Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
christinarossetti19 · 23/04/2019 19:12

We're in London right next to two parks. My children have spent hours of their childhood playing in them with their friends, requiring less and less supervision as they've got older.

I don't let them out for hours without going to check on them, them reporting back etc, but they do spent a lot of time outside. All day many a day in the summer.

I feel very, very fortunate.

christinarossetti19 · 23/04/2019 19:14

Agree Langrish the increase in car ownership is often the main deterrent.

We spend hours at children outside roaming the estate, building sites etc. Fathers left in the car for work in the morning and returned in the evening.

Children just can't have this freedom now.

ShabbyAbby · 23/04/2019 19:14

My kids have and will continue to do so, but I loiter by the front steps drinking coffee and reading mumsnet I don't just let them out unsupervised. I think times have changed a lot.

Babuchak · 23/04/2019 19:14

kids pick up different skills, I can't see the issue. My kids might not be disappearing all day and we know where the are (neither did I to be fair), but they know how to take tube and plane and can find their way in an international airport. Of course, they don't travel alone, but we let them "be in charge" when we travel and they manage as well as adults.

I am sure if they really needed to learn to milk a cow, they would figure it out .

itsnotso · 23/04/2019 19:19

I have two girls, 10 and 7. Live on a cul-de-sac which is pretty quiet although some inconsiderate people do drive down pretty quickly. I taught them both road sense at an early age, but you can't account for idiots. Both do play out but I'm a regular curtain twitcher. Eldest also has her phone at all times. I'm also known to sit outside my front door to keep an eye out. They know the rules, no going off the street and no playing with the ferrel kids who's mum has absolutely no idea where they're going or who with, as it's not my kids responsibility if something happens to them.

Taswama · 23/04/2019 19:28

My dc will ride their go karts up and down our street (on the pavement) but there are never any other kids out.

terftastic1984 · 23/04/2019 19:31

No. There are so many dogs in our town that I don’t even feel safe letting him in the garden.

mindutopia · 23/04/2019 20:08

Mine definitely plays outside but not unsupervised (she’s 6). But she doesn’t just roam around and play like I did as a child as there are no other children within walking distance. We live rurally, closest neighbours with children live about a mile away and they aren’t the right age to play together anyway. We do occasionally have play dates from school and they play outside but it’s pre organised as we have to drive to each other.

whyiinstigate · 23/04/2019 20:14

No. I'm just not comfortable with it, to be honest.

Fizzyhedgehog · 23/04/2019 20:42

My DS tends to play in the garden but he's only 2. He's also allowed out in the road to play with the kids from the other houses in the street. Weve got minimal traffic around here and woodland right opposite the house. We do live in a town but a bit out of the way.
When he's a bit older, he'll be able to play out more and visit friends. Lots of kids keep riding their bikes around. He'll have to walk to primary school by himself when he's about 6, which is a 20-minute-walk and will require him to cross a main road and some minor ones. Should be fine, though. It's quite normal here. We don't live in the UK anymore.

Yabbers · 23/04/2019 21:20

There are always children out playing where we live.

Adversecamber22 · 23/04/2019 21:39

We had five houses along our road out of the twelve that all had small dc at the same time. They did play out on the front of the drives and along the pavement. They are all teens and early twenties now, my DS was one of the youngest. It was really sweet, one of my neighbours in the road is a widow, about 85 now, she used to pop out with cakes and biscuits for them sometimes. One summer there was a huge water fight involving some parents as well. We were going to move a few years ago but I do love our road.

Tobebythesea · 23/04/2019 22:17

I would love for DD to play out like I did but the traffic is too bad so it’s the garden and play dates for her.

Prisonbreak · 23/04/2019 22:25

I don’t have kids but on my days off I see the kids walking to the bus stop to head to school so I know there’s are plenty of kids in my cul de sac but I never see any out after school time. Easter holidays have just been and I could count on 1 hand how many kids I saw playing. I think it’s sad

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 23/04/2019 22:29

At that age, mine played in the garden only. If they wanted to do the park etc they were supervised. They didn't always want to be out though but preferred to have friends over.

elliejjtiny · 23/04/2019 22:36

Mine don't. We live on a major a road so it isn't safe. Nearest park is a long walk or a bus ride away but thankfully we have a big garden for our dc to play in.

Parttimewasteoftime · 23/04/2019 22:54

ShabbyAbby ditto we live in walk and my DS'S play out with friends a lot. We lucky as I know we all keep an eye on the kids I used to be able to much further at this age.

Kismett · 23/04/2019 23:20

I often see kids riding around on their bikes here. There’s a small park nearby that is often occupied. We don’t have children, but it makes me happy to see all the kids around having fun. We went for a walk and there was one in a tree above us! We saw a boy sitting under a tree reading and there was something very innocent about it.

Yes, sometimes the noise is annoying. But overall it’s nice to have the kids around and they make the place feel more alive.

4andAbit · 23/04/2019 23:24

We live on a large street and every day come rain or shine every child that lives on the street including my older ones are out playing. Children range from 4 to 13 .. tbh I love it. However my 6 ye old isnt allowed out yet

FishCanFly · 24/04/2019 03:30

Of course they do. I don't but into this culture of scarenmongering. And kids aren't safer if confined inside. Technology, obesity - you name it.

Decormad38 · 24/04/2019 03:53

Yes dd (13) was out on her penny board with kids in the cul de sac yest eve.

mathanxiety · 24/04/2019 03:59

Mine are a bit old for that malarkey now but they used to all the time in suburban US on a through street but not a main street iykwim. It was lovely.

PregnantSea · 24/04/2019 05:05

Mine do, but I live in rural Australia so it's very different here. All the kids play out.

I imagine if I was still in a big English city they wouldn't play out so much because it's so crowded, less sense of community and the weather isn't great.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page