Why is it more important for parents to get kids to go out and play?
The days of families being represented by “Cheaper By The Dozen” and “18 kids and counting” are over. In 1930, the ideal number of children per household was at least five kids. Those large families could go outside and start a game of kick the can, or ghost in the graveyard, very easily. “The bigger the family, the better” was a way of life, and kids were always seen outside running, playing, and having fun.
Today according to Gallup, an analytics organization, the ideal number of children per household is two. Gone are the days of families large enough to be their own hockey team. Two kids cannot go out in the backyard and start a backyard game like ghost in the graveyard themselves. They would be chasing each other in circles! The size of the average family has been getting smaller and smaller, meaning that kids are growing up with fewer siblings than they used to. Who are they going to play with??
Neighbors. Two kids need their neighbors to play with them. The importance of the neighbor has increased significantly over the years. Kids need to rely on their neighborhoods to generate enough friends to play. So parents, it is time to encourage your kids to walk over to the neighbor’s house to see if anyone wants to come out and play. Talk to your kids about the games you grew up playing like cops and robbers or treasure hunt in the yard. Those neighbors give your kids the opportunity to make new friends and create memories that last a lifetime.
