Is it OK to play football in a children's playground?

[GloomySkies]

We were at the park. The park is enormous. There is a massive empty field, and to one side a play area sectioned off with a tall hedge. The play area is usually busy with children from toddler age to upper primary. There was a dad kicking a proper leather football in the playground area with his kid. AIBU to think they should have taken the ball out onto the field? (Ball games are allowed on it, it is used for football training in the morning.)

Depends. How busy was the playpark at the time? And were they booting the ball or just having a gentle little kick about?

YANBU - that's the point of the field, isn't it? I feel similarly to kids roaming around on bikes in the kiddie play area - all our local parks have multiple paths, ramps for tricks and turfed areas, it even says on the sign not to bring in bikes and scooters. And yet there they are, getting in the way of all the smaller kids!

Omg I hate this. I live next to a huge common but without fail people will play football in the tiny playground. It's usually teenage boys though. The nice green field will be empty 🤷

were there siblings playing on things in the play area?

Yes, but the mums were there to watch them as well as the dads.

One of my boys likes football more than the other. I wouldn't expect one of my kids to have to play elsewhere if we went as a family, and kids very quickly change their minds on what to play.

As long as it was gentle kicking back and forth this shouldn't be an issue.

There was a long thread about something very similar several weeks ago. One striking similarity is that you describe the ball as a real leather football, which it almost certainly isn’t. Footballs stopped being made from real leather a long time back!

This would get on my nerves because I have a thing where if there is ever a football around, anywhere at all, at some point it will smack me in the face.

One striking similarity is that you describe the ball as a real leather football, which it almost certainly isn’t. Footballs stopped being made from real leather a long time back!

It's just a way to explain that it is a 'proper' football, rather than a the thin plastic type you get from the pound shop, surely?

I think it is annoying and selfish.

I've just come across your thread having posted the exact same thing happening iny local park as we speak. It's madness 😖

Might be excessive dog poo in the grass area, it's a major issue by one of the playgrounds near here. I think it's fine while the playground is quiet, but ask if they'd mind moving if you have little ones.

I never thought about the dog poo possibility so that is a consideration. I don't have littles but there were several under 5's there with their parents.