Where to move where kids still “play out” and it’s easy for adults to make friends?

[Tabletoppp]

We live in London now. But feeling a twinge of sadness that my kids can’t play out independently like I did when I was a kid.

Where’s a really friendly community place (within part-time commuting distance of london - say 2 days a week), where kids still play out on their own and it’s safe?

[Chewbecca]

I’m in a close but there are no other DC up our end & so there is no playing out so make sure you don’t get one full of oldies like mine!

New build is a better bet IMO.

[notheragain4]

Villages? We live in a village and have started letting our 10 year old "go around the village" on his bike with a tracking watch. He's not allowed to hang around on the streets, or play in the road obviously, but he's allowed to travel to knock for friends and move between parks and football field etc. Lots of kids here play out in their nearest park and then start travelling independently around 9/10.

We move to a town shortly, I suspect DS won't have this level of freedom while we get to know the area, parents etc and maybe wait for him to be a bit older. But it's a new build estate so we will let him play in the park independently around the corner.

My biggest fear is the "wrong crowd" so I'm a bit apprehensive about moving and not knowing people.

[KoalasandRabbit]

We live in a larger village and kids play out and its really safe, moved here from London partly due to safety. We are probably about 1.5 hours from central London and no train station so not ideal commute wise.

Saffron Walden might work - very safe there and very friendly but a bit of a long commute, may work for 2 days or if based around Liverpool Street. Train station is Audley End and slightly out of town.

[KoalasandRabbit]

Not the same but when we were in London we joined David Lloyd and about half the kids primary was there and used to play / do clubs together and you get to swim / gym / aerobics / cafe when they are in clubs.

[PaulinePetrovaPosey]

Agree with PP that it's extremely local. I'm in a bit of south London which sounds dodgy if you know it only by reputation, but which has exactly this in (small) pockets.

[FrankiesKnuckle]

@gubbbbbddaaaa Sounds exactly like where I live!

[gubbbbbddaaaa]

@FrankiesKnuckle weird if it were the same place ! 🤔😂

[Bougie]

There are some areas with communal gardens where the kids play out in safety all the time. Trouble is they are expensive. But do a search that includes "communal garden" and "garden square" in the neighbourhoods you can afford and although you'll get a lot of blocks of flats, etc. there ARE places tucked away which do have a real sense of community and safe play space where kids of all ages can play.

[Bougie]

Sorry in my message above I meant places "in London"

[Bol87]

I’m on a new build & children play on the green outside my house & up and down the culdisac.. also up north.. the houses all stare directly down onto the green so fairly easy to supervise I suppose..

[Annabellerina]

Kids play out in new build estates, villages, council estates. Not sure about the adults bit? I've lived on a council estate in the North West for 6 years and my kids play out and I've made friends. Downside is the estate has a reputation 😂

[Gunpowder]

There’s a active WhatsApp group on my road and in non Covid times we have play out Sunday once a month (you can apply to the council to close the road) so it is possible to do it in big cities/London.

Ours got set up by a neighbour who put notes through all the doors. Would you consider doing that OP? We are too busy too join in lots but loads of social stuff goes on.

[nancybotwinbloom]

@Gunpowder

There’s a active WhatsApp group on my road and in non Covid times we have play out Sunday once a month (you can apply to the council to close the road) so it is possible to do it in big cities/London.

Ours got set up by a neighbour who put notes through all the doors. Would you consider doing that OP? We are too busy too join in lots but loads of social stuff goes on.

That's sounds lovely 😊

[Tabletoppp]

gunpowder that happens once a month here too, but the road isn’t very long and it isn’t unsupervised. It’s still really lovely though! And the community is great.

I think I’m harking after the old days of getting on your bike and playing out and exploring! Maybe I’m just romanticising my own very free childhood my kids seem happy enough - they don’t know any different!

[JoJoSM2]

I’m in a bit of zone 5 that backs onto accessible coutryside and you do see groups of 10yo going for bike rides together as there’s very little traffic. I’d also second David Lloyd as somewhere for kids to hang out. Our local one does not only sports but art classes and has indoor and outdoor pools etc.

[FrankiesKnuckle]

[quote gubbbbbddaaaa]@FrankiesKnuckle weird if it were the same place ! 🤔😂[/quote]
😳

[Gunpowder]

nancybotwinbloom it is!

Tabletoppp I know what you mean. Lots of my childhood was on a farm and we went off on our bikes for hours with our cousins for what felt like hours once we were 8 or 9. Can’t imagine my kids being able to do the same.

[Gunpowder]

Sorry meant to say it felt like hours rather than definitely was hours.

[LBOCS2]

Agree with PP that it's extremely local. I'm in a bit of south London which sounds dodgy if you know it only by reputation, but which has exactly this in (small) pockets.

Likewise, I know a couple of places locally that kids do here too - but as everyone has said it's extremely local.

[MobLife]

Given that you're planning to commute part time, what is the max time you'd be willing to be commuting for?
There are some lovely towns in North Dorset and along in to Somerset where kids still play out
You're looking at a 2 hour train journey in to Waterloo though

[zurich09]

agree with Bougie....Central London - lots of little squares, most families live in flats and lots of Europeans i.e. used to not having a garden with kids playing in local parks/playground. I take my kid to our playground every day after his nursery and there are lots of other kids/parents who are there all the time. Ours is an enclosed square with a playground so my kid can happily potter around it with his friends. Lots of central london is actually pretty quiet and since there are lots of foreigners they tend to me more open to making new friends because they dont tend to have such a long standing social circle themselves. lovely sense of community

[GetThatHelmetOn]

How old are your kids? If not yet in reception any small place will do (really, nothing like the school doors in reception year for you to meet new people and make friends, sadly this does not apply to subsequent years)

[MrsStarwars]

We are in the corner of a cul-de-sac with a good mix of families and retired couples. The kids play out a lot in the evenings and weekends, we can supervise from front gardens/windows. Adults all friendly and often outside chatting too.
We really enjoy living here, first night we moved in, my boys thought it was like being on holiday!
Small city, East Midlands.