Anonymous wrote: I am very strict with screen time ( less than one hour a day for my kids), But when they’re outside playing together there’s literally no other kids in the neighborhood outside playing… I guess they’re all inside on their iPads or phones. My kids get bored playing with each other after a while, and I was just hoping more friends would be involved to keep outside play going longer.
-OP

Is this during the week? Perhaps the kids are at school/day care? My son runs around for about 30 min after we all get home at 5:30 but then there's dinner, bath, bed. He's not sitting inside on a tablet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am very strict with screen time ( less than one hour a day for my kids), But when they’re outside playing together there’s literally no other kids in the neighborhood outside playing… I guess they’re all inside on their iPads or phones. My kids get bored playing with each other after a while, and I was just hoping more friends would be involved to keep outside play going longer.
-OP

Don't be so obnoxious. My DD doesn't like to play outside. She'd always rather sit at her little table and do art, or read to the dog, or make jewelry, or help me in the kitchen, or play pretend Office, etc. She's not zoning out on a screen like you assumed. If someone came by to see if we had any kids for them to play with, I'd offer her up. But she'd invite you in to play.

+1. My kids play outside quite a bit, but when they are inside they are not just on screens. They have built a dinosaur habitat that they play with, they do legos and Keva plank building, art projects, read books, and we have a mini trampoline and a bounce house in our basement. They don’t have trouble keeping busy.

Seriously, step off your high horse. Also, lol that "less than an hour a day" is being strict with screen time. My kids get less than an hour a week and I don't even consider myself that strict. And they sometimes like to play inside and sometimes like to play inside. Imagine that.

In our neighborhood there are 10 and 12 year olds that still hang out outside, playing baseball or tag or running around. But there are 5 year olds that sit inside all day. So I don't think it's age related!

My now college aged kid spent a lot of time outside with friends through high school. I'm not sure whether it qualified as "playing", but they had pick up basketball games, went for bike rides, tried to do parkour, had picnics, etc . . . He had a smart phone in his pocket for all of it, and video games at home that I wasn't policing by that age, so this was not due to my stellar screen-free parenting. In fact, the motivation to take selfies might have contributed. The selfies are definitely how I know about it!

One thing that helped get him out a fair amount was the dog.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am very strict with screen time ( less than one hour a day for my kids), But when they’re outside playing together there’s literally no other kids in the neighborhood outside playing… I guess they’re all inside on their iPads or phones. My kids get bored playing with each other after a while, and I was just hoping more friends would be involved to keep outside play going longer.
-OP

Don't be so obnoxious. My DD doesn't like to play outside. She'd always rather sit at her little table and do art, or read to the dog, or make jewelry, or help me in the kitchen, or play pretend Office, etc. She's not zoning out on a screen like you assumed. If someone came by to see if we had any kids for them to play with, I'd offer her up. But she'd invite you in to play.

+1. My kids play outside quite a bit, but when they are inside they are not just on screens. They have built a dinosaur habitat that they play with, they do legos and Keva plank building, art projects, read books, and we have a mini trampoline and a bounce house in our basement. They don’t have trouble keeping busy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am very strict with screen time ( less than one hour a day for my kids), But when they’re outside playing together there’s literally no other kids in the neighborhood outside playing… I guess they’re all inside on their iPads or phones. My kids get bored playing with each other after a while, and I was just hoping more friends would be involved to keep outside play going longer.
-OP

Don't be so obnoxious. My DD doesn't like to play outside. She'd always rather sit at her little table and do art, or read to the dog, or make jewelry, or help me in the kitchen, or play pretend Office, etc. She's not zoning out on a screen like you assumed. If someone came by to see if we had any kids for them to play with, I'd offer her up. But she'd invite you in to play.

+1 We have a neighbor girl like that. She's not in front of a screen, but she doesn't like grass or bugs. She's always doing art or reading.

Anonymous wrote: I am very strict with screen time ( less than one hour a day for my kids), But when they’re outside playing together there’s literally no other kids in the neighborhood outside playing… I guess they’re all inside on their iPads or phones. My kids get bored playing with each other after a while, and I was just hoping more friends would be involved to keep outside play going longer.
-OP

Don't be so obnoxious. My DD doesn't like to play outside. She'd always rather sit at her little table and do art, or read to the dog, or make jewelry, or help me in the kitchen, or play pretend Office, etc. She's not zoning out on a screen like you assumed. If someone came by to see if we had any kids for them to play with, I'd offer her up. But she'd invite you in to play.

Anonymous wrote: I am very strict with screen time ( less than one hour a day for my kids), But when they’re outside playing together there’s literally no other kids in the neighborhood outside playing… I guess they’re all inside on their iPads or phones. My kids get bored playing with each other after a while, and I was just hoping more friends would be involved to keep outside play going longer.
-OP

What time of day is it OP? If it's right after school it may be because a lot of family's in this area have two parents working outside the home. I notice kids in our neighborhood come out more starting around 5ish until dinner. My son is still a toddler though so I can't really speak to it but do see kids outside in our neighborhood most days.

My DD is 16 and still wants to go outside. She wants to go walk down by the water, or go walk through the woods, or go wander around the winding path, go walk through the park, etc.

Prior to going for walks with her friends she was skateboarding at all these places. Prior to that she was scootering there. Prior to that she was riding her bike or doing gymnastics or playing on equipment or climbing trees.

I am very strict with screen time ( less than one hour a day for my kids), But when they’re outside playing together there’s literally no other kids in the neighborhood outside playing… I guess they’re all inside on their iPads or phones. My kids get bored playing with each other after a while, and I was just hoping more friends would be involved to keep outside play going longer.
-OP

My kids are 9 and 11 and play outside all the time.

Be strict with screens and you’ll be better off.

My 7 year old is still happy to play outside. My nieces and nephews who are 8 and 11 are as well. My other nieces and nephews (9 and 10) want to stay inside, but that's because they get a ton of screen time they find more attractive.

The meaning of "play outside" changes. It might be play basketball or draw with sidewalk chalk or sit in/under a tree and talk. OP, are you getting at going outside or being active?

When they get a choice of something more interesting inside.

I notice kids younger and younger not wanting to play outside.