Where are the kids playing now?


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We have been out and about for most of the morning, in the lovely sunshine, along the canal paths and across the country side lanes. The one thing that was so obvious was in about 3 to 4 hours we never saw one group of kids doing what we would all have been doing; fishing with nets, paddling in the Dykes, climbing the trees, generally running amok in the fields. What a shame, even in the built up areas that we rode through, there weren't any children out on Scooters or Bikes or just sitting on the pavements chatting and playing. You know where they all are....sitting on the sofa's playing on Tablets and Phones or at Computer desks. They don't know what they are missing.

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Here at Poolsbrook there are hundreds of kiddies (or so it seems) and at the moment they are either at the playground in the Country Park, or riding bikes, scooters, skateboards or roller skating around the site. I've even seen a few locals out on their ponies...so all is not lost, some parents do still take their children out and about :)

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Darkazana, Good to hear that some lucky children are having some fun in the sun. :biggrin: It just seemed so void of children's voices any where this morning on our outing, especially in the places where you would have expected to see children. I just hope that not too many were doing as Bilboro-lad thinks. :huh:

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I live in a community where children still ride their bikes and scooters. Sometimes too early in the morning. But I have no complaints being woken up early in the morning to children's laughter and fun. I have 2 boys living across the road from me still play with toy guns and home made swords, and they have girls joining in their fun. Taiwan really does bring back the memories of when I was a child in Carlton.

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#5 I know what you mean though Carni.

When I ran a youth club, so many of the members were just left to their own devices in the hols. Parents would throw money at them, (even those on benefits!) buying all the latest technology to keep them quiet, but sadly not what they really craved.....real attention.

I used to get the council minibus and take them out on trips, even just skating or swimming. And if we went away for few days, climbing and caving in Derbyshire, or away on the canals, using the council funded narrowboats they were great, sharing the chores and working the locks, but most noticeable was the subdued atmosphere on the way home. Not because they were tired, but because they didn't want to go home, they wanted the time out to never end.

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Your description of the activities you have been involved with sounds absolutely great fun. What lucky kids they were who managed to get on your adventures, I'm not surprised they didn't want to go home. What a shame it had to come to an end for them. But at least they will have some nice memories, thanks to you and your helpers.

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Thanks Carnie. It all started because I would have loved to have done all the activities that the youth service had to offer when I was younger, I had to make do with climbing trees. building dens, sledging and all that other outdoor stuff!!!! slywink

It was great to be able to get the kids to try something new. Sadly it did all end when I moved away from the area, as the youth club closed due to council cutbacks and lack of local support. But we had 10 great years of adventure together, and if it helped only one child it was all worthwhile.

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I remember as a kid we used to go play down the dike in gedling, if we found an empty pop bottle we used to go catch sticklebacks and come home drenched! Used to go exploring at gedling pit on our bikes, building dens (had one just down a slope near the train lines, we had a huge tyre swing and all sorts!) I used to be a mucky boyish child, I wish we had camera phones with us then, would be great to look back on all the stuff we did. We have a couple of kids on the culdesac oposit my house, think they're siblings but whenever it's nice, they're always out on their scooters and bikes, it is lovely to see some kids out enjoying the weather!

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I was listening to a report on Radio 2 today. Someone had complained about teenagers in a nearby wood and reported them to the police for 'unsocial behaviour' when in fact they were innocent of anything. Unfortunately youngsters are being demonised by the behaviour of the lunatic fringe and this is leading to an unfair restriction on them from things we accepted as normal in our early years.

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