Freeing the streets for children to play

MY GC who live away from us up north live in a top floor flat in a converted woollen mill and struggle with 3 children there. The flats are centred around an atrium with a glass roof and there is a vast area of carpet with the flat doors going off it. She cannot even allow her children out on the carpet because they only have to make the tiniest of squeaks and a very grumpy lady comes out and shouts at them. They have learned to tiptoe around out there - they are only little. It is very difficult for them.

I can understand complaints if they were running riot out there, but my DD keeps them well under control - although in many ways that is not very good for them either - they need to let off steam sometimes.

In front of the terrace where I live there is a grass area, shielded from the road by shrubs. I love to see and hear the local children playing happily. However, a few of the older residents (I am old but don't feel it) have called in the police because of the noise. One childless woman is making herself ill by monitoring all activities and trying to persuade others to complain. In all other ways she is a lovely person and a good neighbour, but this has become an obsession. I wish I could help.

Nice one Feetle couldn't have put it better myself. What a plonker your neighbour must have been Vamps

"He's just said his first word... and got his first ASBO...bless!"

My house faced onto one of those greens, whatsgoingon. One side was family houses and the other was pensioners bungalows. I used to let my four year old ride her bike around it as I stood in the garden and sometimes she and the six year old next door would play on the grass with their dolls. One day my neighbour and myself received official visits from the police to tell us we must keep our children under control and stop them from harassing other people or face the consequences. The police officer asked to speak to the child in question. I pointed out that the only child I had was sitting on my knee.

Whoever had complained to the police had failed to mention how young the children were and the police had assumed that they were coming out to talk to some teenagers.

The police officer was very apologetic and surprisingly no further action was taken against me or my child.

Where we used to live there was signs up declaring that "ball games were disallowed by order of the council ".
These signs were displayed along side local houses that overlooked open grassland.
Apparently the residents complained to the council that children were playing with footballs there and they were disturbing them with the noise they were making. Ah bless.

My children were able to play out in the cul de sac where we lived. They and their friends used to pop into each others houses and we parents all looked out for them. They made skate ramps, had races, skipping and all sorts of fun things. I went down that cul de sac the other day and it was full to the gunnel with cars. A new office had been built and workers now search out every available parking space. Such a shame.

This is slightly wider than playing in streets, but it's relevant. I'd love to see their film.

projectwildthing.com/

Such a good idea there is nothing better than hearing children playing out, we played outside our front door when we where little the only bug bear was Mr.Thompson from over the Road who would swill away our hopscotch drawing overnight and complain he could hear us playing two balls on the wall but we never played on his wall so what was his problem

We had play streets in London when my kids were small a good idea to ressurect them .

Great idea! Children should be free to play close to home without risk from traffic. Leaving some streets clear for them would be a good start.

Excellent idea.