At what point is a larger garden not worth it with kids?

[OfUselessBooks]

We are buying a house with a smaller garden than we really wanted, although it is adequate for now. We're hoping in a couple of years to be able to upsize, but I'm wondering at what point it isn't worth it with small children. Ours are 4 and 6 and love running around outside, but I'm worried that by the time we can afford something bigger we wont need it for very long. Any thoughts? I had a big garden when I was a child and loved it, but I can't remember at what age I stopped playing in it.

Well if you’re only getting it for the kids that’s pointless and I’d not bother , people usually get a large garden because rhey want a large garden, for themselves.

My youngest are 12 and still spend a lot of time out there. Oldest boy is 14 and not so botherd.

Well if you’re only getting it for the kids that’s pointless and I’d not bother , people usually get a large garden because rhey want a large garden, for themselves

I completely disagree with this. We prioritised a decent sized garden when we bought and I am so glad we did. The kids love it and that makes my life so much easier. They can just go out and play and amuse themselves. I don't need to be constantly planning days out.
We can just relax at home and be equally as happy.

I can't really understand the mentality that you it is pointless to do something that is beneficial for your children. Active, free play is really really important to children. OP, you remember loving it and there is a reason for that. It met a fundamental need you had as a child.

You might find an unexpected liking for gardening and want a bigger garden in time anyway.

Thank you, that's good to know, we have a few years maybe at least.

Why is it pointless? My kids love running around and playing outside! They have a great time at their grandparents' and I'd love to have the same for them at home. Same way I want an extra room downstairs for the kids if I can.

Our own requirements would probably be smaller, maybe room for a patio, some veg and plants...but the kids mean that we need more space both for their play equipment and for running around and playing, which they love in our current (slightly larger garden). What an odd thing to say!

I have a small garden. The grass bit is probably only about 15x15ft. My DC, three of them, played in it all the time. And now they are teens, they still like being out in it. It was big enough to pitch a tent to sleep out in, for example. And big enough for parties when they were at primary school. I would love a bigger garden - for me.

@Bluntness100
Honestly can’t fathom why you have said getting a larger garden is pointless for the kids? That’s quite literally the point!? How strange

Mine are 10 and 7 so mostly play out now with friends and rarely play in the garden, our only priority for this move was big enough for dining area, seating area, and large paddling pool (the one thing they do use the garden for!)

Meant to say, we didn’t have any play equipment like swings or a slide. We had a sandpit and paddling pool. We are only a minute away from a park, though, with slides and swings etc there.

Somw peoples kids are in private school long hours/activities at the weekend and away in holudays so quite literally there wouldn't be a point.

I on the other hand would love a bigger garden!

A large garden for me would be for the adults, not the kids per se - to grow lots more plants. The point of a large garden is not “for kids”, to me. If you have any sort of garden, you’re in the minority where I live. Most people live in flats.

We have young adults living with us.
It's great that they can have their mates round in the evening and take them in to the garden instead of into the house - but we're lucky to have a garden big enough to make a sheltered, covered corner where they can do this.

I think a large garden is great for older kids too. But size isn’t the be all and end all- any garden’s great for kids especially if it has a trampoline in it

Teens don’t need as much space to run around in- or rather they need more space than most gardens have so tend to go to the football pitch. They don’t need supervision so there’s not much point having an enormous garden just for teenagers or moving when they are 10+ imo.

I think up to age 12 or so mine will still play wild games in the garden. My 10yo is building a rope bridge today. After that the plan is to have outdoor stuff for them to do, but they can play sport in the park. So enough space for them to camp, bbq, sit out with friends (ideally privately) or have a nook to read in the sun. Maybe paved space for a basketball hoop or ball skills practice. I’m hoping they’ll get into veg or woodcraft and have a space for that.

Depends on the kids, but my 15-year-old regularly runs around outside in our small garden, so I think you have plenty of time.

Big front gardens come into their own when you have teens with cars. Just extend the gravel or stable pavers to provide more parking.

Maybe medium sized would be a food compromise! Our new one is around 30 x 50 feet, so not really tiny, but I will want to make the most of the space. I'd love to get into gardening, and have a lot of wildlife in it, even some trees would be lovely. Reassuring to know we have a bit if time and thay the size isn't the be all and end all.

Actually I've calculated thay completely wrong. It's about 25 x 32 feet.

My older dc still enjoy sitting out in the garden in the sunshine. They’re mid teens.

Younger ones enjoy tearing my plants apart and trying to eat green strawberries.

I’d buy a bigger house with a bigger garden anyway as I really love our garden and enjoy trying to grow veg and flowers. And it’s so nice being able to have meals outside in the garden.

It’s pointless as the kids are already four and six and rhe op is just buying this house, so moving in say three years, you’re talking seven and nine, and they could grow out of it, a couple of years after that. So you’d be buying it for a couple of years use.

However it seems op from subsequent posts yoy want to get into gardening so would wish it for yourself.

If there’s a park nearby I wouldn’t be bothered about having a small garden. I suppose it depends how small it is too.

My eldest is 14 and still makes good use of the garden.

My kids aged 10, 12 and 14 don't really play in the garden anymore. But we have the beach and green space (downs) very close so if they want to play outside we do that instead.

I think it's always worth it for everyone. Plenty of room for gatherings, and a peaceful escape from everything when older. Room for trampoline, swing, water games when younger. Room for some nice larger plants that you can't fit in smaller gardens.

Teenagers here. I’d like a bigger garden and mine is probably 30m x 40m!