Have you noticed kids today dont want to play outside?

Question

I noticed when my kids were little that some of their friends didnt like to be outside.

Now with the little guy and his even littler cousin you have to almost drag them outside. They want to spend all their time indoors parked in front of the TV or computer.

I remember when we were kids and our parents were yelling at us to come home to bed, and we were yelling "just a few more minutes".

The LAST thing we wanted to do was go indoors and quit playing outside - we wanted to sleep outside if our parents would let us, on the porch, in a tent, or where ever, just under th stars, with a sleeping bag.

I swear I dont know whats wrong with kids these days. So many of them look so unhealthy too, as if they've never SEEN sunshine and never breathed fresh air.

Carol W? You grew up just fine? I think your attitude is uncalled for. This is a site where people tend to get along with each other, and dont play bashing games - or slam others for their opinions. We just had another question about how us seniors are too smart to play those childish games

Answer 1

I was thinking about the same thing last night, how ironic.
I was always outside playing or riding my bike, taking my little brother for a walk after dinner in his stroller. It was just over a mile around the lake. I spent so much time swimming or in the row boat, fishing, chasing frogs anything but being inside. We were much healthier and fit as kids then now. My own kids played outside with the neighbors all the time, it was a fight to get them in to eat dinner. One of the major differences, for us older people was we weren't addicted to tv, and I don't believe that there were to many games that grabbed our attention. Ok, I liked Etch a Sketch, played board games with other kids, invented games to play. I knew everyone on our block and all the mom's knew each other. Again, with that, you could NOT get away with misbehaving, because your parents knew what you did before you came back in. Todays youth, is really missing out on a great experience.

Answer 2

Its the parents these days I'm only 29 and my days were spent outside from dawn till dusk.
Actually you have to mention the fact that yes there is crime in neighborhoods these days but I personally believe much of the problem being people hardly take the time to know their neighbors these days.
If you are familiar with everyone in a particular community be it a sub division or block,you are more likely to allow your kids to play outside longer.
Much of the "dangers are overhyped by the media,and parents are buying into this" terror".
The temperatures have always been the same so you can't say its the heat either

Answer 3

Yes, I've noticed. There are hardly any kids playing on my street. I think a lot of the parents (especially the mommies) are not home like they use to be and so there are a lot of latch key kids.

Unfortunately, the world is much more dangerous than it was when we were kids. There is a lot of child snatching at the school bus stops and in their own backyards. We have 10 sex offenders living in my neighborhood after I checked the Internet where you can find this information. It is such a shame.

Answer 4

I have a 7 year old nephew and all he wants to do is play computer games. I still live in the same small town I grew up in and as a youth there were always kids in the parks in the summer. Now days the parks are empty.

Answer 5

I have to force my grandsons to go outside to play. Even on only mildly hot days. Because they would rather be playing video games inside. Their parents let them get away with this, because they see "nothing wrong" with it. I do however, and make the kids get outside to ride their bikes and play soccer and football and stuff. It requires that I go out with them to watch them if they are going to be on the road. My neighbourhood is not as safe as it was when I was a child, but it is still safe enough if care is taken with them.

As to them sleeping outside--they tried this a couple of years ago, in a tent in the backyard. They ended up screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night, when a raccoon came around to "investigate them" (probably smelled the junk food they had out there with them) and ended scaring them so badly they haven't asked to repeat the experience since!

I, too, was one of those kids that had to be cajolled to come into the house once it was getting dark. My own daughters spent about half that time outside, but would play hide and seek in a group with all the other kids quite happily...even after dark.

This newest generation is not like us at all. And I find that the norm in this neighbourhood. But is this the kid's fault, or is it the fault of their parents who don't force them to get outside and play. Personally, I think that each and every child should only be allowed to play video games as a reward for completing their work properly, and not as a right to be exercised from the time they awake in the morning, to when they go to sleep at night.

Answer 6

What a lovely question! Play station is to blame not perverts as your kids would only be playing outside your front door. I used to play May I and Ball dog does any one remember those ? Those were the days xx

Answer 7

The times have definitely changed since my kids were kids. We hear so much about child molesters possibly living in our neighborhood. Or snatching kids off the street and eventually killing them.
My grandchild 13. rides his bike but as long as he is with a few friends and never far away. My gran daughter Who is 8 has to play outside supervised by their mother or brother.
We went swimming at a pool nearly every day during the summer so I think they got enough sun. We golf and ride bikes together.

It cost more of our time to keep them safe but outdoors. It's so worth it.

Answer 8

It all depends on the parents, I go on vacation with my sister and brother-in-law. When the children were small we would camp and the kids would have entertain themselves. For we for a week would be outside, they would swim, horse back riding, caves and even go-cart driving. If they were in camp and wanted some entertainment my briefcase was what they looked for, inside were games.

Answer 9

You cannot allow your children outside unsupervised even if you don't live in a bad neighborhood. You can't trust anyone.

My grand children are 17 & 7 years old. Neither of them has ever played outside UNLESS they were accompanied by an adult.

As a result of that kids today do different things than we did when we were young. They would be so bored playing outside. They wouldn't know what to do. The extent outside is organized summer sports.

Answer 10

i have to agree. my youngest,9, loves the outdoors and hates the idea of coming home and having to eat.he'd go from sunup to sundown if i let him. unforunately, not to many other kids are like that around here. they all have video games and such and spend most of their time on them. my nephews are the same. it drives me nuts. most kids i know don't even "play" anymore. no tag or dodgeball. no running. it's sad really. they've no idea what they're missing