Neighborhood Kids

A friend recently asked me what our secret is to getting all the neighborhood kids to play in our front yard.....
here was my response to her and I thought it was worth recording here.

1. we hang out in the front yard as a family….I’m usually on the porch reading in a rocker, or doing yard work, or organizing the garage…..and our kids are just out visually and suddenly neighbor kids just start emerging from the houses. I’ve noticed that usually the other neighbor kids wouldn’t normally come out unless we are out already. We make sure we have a presence in the neighborhood as a family in our front yard. We spend time hanging out in our yard. It makes our yard welcoming I guess. Parents seem more likely to send their kids over if they see me out there and involved with keeping an eye. Also kids without realizing it actually like hanging out where their parents are. If they feel like your yard is where stuff is happening because mom and dad are there too doing stuff then they want to be there. People gravitate towards people. So I would say that having a presence (even the adults) makes a big difference. Now, I’m not out there all the time but to get things started it helps. It also works both ways…I can have one ear open to conversations that are taking place. =0) But once they are all playing I do often end up inside from time to time.

2. We have toys. I know it’s annoying to have a bunch of outdoor toys stored in the garage but honestly I think this is a huge key. Other parents usually don’t keep much for kids to play with in their garage other than bikes…. and they don’t let their kids bring inside toys to the outside. My kids have to get their inside toy approved before taking it outside but for the most part I try to be flexible. We also have lots of stuff in the garage for them to play with. If they want bowls from the kitchen to make mud pie then out go the bowls. I even give them ideas if they are bored! If they need a table to play house or kitchen or restaurant then I go out and put up one of the card tables from the garage for them. We have a tub in the garage with “outside” toys and all the kids just love that. We do have a strict clean up policy…everyone has to help clean up before going home.

Those are the two biggest things that come to mind. I would bet that providing snacks would go a long way too….we’ve often done that but I wouldn’t say that it’s the core thing that works. At times it feels like I’m running a free day care but I’d rather my kids be playing at our house than at someone else’ house/yard. I don’t allow my kids to go in neighbor’s houses (unless we have known them really well) so my kids know that they have to play outside so we make outside fun. I try to be a fun mom!