At what age does having a garden/ outdoor space become really important for dc?

[Escallonia]

Currently live in London, have small garden which is fine for ds to potter in as he's not quite 4. Fits in a sandpit, he can pootle on a trike or muck about watering everything, bounce on mini trampoline - but there's no room for eg swing or slide or goal / kicking a ball about or just running .

I had vaguely thought of moving when he's 11 but now thinking that he would benefit from a big space sooner than that - but what age? 6? 8? or will he cope until 11?

He is active but not sports / ball mad. We have huge green spaces and playground nearby but he couldn't go unaccompanied for a few years yet, and playing in the street isn't an option either.

My nephew has grown up with a pretty small garden - he goes to the park across the road on his own now (he's 10) but before that his dad used to take him. If you're near a park then I don't really think it's critical that you have a huge garden if you like living in London

I agree-mine prefer to play on the street than play in the garden most of the time. In terms of running or kicking a ball about a park tends to be best unless you have a HUGE garden anyway.

I agree with the other posters really.

I would love to have a huge garden where the kids could disappear down the end of it for hours on hours. I am never going to be able to afford this in my city. Since that is out of the question, all other sizes are sort of much of a muchness. IMO.

I have a huge (ish) garden. DC3 is 22 months and loves running around and pootling amongst the bushes.

DC2 is 7 and spends many happy hours kicking a football into his goal.

DC1 disappears to the camp at the bottom with her friends and I don't see them all afternoon.

To us a big garden was vital, in fact we turned down many lovely houses because the gardens weren't big enough, before we found this one.

Ifr you can afford it then I would move to get a bigger garden.