How come kids don't play outside as much as they used to?

Question

I'm 18 and remember being outside all the time with my friends! And this was only about 10 years ago. Video games, television, etc was still all around at the time, but our parents always encouraged us to play outside and we had so much fun! We'd play fun games like tag or baseball, we'd ride out bikes or explore the woods, etc. Kids aren't like that anymore. Why is this? People say it's all the technology, but like I said, we had video games and all that jazz too when we were younger, so I don't get it.

I currently have nephews, and they act as if it's a punishment to go outside because all they want to do is play freaking Call of Duty 4 for 8 hours!!

Answer 1

But technology has changed in 10 years!  Kids are learning computers at the age of 5 now.  You've got ipod and iphone and games and reality t.v. and chat rooms, etc.  It has changed quite a lot.

I think parents don't enforce time limits on computers/t.v. and therefore kids just sit inside all day long.  

There are also many parents out there that don't get out and do things outside, so why should their kids. Kids learn by example.

Just look at most of the new houses going up - 3 and 4 bedroom, huge houses, with tiny, itty bitty backyards, no trees nothing interesting.  Even houses are being made for indoor activities.  People just don't respect nature and what's outdoors anymore.

Answer 2

I remember being outside sooo much! I would get home from school, shimmy out of my school clothes then head outside to play kickball, ride bikes, throw rocks in the lake...all types of stuff. You see, my mother was not having me hanging underneath her while she was cooking dinner, and I didn't want to! I had plans after school :-) And on the weekends, forget it. Gone all day...even in the winter.

EDIT: Also my family liked to be outside too. My dad would work on the car, my mom would garden...or just sit outside to enjoy a nice day. Our TV was barely on...that's the way our family was so I guess thats the reason why I was like that.

I think now parents are so freaked out by everything. If I wanted to do the same things today I would have been held back because: I would have drowned in the lake, got hit with the ball, hit with a rock, crashed on the bike, kidnapped you name it. Parents are so overprotective now a days. I know one thing, when my kids get older they are going outside and foster their imagination! The heck with watching TV all day.

Answer 3

People need to stop blaming technology. I am a little older than you and in 1st grade we were already on computers. Sure not everyone had one at home, but we still used them at school. Even when Nintendo came out and all my friends had them, they were only used sparingly.

The issue these days is the parenting. It's so much easier for people to let their kids sit around watching tv, playing on the computer or video games than it is to go outside and play with them or set up play dates with friends. I've seen it in my community though not a lot. Where I live, kids are encouraged to get out and play all day. My own kids are outside from sun up to sun down if you allow it, no matter if it's rain or sunshine. They ride bike, run, shoot hoops, play baseball, explore, etc. My girls are also involved in every possible sport they can be in for their age groups too, so they're always busy and on the go and are so happy to be that way.

So again, I don't blame technology. I blame the lazy parents.

Answer 4

Your last sentence sounds exactly like my brother.

Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Grand Theft Auto....it's all c**p.

But they will play it for hours and hours on end, and never get bored.

I don't understand it either.

Answer 5

I'm 38 and we literally lived outside in the summer.  Sun up to sun down.  We never went inside.

But, we didn't have TV channels devoted to cartoons and kids shows on 24/7.  We had cartoons on Saturday morning for about 3 hours before college football came on.  We didn't have lego sets that take a rocket scientist to construct and then you can program them to walk around your house and do cool stuff.  We had Atari 2600, which while fun, was not the indepth experience the video games of today are (which are totally awesome).  We didn't have libraries of movies in our home that we could watch endlessly.  When I turned about 10, we finally got a VCR and could rent movies which meant getting mom and dad to drive us to the video store.  They weren't on every block.  There's a lot more entertainment indoors than there used to be.

I think it sucks too.  These things can all be done when the weather is not great and the sun is not out.  I kick my kids out of the house on nice days.  It doesn't take them long to find something fun to do.  Hide & seek, tag, soccer, catch bugs, sidewalk chalk, play with the sprinkler.....it's all good in my hood!

Answer 6

For city kids it's harder to get outside, especiallyif you're livingin a condo development or somewhere that's not near a safe play area.

Answer 7

10 years in technology is a lot for games to progress. Put it this way, why ride your bike when you could be riding a Ferrari in a street race? Why play baseball with your friends when you can play baseball in the MLB? Since 10 years ago video games have really become popular, you can live your fantasies. For me, that thought is a little scary.  

Answer 8

I was the same way!  My mom and dad might have kinda pushed us at first to the outdoors, but we loved it!  

Parents don't encourage going outdoors.  That's why.  Sure, you can do all sorts of cool stuff inside, but it's the same outside to!  For crying out loud!  We had dirt bomb fights, built tee-pees out of logs, raked trails out of the woods, played war, snowball fights and just plain exploring the great outdoors!

Answer 9

My boyfriend's sons are 9 and 4.  They do occasionally ask to go outside and ride bikes or go to the park.  But more often than not they prefer to be inside watching TV/movies, playing video games, or playing games and watching video clips online.  I don't necessarily think it's because the technology today is greater or better than when we were kids, although that's definitely part of it.  From watching friends of mine that have kids I've noticed that more and more parents will encourage their kids to watch TV or play video games because if they went outside either mom or dad would have to go supervise.  I'm not suggesting that parents today are lazy or anything.  But you have to admit that after working 8-10 hours 5 days a week and spending another 6 or so on the weekends cleaning house, doing laundry, etc the last thing you want to do is babysit.  When we were younger, it was easier for families to get by one a single income so only one parents was too exhausted to watch the kids play outside.  Now, more often than not both parents have to work full time and don't have the energy to encourage their kids to be outside with their friends.  So what happens is that kids get so into a particular video game or whatever that all other activity becomes unimportant to them.

Answer 10

Let me tell you my take on it. The whole world has gotten "politically correct" and this is starting to get added to the parenting rold as well. They let their kids do whatever makes them comfortable and make their own choices...i guess to keep the peace? There shouldnt be any choices! and there definately shouldnt be any peace in a normal functioning home. The kids should constantly want to do something that they arent aloud to do and the parents should constantly fight them back! Now provided you have a safe neighborhood and a set of solid rules and boundaries you should severly limit there consumption of the mature television world...this includes but is not limited to Call of Duty 4! I totally get it that the world is becoming more and more dangerous, so is it really going to kill these parents to sit outside in a lawn chair and watch the neighborhood kids ride their bike up and down the street? But...how qualified am i...as a 21 yr old with no kids.

Answer 11

I so agree with you..I hate video games, all they do is make the kids lazy and fat. i use to play dolls, school and house with my siblings..I use to go and explore old houses or fields or woods with my brother, we would ride bikes all over and build snow forts...never did we sit in front of the games or tv that much. Now its like thats all they think they have, omg I cant play my xbox or use my cell phone or play on the net..what am I going to do? Its pathetic they think thats all they have to do these days. Its like they slowly lost their imaginations. I use to love going and trying to find things and wonder around and look at diff sights...not sit in front of a game. I am pregnant with my first baby...its a girl thank god, no video games or stupid trading cards for me...They think that todays technology is more fun than playing hide and go seek or riding bikes...its sad to see them wasting away like that..its like they are not being kids they are being lumps.

Answer 12

U know i waz wondering that question also! Why is that? I think its because its to much of a pain in the azz, also kids these days are gettin fat! To much junk in there day! Maybe i dont know like i said i waz wondering also!

Answer 13

Because of all the video games and because parents are more and more protective and think the kids will get hurt or sick or dirty. It's stupid. I used to stay in the back yard all day and only came in when my dad would force me in well after dark for bedtime.

Answer 14

well to me it seems most parent worry more now than they did 10 years ago,more crimes and such,or it could be some parents want to supervise them most of the time they can.

Answer 15

it called we have technology now

Answer 16

im a kid and we go outside sometimes its technology it was diffrent when i was little too...but theres much more and it is really advanced...you should worry about the little kids they never do anything outside...all they know is teachnology...its sad...

Answer 17

Personally, I am a little afraid to let the kids out themselves - which means they go out when I have time to go out.  I have no problem forgetting some housework so we can go out to play, but, some things have to get done.  

My kids are still young, but when I was my sons age (5), I was allowed out in the yard to play.  I have a fenced in yard, and I wouldn't dream of letting my 5 year old out to play by himself - even if I was only in the kitchen with the door and windows open.  You just never know what nuts are around.  Even now, I see kids who are 8-11 out riding bikes around the neighborhood (which is in a rural area) and I start thinking - will I let my son out at the age to ride around without supervision???  I honestly don't know, though I know I have to let go sometime.

Another reason is that parents are too lazy to play - inside or outside - with their children.  So, they see the tv and video games as a perfect babysitter.  

Answer 18

I know you mentioned you had technology, but it's different now then back then.  Not everyone was able to afford cable and video games.  

In today's world, kids have TV, computers, IPODS, MP3 Players, Playstation, Nintendo DS, advanced games, cell phones, etc.  A lot of parents use these items to keep their kids occupied INSTEAD of having them go outside.  Kids are lazy now - it's the new generation!

Answer 19

It's the neighborhood, fear of things, and some of it IS the technology and parents not stepping up to stop their kids from being plugged in all the time.  Some of it is just "who do you play with if everyone is indoors?"

Outside right now I can see 3 kids riding bikes, 4 running around, and 2 playing with squirt guns.  :P   Part of what gets them out is when the girls across the street and a few houses up are tossed out by their parents in the morning (work off energy, go play!)  These girls then start playing and other kids look out the window and go "hey, that looks fun" and start going to play with them.  But it always starts with those two girls first.

Would it be odd to say that some of it may be that kids are often the only child these days?  That they don't have a built in "playmate" so they don't want to be the only kid outside?  I really do think that has something to do  with it.

Add: Here's another thought too.  With so many "both parents working", I know a lot of kids are told to stay in the house until mom/dad come home.

Answer 20

Kids these days are inside only because their parents let them be inside.  They let them sit in front of the tv/computer/video games for hours on end.  

My children, on the other hand, will not be like that.  They will play outside and learn to love the outdoors.