Just as I suspected!!

[azsnowman]

I heard a report on CBS News this morning at 0400 on how children are NOT playing outside anymore!

Remember a few months back I made a statement, "Since I've been assigned to the patrol division this summer, I've noticed something, a lack of children playing outside!" WELL........the story this morning CONFIRMED my feelings EXACTLY.......they're calling it "Nature Deprivation Disorder". It's not on the website just yet. The reason for NDD? "Computers, video games etc." No WONDER our children are becoming "Fat America!"

They interviewed one 5 year old boy in San Diego, he said, and I qoute, "I don't like laying on the grass, it HURTS, the sticks hurt, the leaves hurt!" "PUUUUULEAAASE!"

Another bit, "Some schools in Florida are NOT allowing kids to PLAY on PLAYGROUND equip because they're AFRAID OF LAWSUITS!"

What has this WORLD COME TO????

Dennis

[Miss Mary]

Aw heck, let's all live in a bubble, pop a pill instead of real food and all get along!!!

Yeah right.....I just about described that old Sci-Fi movie, Logan's Run!

My family moved a few times when I was growing up and I have equal memories of each home - inside and out. I remember what my bedroom and kitchen looked like in each house, of course. But just as much I remember what our front and back yards looked like, the woods we played in, what the creeks were like, the tree bridges we sat on everyday just about, hollowed out trees we played in, the forts we made and one, the treehouse I proudly helped build - not on our property either. A farm nearby and did the farmer yell at us and tell us to get the heck off his property - heck no! He enjoyed us playing there and we never bothered his cows. I loved being outside in every season. Well, I'm not really a summer person, but I loved being out of school. We also went ice skating and sled riding every winter too (when we had something called measurable snowfall too, grrrrrr).

Times do change don't they!

Now I want to see that movie too.......they eliminated residents when they turned 30 too. LOL

Mary

[azskyman]

I am one of the lucky ones. Our neighborhood has a range of young 'ens from 2 to 16 who are constantly playing outside...and here, where they can do it year round, that's exactly what they do. They swim sometimes, but much of their time is actually just being spent as kids outside like I used to do.

Combine that with having a grade school playground across the road and behind our home, and we have constant activities from t-ball to soccer to cheerleading going on every day of the week. And on weekends, it's not uncommon to see dads and moms and grandmas and grandpas with the little ones climbing around the play areas or flying a kite in the open space.

If anything, I often wonder how the kids can do it? 108 degrees after school and they're out on their bikes or pulling each other in wagons and having a great time!

So...while I'm sure what you say is absolutely true Dennis, it's nice to live in a place where I hear the sound of kids laughing and playing outside any day of the entire year!

Wasn't too long ago I stopped by the mail box and their was a little one nearby leaning on a tree. A few others were scattered nearby.

Green light, yellow light, blue light, pink light, RED LIGHT!

Talk about taking me back to my childhood!!!

[weathermom]

My neighborhood is another one with a traveling mob. They play capture the flag, soccer, volleyball, ride bikes and argue about the rules to everything. ( they usually end up with the old standby...do over!)

Last summer it was whiffle ball games in my neighbors front yard until it was too dark to see.

They made up a game called jackpot that they played in the road and no one really knew what the rules were, but they never fought about rules either. They played it everyday for months.

Can't prove that report by my neighborhood!!

[Stephanie]

It is very sad!

[Kim_in_MN]

My neighborhood is another one with a traveling mob. They play capture the flag, soccer, volleyball, ride bikes and argue about the rules to everything. ( they usually end up with the old standby...do over!)

Last summer it was whiffle ball games in my neighbors front yard until it was too dark to see.

They made up a game called jackpot that they played in the road and no one really knew what the rules were, but they never fought about rules either. They played it everyday for months.

Can't prove that report by my neighborhood!!

Sounds like my neighborhood - baseball in the spring, basketball in the summer, now the boys are into football in the backyard; my daughter (who HATES to get dirty) is always riding her bike on the sidewalk, playing tag, jumping rope, or at least drawing with sidewalk chalk. I am LOL about jackpot - I have never figured out the rules to some of the games my kids and the neighborhood kids play either.


Kim

[Persepone]

I believe this depends upon where you live. Back in the 1950s, we sort of ran wild without a lot of supervision. Basically we were good kids, and we did, for the most part, stay in the neighborhood, and there were always people (often old ladies, etc.) who sort of "watched the street" and would take action if they saw a kid do something really dangerous, get hurt, etc.

But even back in the early 1970s it was too dangerous for kids to go out (except perhaps into a fenced yard--but not out of sight) and just run loose. My daughter did get outdoors a lot--but there was always someone watching--specifically--not just some anonymous people... Yes, she went to the park--but not alone! I (or another mother) went along...

Today, there are fewer and fewer places to go and play "outside" for many of American's children. And I think we teach our children to fear being outside in many subtle ways--and we tend to provide those enticements to stay indoors.

My grandchildren spend a bunch of time outdoors, daily, winter and summer. But they do have a yard. And they do live in a small town. And even in their case, a lot of their time outdoors is "organized" in that they are playing soccer or some other sport rather than just "hanging out." And yes, there is always an adult "watcher"--even in the small town where everyone knows your name...

In homes without suitable backyards, in families where both parents work outside the home, in urban areas where being "outside" is dangerous, etc. kids don't play outside. Again, sad but true.

I think you need to make a special effort to see that kids play outside every day possible--winter and summer--but these days it is a special effort.