Kids playing in front garden, opinions?

[bbyj2019]

Moved into new house front and back are a jungle, front will be the least time consuming to sort in time for summer (no chance of both being child friendly by summer) what’s the social etiquette of kids playing on the front, swimming pools etc on a front? Am I crazy to think it could work

Sorry OP, wasn't meaning to be rude. Genuinely found it funny. Esp with the virus, people seem so bored that they are getting really nasty and judgemental on MN. Worse than ususal.

We’ve been playing on the front as this time of year it has the sun longer. It’s not a big space, but we’ve done chalking, painting and a little bit with the bikes.

I’d say no to sand / water play though.

TwoZeroTwoZero Thu 26-Mar-20 15:39:57
@nomdefuckit I don't think the tone of my neighbourhood can get much lower: I live in the roughest end of a huge council estate. At least the toys in my garden are working and in one piece! grin
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That is so funny, 2Zero. I'm sure it's not that bad :-).

If you clear a small part of the back garden as a PP said then your DCs can play with their slides etc whilst your out doing the rest of the back garden and you can still watch them as well as not worrying about the neighbors. Then if the weather isn't so great you can spend less time out the front doing it.

As long as your children are safe to play in your front garden and at their age I'm guessing it won't be late evenings. Why should it bother your neighbour's. It's your garden do what you like.

Try to clear a little child friendly space in the back garden, at least it will be private and safer. I've never in my life seen a swimming pool at the front of a house! I presume you mean a portable type one. It's OK I suppose as long as no one else can see from the road. It must be quite a big job to set it up and then empty and dismantle afterwards. Neighbours opposite apparently have a swimming pool, I don't know them and house has changed hands a few times over the years - my husband saw on Rightmove when he wanted an idea of how much ours was worth, and told me.

You sound like a fun mum. All the best to you during this difficult time, I do sympathise with those who have young children, gorgeous though they are. It must be difficult to provide a safe environment for them to just be kids. I've no idea what I would have done so no judgement from me as long as guidelines and safety are maintained.

Bare in mind your neighbours will mostly be trying to work from home. Be considerate.

It's your garden, if you want your kids to play in it then let them play in it. As long as it's safe fuck what anyone else thinks.

I am sniggering at 'untidy front garden'.
Gardens are for the enjoyment of those who own them. I wouldn't care if kids were playing in their own garden.

Back garden more secure too. Plenty gardeners still working, I’d get them in to cut it back to the bare bones.

*AIBU: in using my front garden for ‘summer outdoor family time’, is it something others frown on?

Not if you have a mouldy sofa out there to supervise your kids from while drinking beer and appreciating your bricked fleet op, no.

I think it’s unusual to have children playing out front rather than in the back.
Is it private or will neighbours and passers-by be able to see the kids playing in the front? I wouldn’t be comfortable with it if they could!

I was thinking about the front of my house which is mainly drive with a small lawn. Nobody ever played out there anyway but if for example it had been necessary, ie the back garden being a danger zone for a while, work in progress, it wouldn't have worked because anybody passing could see in. We'd have had to build a higher wall at the front with big trees and a flower bed behind it which would have taken forever. I'm glad it never happened then.

Wishing everyone well. I am a 70 year old self isolating which is not difficult for me really - at least not at the moment.

I have front and back gardens. I let my toddler twins play in the front during the afternoon because it’s a sun trap and they love it. They aren’t noisy children. It’s honestly never occurred to me that it wouldn’t be OK

not too noisy & try to keep balls & toys in your garden? Otherwise - newsflash peoples - its your land do as you like - (we has small dark back gardens & large front gardens with driveway set back from the road (think 50ft by over 30) so when my dc were young it was safe for bikes etc (& says quietly we did have a paddle pool there occasionally - looks sideways for judgement from others on mn)

blue25 Thu 26-Mar-20 16:33:47
Bare in mind your neighbours will mostly be trying to work from home. Be considerate.
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I get that and agree but let's bear in mind the children will not be exercising and squealing for a long period outside each day and even those who are working need to have a break sometimes. I honestly don't know if there are any guidelines about how long people should exercise but I would have thought an hour and a half tops outside, longer at the back of course, no restrictions there but consideration important.

I've heard my neighbours on one side playing football a couple of times in the back garden, good for them. I have a football and might even go out and have a kick about on my own :-). I only go out the front for essentials and don't bump into anyone. My back garden has a fence that has blown down so people on the other side are affected, they are retired, but we all like each other and agree it can be fixed at a later date. There are more important things right now but I have to say I do feel somewhat exposed at the moment , going out there with the fence down whereas in the past was quite happy to wander down the garden in my pyjamas. A small thing in the scheme of things (maybe I'll wander by moonlight).

Front gardens fine, it's yours to use however you wish.

no paddling pools in the front garden

One year my dad let us have the paddling pool in the front garden, all of the neighbourhood kids came to our hohse and we all played for hours safely in the garden (there was a creep going round so noone wanted to let the kids out).
The only problem was the water got really grassy really quickly- but that was my favourite summer memory. It really brought out a sense of community with the adults instead of just the kids.

Ive seen a few pools in front gardens over the years and every time I always think 'how lovely'

Its your garden OP, do what you want. If anyone complains just explain you havent got time to sort the back out as youre key workers. If anyone had any bad thoughts toward you, they will be firmly squished by knowing you are helping 'the cause'

I think this is a class thing. Never lived anywhere MC myself, but I learned on MN that some people think it lowers the tone. That is, of course, irredeemably idiotic, but nonetheless if that's likely to be the tone of the neighbourhood where you are, it might make more sense to fall in with it.

There is also the question at the moment of which will more easily allow your children to keep their distance from passers by. If it's a small front garden and/or busy road it might be difficult to keep the two metre rule. I wouldn't want that in the circumstances.

I think this so depends on your street rather than Mumsnet because there is such disparity in people's lives.
In your shoes I would choose the garden that has the best sun/position rather than level of difficulty. Be mindful of just how close your neighbours are and how much they are using their garden. If they are often in it - then allowing the kids out every day, all day, at full volume is obviously not neighbourly - just use a fair judgement of what you would accept as fair in their position.
Whatever garden you use get into good habits - tidy away at the end of play, a place for every toy - whether it's a sheltered spot or a shed will keep the toys cleaner and it's less stressful to look out on for both you and the neighbours
Encourage the kids to be the gardener's and look after it. Can they sow seeds or plant flowers/veg. Depending on age mow it or help rake it.
Think carefully about design and be honest about the time you will have to maintain. An artificial lawn while not be as nice as a real lawn but is much tidier than a fancy garden that has become overgrown because it isn't maintained.

I have a front and back door. I have a seating area in the front and I sit there whilst my toddler plays either on the grass or on the street (cul de sac). However I wouldn't feel comfortable having a paddling pool in front garden. Who knows what your neighbours are like!

@OlaEliza ahahaha don’t worry I’m not that shameless!
By pool I didn’t mean something big enough to fit adults baby’s 6 months my others just turned 2 just something to dip there feet in/splash.
@lynda07 I couldn’t have them playing in the back in the state it is even with a clear space, think lots of pebbles, overgrown nettles/trees/branches, bugs David Attenborough wouldn’t be able to identify, all in a relatively averaged size garden. Thankyou so much for your comment though really made my afternoon!
Really interesting the differing opinions Thankyou all for the input!!

Oh heaven forbid the children have fun in their own front garden.

Some folk need to get over themselves. Let them play out in the front garden. There’s nothing wrong with it.

Would not be weird at all here. There's no road access to the front of our houses so all the front gardens open onto a common green. No fences, lots of toys left out, very safe. Obviously in lockdown kids are either not coming out or sticking to their own garden with parental supervision but usually they all play together which is lovely. I'm not sure how typical this layout is, though, outside our town where it is very common.

If your garden is big enough for you to do that whilst allowing neighbouts to go out without them having to get too close to your kids (e.g. if your front garden is fenced) then I think it would be a pretty churlish neighbour who objected to that right now.