Streets closed to allow children to play outside.

[Meglet]

Reclaiming the streets for kids

I love this idea, temporary road closures so children can play out again. We we lucky enough to live in a cul-de-sac so were always allowed out in the 1980's.

The mum in the article is quite right in saying the park isn't an answer as you have to trek back and forth and get back for supper. At least the parents can get things done at home if children are playing out the front together. We live on a rat run so I can't put the kids out the front .

Not too sure about that tbh!

That would amazing! I think it's fantastic - it's what we did as kids. We also however live in a rat run of a street, I can only let DD in the front garden with me, we have a gate to stop her getting out as people drive so fast up and down, there are loads of kids living in the street and neighbours I have never spoken to.

We used to entertain ourselves, running up and down, sitting on doorsteps, chatting to the neighbours, on our bikes - then called in for tea and arguments with parents about how long we were allowed out for bed.

If we tried to do this most of the people in our road would object to it. The children may be noisy y'see. That is not allowed here.

I think it is the loveliest sound on a summer evening, kids yelling and racing up and down on bikes. Also wouldn't work in my road, not the noise, that is provided by the drunks.

Mind, there are lots of families, so I suppose its is something we could try, just can't imagine it working - we have about 50 houses on our street, would have to get permission from everyone I guess - some don't speak english, some are bedsits/student rentals - just can't imagine them all going for it.

Plus then there is the state of the street itself, broken glass, rubbish...bit depressing really.

God, just read some of the comments on that article, some people are so sourfaced aren't they? 'Roads are for cars' and 'just teach them to cross the road properly, don't get me started on the hoards of unsupervised 2yr olds roaming the street' WTAF?

But what about the precious cars? The children might look at the cars wrong or put a toe onto a precious lawn. I hate my cul de sac sometimes.

What a bloody fantastic idea.

My kids live in a cul de sac and we have football nets,scooters,bike ramps,go karts,netball hoops,water pistols etc.They even put pop up tants up sometimes to do pretend camping.My kids are 8,8 and 7 and I just pop my head out occasionally. There is the occasional fall out but kids of all ages play and it's part of life.

Really think this should be looked into and supported/extended.

This happens regularly in Belgium. Certain roads get closed off every afternoon for a month or so in the summer.

I've just been looking at the website and attempting to fan an initial glow of enthusiasm into having a go.

Ooh I've just thought of a friend round the corner who might be willing to help...

We live at the bottom of a cul-de-sac and the kids play out a lot. One enterprising mum has just got hold of some traffic cones to slow down any traffic coming in.

Lovely idea :)

Where we live it is pretty quiet so children play out a lot which is lovely except when my car becomes the goal post for the football

No chance here.... We are still a building site( new build)diggers and bulldozers come past all day long!

Dd is on first name terms with all the drivers, only 9 houses occupied/completed so far.

Kids play out all afternoon/ all day at weekends here too - Germany though. I usually get flamed on MN when I admit my 4 and 6 year old play out without me helicoptering (can see them from my window, or the garden if I am there with the toddler) but I think it is absolutely brilliant - could be connected to the fact you very rarely see an overweight primary age child, and I am pretty sure we know every child in our village (there are only 50 houses, but a high proportion of families with children, though) and DD knows most of their life histories ( as she is very nosy )

hmmm looks like a very congested street all the houses packed in together with no space.
as long as there was no balls smashing windows i wouldn't mind.
that said if all the parents set upa rota they could take them all the the park etc, one parent could do one night and other the next and divvy it up.
and the childre could play in green open places with things to climb on and where they actually have some space, rather than a over crowed street.

I think it's brilliant and loved reading the article this morning.

I had to smile as all the DC are called Elijah, Noah, Tobias, Hugo, Poppy etc etc. (Not quoting directly, I don't need to!). Obviously the DC of parents who engineer every aspect of their 'development' and will happily engineer the apparently ad hoc, adult free, 'independent' free play of their own childhoods, tweaked to fit into today's micro-managed world. ('Then back indoors for homework' etc)

Best of luck to them but, sadly, bet the idea dies within a year or two as there's no spontaneity, is there?

Loads of kids still play out around here.

I dream of this...

This is a brilliant idea and the playingout.net website is really helpful. I first heard about it a few months ago and got together with some neighbours to organise our first Playing Out session in Worthing, West Sussex earlier this month (as part of the Jubilee weekend as the fee for road closures was waived here then). It was fantastic. Lots of children having fun with each other, and adults standing around chatting and getting to know each other better. Neighbours without children came too and chatted together whilst drinking tea sitting on sun loungers and chairs! We leafletted everybody and gave people chance to raise any concerns, but we only had positive feedback, such as "what a great idea" and "the sound of children playing will be much better than the noise of traffic" etc.
We live on a bit of a rat run but I think driving round the block instead of down our road for 1.5hours so that the children can play is a small price to pay. The children really enjoyed each other's company and the feeling of freedom of space right outside their houses. We had scootering, a go-kart, space hoppers, hopscotch, football, cycling, a couple of slides and lots of drawing pictures in chalk on the road.
I certainly feel as if I love my street more after organising a Playing Out session and spending time out there with children and neighbours. The children are asking when can we have another one now! All good for community spirit and great fun too :)

We chose a cul de sac house for just this reason. If you saw it you would know it wasn't for kerb appeal

There's always a selection of my three, and three other families' children +/- assorted visiting grandchildren playing out when its dry -grrr

Bikes, scooters, football, pottering around earnestly with sticks....

Really lovely.

Since when did playing out have to be an organised activity

We have this. We're so lucky. There's a tiny park at the top of our street - just a patch of green really, and the pavements are wide, so they can come and go without pestering any cars. The kids come knocking for each other and spend hours out on bikes, building go carts out of old sledges and skateboards. There's a real mix, including kids who are sworn enemies at school being best mates on the street. I love it.

Yes - we chose (ugly) cul-de-sac house too. We have 33 houses and 17 primary school age kids attending 4 different schools. Also tend to collect other village kids into our road too!! It is a lovely atmosphere. Bike ramps just arrived, we (parents) all have each others phone numbers so can easily locate dc when needed if they go into someones house or garden.
Last summer they made a den in the undergrowth in the alleyway at the top of the road. Lovely old fashioned fun. We love it.

Erebus - what the heck do you know about it? This street is where my friend lives with her new baby and she was telling me about it this morning, she is so proud that her neighbours have initiated this. They are not the kind of people you condemn so high handedly. They are blooming normal parents.

usualsuspect if you read the piece properly you'll find that the playing there is not an organised activity; the parents just let the kids get on with it.