Do people think there is a need for male orientated playshemes/after school clubs?(with boys playing with trained male play workers doing boys things)

[kidsneedmoreplay]

I feel there is a big need for this with ever growing boys without dads or male role models, I think this would be a good way to restore the balance a little, what do you think?

Not a bad idea, didn't scouts/ boys brigade used to do that? don't they do that now?

Football, rugby, cubs/beavers/scouts, cricket, basketball....quite a few here too.

Where's here?

Stockport.

Karate, boxing, Boys Brigade also here.

But I'm talking about "play" fulfilling emotional needs, not "structured play" i.e football rugby etc, comments please,

What do you mean by 'doing boy things'?

'"play" fulfilling emotional needs'

can you speak in English please

You mean like taking engines apart? And sawing wood? I think lots of boys would love that.

Are you going to set one up?

I mean things like woodwork i.e building bird boxes etc, playing sports just for fun etc. I'm glad there is lots going on, theres nothing here, I work in open access play schemes in south glos and lots of mums say there should be more male role models and clubs for boys with men working there, its just feedback I've got from mums and just seeing if it is a wide spread problem?

There's nothing quite like that here. I would love it.

me too

I work for a childrens organisation called childrens playlink in south glos and was thinking of setting something like this up in this area, just trowing it out to you guys for feedback from real people!!

And with fulfilling emotional needs, i mean children especially boys who lack emotional support at home, basically not being brought up very well,

Yeah things like that NKF wink

Where are you based?

beavers/cubs/scouts

I think that would be good. Lots of the general ones seem more appealing to my dd than my ds. I'd like sciency experimental things as well as the more physical stuff

But why is that, Nooka?

Is it because they are run by women, or because they do activities that are perceived as female?

No, more because they do things that ds doesn't find interesting, like arts and crafts. I think he would respond better to something a little more adventurous.

yes yes, please come to north yorkshire! Scouts is too 'organised' and formal for my ds. He is 10.5 and there is an assumption that kids stop 'playing' any time now. And I believe vehemently that a group of 12/14/16 year olds will ''play'' given half a chance. Ever watched them on a bouncy castle? Or even on the swings when no-one is watching....?

a lot of it is due to practicalities

tis a lot less effort for the leaders to supervise 20 kids sitting down quietly painting than 20 kids running through woods climbing trees and lighting fires

Am now imaginging Nooka's DC to be some mad professor type, rushing around doing dangerous experiments with smoking test-tubes and the like!