How much time do your 8 & 10 yo boys spend outside

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We have a lovely big(ish) garden, but they never use it.

They'll come outside briefly if I'm out there but don't stay long. They do play in the street on bikes a bit, but only maybe once a week.

If I take them to the park they'll be happy enough once we get there, but often complain they don't want to go.

Both would rather watch TV/ play WII than anything else, but I'm very strict about how much they're allowed to do that and they've already had their time for today.

Neither are into or good at ball sports, but they could surely play their war games outside?

ATM they're in DS1's room doing something noisy with Star Wars Lego, which is fine (I can only just hear them if I close all the doors ) but it's a beautiful day and I thought boys needed to get outdoors?

I think all boys are different aren't they? We live in a flat, so no garden, but I know if we had one DS would be out there most of the day (when he's not on the computer, which according to him I limit too much).

DS does play out in the big green opposite our house, but prefers me to take him to the park. He has friends that don't like being outside much though.

I think as long as they are doing a variety of things, I wouldn't worry about their disinterest in the garden.

Ds is 8 and spends time outside as much as he can. We live in a big city and don't have a garden, so I take my dc to the local park twice a week (they have activities 3 days a week).
We usually spend the weekend either on the mountains to ski or in the countryside, where they play outside most of the time, as soon as it's not too cold.

My DS2 and 3 are 12 and 8 and divide the time we're at home about 50/50 between the XBox and kicking a ball around the garden.

If you helped set a game up outside would that encourage them? Is there somewhere they could dig a trench or something (you said war games) - maybe you need to be a bit more proactive to get them more in the habit, IYSWIM.

DS (8) definitely prefers being inside which is a shame because we have a spacious garden. He has never really been one of those boys that needs to run off his energy. He is also a Lego fan and it really is incompatible with playing outside.
When it is lovely weather, I'll do whatever it takes to get him out (currently playing 'cricket') then once he is out he'll usually play out for longer than I play with him. I also tell him to take his DS into the garden so at least he is getting fresh air!

In answer to your title question, as much as I'll let them, if the weather's like this.

DS2 in partic (he is just 8) runs in the front door and out the back all spring and summer.

The hall is just a corridor of neighbourhood boys playing footie in our back garden (everyone else seems to have a hill/trees/conservatory/val,uable plants ).

Ds1 is 11 and not quite as keen but still likes to go out if it's bright and dry. Are there any park activities near you? Our council stages B-Active in parks in the hols which has lots of ideas - bike races/den building/obstacle course/grass boarding. Or could they help you with the garden? Have their own plots to grow on?

Not enough IMHO!

DSs are 11 and 8, and we visited friends yesterday with kids about the same age, and I was jealous that they seemed to have 'outdoor' boys - almost slightly feral who run around in bare feet and shorts swinging on trees, playing ball games, playing with the hose , doing gymnastics on the trampoline.

Meanwhile my two can be lured outside if DH & I are in the garden (e.g. gardening/BBQ etc) but they are hopeless and wishy washy, and will do a 'bit' of the thinsg above but quickly lose interest.
DS1 has a wasp phobia so runs away if anything winged comes within a meter of him and at the weekend (on a glorious day, with bright sunshine, and all of us outside) I found DS2 holed up inside with the curtains drawn, in the dark, watching a movie.

DH & I often bemoan out lack of 'outdoor boys'.....
Can they be re-trained do you think?

Ds is 8, and I would like him to spend more time in garden.

We do a lot of outdoor sports in spring/summer so he gets outside a lot at weekends, but he never plays in garden alone. Plays there if we are there.

We have started to make 'castles' out of bamboo canes and sheets etc, and firing 'weapons' (ie balls) at each other to get him out there more - it's ok doing it for a while with him, but I need to find a way to get him out there by himself.

People on this thread, do you think your boys need more outdoor play or is their behaviour and sleep fine with the amount that they are getting?

People on this thread whose DSs prefer indoors

DS1 is fine with just being outdoors a bit. He doesn't seem to need it.

DS2 is hideous if he spends too much time indoors/on computer/TV, but the problem is that he doesn't recognise this (he's only 8!) and we have to work hard to get him outside. It's very wearing....

Ds is 8 years old and it's very hard to get him to come in, he is very active and loves being outside, riding bikes, climbing trees, going to the park, luckily we live on a very child friendly estate so all the kids play out the front together it's lovely, if ds does not go out he drives me insane!

My three DGC are two boys 6, 3, and a girl of 18mths and all spend as much time outside as they can. Even if wet their parents have used the greenhouse for a sandpit whilst they are small and they will happily run trucks and cars in it.
They can't be trusted with the hose (heaven forbid) but all ball games,tents,dens,hide and seek, pinic lunch, and if they are into mischief we get them work brushing the moss out of the lawn!
After all that they want a bike ride after tea and before bed (two are pushed by the way). Phew!

Otherside, My DSs' behaviour and sleep is actually pretty good. DS1's behaviour deteriorates markedly if he's allowed more than an hour at a time on Wii/PC/watching TV, but doesn't suffer just from being indoors.

I would like them to be more outdoorsy though - can't exactly explain why, just that it feels like they should be. That said we've spent at least part of every day this week so far at one park or another so far and though they sometimes aren't that keen to go, have loved it once there - yesterday we didn't get home til 7pm and as soon as we got home this afternoon, they went to call for a neighbour's boy and all disappeared on bikes for an hour or so, so perhaps it's coming. Still have hardly been in the garden though.

Oh I know what you mean. I'm glad my DCs are old enough to be left alone in the house now because I can enjoy the garden. Most of the time if you are in the garden you are out earshot of the house and I found it really frustrating when they were younger and I had to stay in because they wanted to!

Did they use it much when they were smaller? Maybe they need more encouragement on how it can be fun out there?

Do they have stuff out there to engage them? Specific outdoor toys? And I don't mean like sports equipment, I mean general toys which they can have outside.

Ds (12) will go outside if he has a friend over and play for ages. Equally they'll come in and play in his room or go on the wii/nintendo ds. When outside they set up thei own obstacle courses (mario race tracks, raven challanges, games he has seen on 'the cube' etc). I also give them chalk which they can scribble on the patio with to make pictures or race tracks for cars etc

No friends over today and had a tooth out on monday so didn't push him too much still today. But he came out in the afternoon and was playing a game with his cars which kept him busy for ages. When I went upstairs later I found his bedroom floor covered in toy cars so he'd simply extended whatever game he was doing inside to outside. Not quite so easy with lego I know but is there anything elsethey play with that you could have outdoors too?

Ds has a large climbing frame/swing/slide/trapese/cargo net thing out there so he is often is on that. He sometimes says it's 'boring' though and loves going to friends as they have different stuff (and they love coming to use his).
Not sure you'd get enough value from something like that at their age now, it can be quite a big investment.
A friend's DH has set up a treehouse in their garden (ladder tied to tree, couple of pieces of wood up in the tree to stand on. Also planks of wood raised of the ground for them to walk along with a rope thing to swing on. Have you got room for something like that you could set up yourself? Even just a tyre on a rope?

Do you have a paddling pool or a sprinkler you can let them run round in if it's hot again tomorrow? Ds loves dodging in and out of the freezing water. If they have army trucks, tanks etc maybe have somewhere they could build a battle ground (either in a sandbox or in an unused 'flowerbed' might be interesting for them...?

I have two DD's and two DS's - one of the boys is a baby though. The girls are almost 10 and 7.5 and the little boy is 2.3 - they all love the outdoors although DD2 is a bit more of a sofa surfer and has to be encouraged more I would say. What about growing some tomatoes or something (or maybe this is a girl thing) but mine have loved growing them in the past but also their absolute fave thing is making a camp - keeps them out of the direct sun - they eat their lunch there etc.

Also art/painting in the garden is always a good one as is too messy for our small house and agreed with chalking on walls and patios - a real winner.

I have 2 boys aged 12 and 8. They know I am obsessed with outdoor play over indoor and I think they finally get why. I think that they now understand that they feel better when they get some fresh air/move around etc.

The 12-year old would stay in all day if I let him. The younger one is into football, so that helps a lot. This week they have been to a football training course, so have been outside 10-3. Even though they are tired the older one seems to get the idea that it is a good thing and so has been outside in the evenings as well (I know good weather etc makes a big difference).

In our garden we've got a trampoline and swingball, both good for when I chase them outside - they can stay out for half an hour and then worm their way back in. The 12-year old is also into radio-controlled cars, so that is another reason to get him outside and into the park.

Cornflakemum my 12-year old was exactly like your son at 8. It was a huge battle to get him to turn off the X-box/tv, I dreaded bringing up the subject. I think he now has an understanding of why it is important to get out, etc. It must help that schools etc, have been working on this too.

So, in a couple of years it'll probably not be such a battle .

I remember spending my life in my parents garden as a child. But it helped massively that we had children our age to play with as neighbours on both sides. Plus we had swings and a playhouse. And we were allowed to roam in the allotments behind our garden. A garden with nothing in it is a bit dull most probably - what do you have?

DS (9) would probably never go outside if I didnt push him. He is into lego/starwars and not into sport particularly. Skateboard, rollerblades, and pogo stick are lying untouched in the shed! Nor is our garden big enough for tree climbing, rope swinging or trampoline, so when we go out we go armed with swords, shields, and light sabres and invite friends along too. He is then quite happy to disappear off immersed in a role play type game.

We have a trampoline, big lawn, swing ball, basketball hoop at the front.... (DH makes the mistake of thinking buying outdoor toys = outdoor play )

The DSs are deffo more likely to play outside if they have friends over. Swingball is popular for bursts of 10-15 mins and I think it helps them deal with frustration/anger etc as I've seen DS2 stomp out and really whack that ball hard!

Too things have helped this year... we had some building work done and now have a french door directly from the kitchen / breakfast room out onto the terrace. I quite often find 'excuses' to send them out (e.g. feed the birds/ water the plants etc) and then they tend to get involved in something else.

This weather also helps!

Having the BBQ on is also a big draw....boys + food always works!

I'd love my three DSs (8, 11 & 13) to spend more time outside. It has to be planned by me these days. They used to love it in the garden when they were little. Now they have to be prised off the Wii or their bedrooms to go outside. When I was their age, apart from books there wasn't much to do in the house. My friends were all chucked out to play, so if we wanted to play it had to be outside.

My DS is 8 and is in the garden from morning till night from now until October. It does help that he's football mad and is happy to spend the entire day kicking a ball about. He's terrible about playing on his own generally so it's a real pleasure to get him out there. We have doors directly from the kitchen to the garden which I have open most of the time and I think that encourages them to go out on a whim.