sounds like you had an horrible trauma, but it's not fair let it direct your own life and your children's.
Nothing wrong in seeking help to help you with it.

AlunWynsKnee · 23/04/2019 10:41

One of mine has lots of friends in the nearby area so there's often a group of them playing out. Roads are quiet and it's great.
The other doesn't have any local friends so it's a bit sad for them.

WatchingTheWheels85 · 23/04/2019 10:46

I understand where you are coming from @Babuchak Smile but they do fine for friends and definitely don't miss out.

Vanillamanilla1 · 23/04/2019 10:53

We have only started letting our daughter play outside and over the park with friends.. she is year 6 and 11 years old.
Before she met this little group there was no one for her to play out with ... it seems children just don't play outside anymore

outpinked · 23/04/2019 10:56

I played out constantly as a child too and I’m from a fairly large city. Nothing bad occurred although looking back, I think it was sheer luck! We played near busy roads a lot and honestly, my DM did not know where I was most of the time...

My DC play in the garden but not on the street.

Obviouspretzel · 23/04/2019 11:03

I'm not sure why people think it is any less safe nowadays?

boilersontheblink · 23/04/2019 11:04

I was exactly the same OP, some of the best moments I remember from my childhood were always being outside/playing in the garden with our neighbours or riding bikes in the street.

So lovely to think back on, I wish I could go back to those days sometimes.

If I had children I'd always be encouraging outside play and activities, especially in the summer, it's so good for mental health, physical health and keeping kids out of trouble.

Obviouspretzel · 23/04/2019 11:05

Apart from the car aspect which is fair enough if you were a child 40 years ago or something. But where I live there appear to be no more cars than there were when I was a child.

WaxOnFeckOff · 23/04/2019 11:11

New build estate (well 16 year old estate) and its swarming with kids out. I could actually do with something to discourage them sometimes as it's doing my head in its so constant. I honestly enjoy seeing them out playing but the constant bouncing of balls is driving me crazy.

adaline · 23/04/2019 11:16

Apart from the car aspect which is fair enough if you were a child 40 years ago or something. But where I live there appear to be no more cars than there were when I was a child.

It depends on where you live though, doesn't it?

I live on a road of terraced houses - there's no front garden and my door opens right onto the street. There are never children playing out here because it's not safe. Cars are parked on both sides of the road, the pavements aren't wide enough to play on without using the road, and the road isn't wide enough to accommodate parked cars, cars being driven and children playing too.

The cul-de-sac around the corner is a totally different ball game. The houses are set way back from the road, and all the houses have garages or drives so nobody parks on the street. The speed limit is 10mph instead of 20, the road is twice as wide (due to the lack of cars) and the visibility is much better for passing traffic.

Bugsymalonemumof2 · 23/04/2019 11:18

Nope. We only have a tiny shared garden and the other family dominate it and their kids are vile. We don't have a park without crossing a couple of roads which both have had more than 1 pedestrian death in the past 5 years.

I do take them out as much as possible to try compenstste though

stucknoue · 23/04/2019 11:18

Mine did but it was cul de sac and most had similar ages kids

Handsoffmysweets · 23/04/2019 11:20

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

switswoo81 · 23/04/2019 11:20

Live in an estate with all young children. At the moment all the parents stay outside when kids are playing ( my.dd is only 4) but I see the older kids out on their bikes and playing football. Our estate has lots green areas . She loves going out to play with her little friends and all the other parents are very nice.

alittleprivacy · 23/04/2019 11:35

I joined a camping club for this reason OP. We go camping most weekends to family friendly sites with the same group of people. DS can then spend his time playing out all day with the same group of friends while surrounded by our community of honorary grandparents and other families who all look out for each other. It’s like living in a Famous Five book minus the smugglers and casual misogyny.

3boysandabump · 23/04/2019 11:38

My eldest 2dc are 7&8 and they roam the estate with their friends. We have a group chat with all the parents from the estate on and we just update to tell everyone where they are and if we've fed them lol.

My 4 year old ds is allowed to play on the front if we are in the garden to keep an eye out.

WaxOnFeckOff · 23/04/2019 11:38

I see the older kids out on their bikes and playing football. Our estate has lots green areas

Mine is similar, there is a park on the estate along with a football pitch and we have a school playground round the corner, no roads to cross with play equipment plus goals and basketball nets and it's a very safe area (as far as you can tell). However, there are still plenty of kids in the street that are old enough to go into the playground and park by themselves, we don't have many pre school DC on the street at the moment - a couple of under 8s and the rest are all latter primary or early high school. Old enough to spend time away from the houses (for everyone's benefit).

Tunnocks34 · 23/04/2019 11:44

In the garden. They are only 5 and 2.

bonbonours · 23/04/2019 12:52

My kids are allowed to play out in the street as we live in a quiet cul de sac but they don't choose to. They are much more likely to play in the back garden or go out on bikes to the park or beach. Not sure why playing out in the street is seen as such a brilliant thing, if there are gardens and parks they are much nicer places to play.

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 23/04/2019 13:03

Mine play out.
We're very lucky to live in a low rise block, built around an enclosed, landscaped area.
Its perfect for kids to play in and is visible from the kitchen window of every flat.
I just have a quick peek at them every now and again and leave them to it.
The hot Easter weekend has been idyllic for them. My kids are 6 and 4.

Stompythedinosaur · 23/04/2019 13:48

My dc play out, and have since they were around 5. We are very rural and live in a tiny village with few cars, and a lot of space to play. There's no way I would let them if I lived somewhere less safe.

BigRedLondonBus · 23/04/2019 14:05

Nope we live on a main road in london. No kids play out on my street.

DippyAvocado · 23/04/2019 14:14

Mine are 8 and 6. They play in the garden unsupervised but nowhere else. The nearest park is across a very busy road but there is woodland nearby where I will let them.olay when they're a bit older.

As a child in the 80s I wondered fairly freely to other children's gardens or we would play on the school playing field. Most school grounds are locked up these days.

DH was a child in the 70s and was exactly the sort of child that those public information films where aimed at. He and his friends played on the train tracks, in quarries and on building sites. His parents never had a clue where he was.