Childhood?

[NintendoFreak]

Okay so tonight on msn, was saying to my close friend how when i was 8, (9 years ago now..). That me and my 3 friends would always go to his house on a saturday, play in the garden, watch a bit of pokemon, build some lego towers, take the dog for a walk, and go on his trampoline and such like, then settle down with a scary 12a film and have a sleepover aha.

I was saying to my friend, you hardly see children nowa days playing out and about, on bikes or parks and stuff.

Now I was saying alot of people i know with younger siblings say all they do is stay in and play xbox most days, kids as young as 5!. Now i have no problem with this, as like I said after a hard day playing out we'd all come back and wack on crash bandicoot for several hours, but not to the extent where we would sit on crash bandicoot from say 10am-5pm on a summers day.

My friend thinks i "sound 50". I'm just stating what I think, and obesity levels have risen by more than half for under 11 year olds.

Anyone else used to do the whole "friends house after school for dinner then "play out" " routine etc, and the "all day sleepover playing out. watching movies" thing at the weekends?
Not saying this for like children around 12 and over, lets say the start of secondary school, but mainly children on the under 11 radar.

Let us know!

p.s and do you think that children now a days are too bothered about technology like xbox's and stuff rather than having fun with things like bikes, trampolines etc?

[Pyroka]

i sorta agree, though it depends where you live cuz i used to see it alot back in devon still. dont see it when i go back up north to where i used to play around and had my childhood though. just life aint it.

[Chris]

Ahh the good old days. :]

I do agree but i have seen quiet a few out and about.

[dirrty]

i wouldn't solely blame technology. i'd more so look at how parents are restricting their children more regarding outdoor activities due to the paranoia about paedophiles, abductions etc. i think that's the main contributor to children no longer playing out and seeking alternatives such as video games.

[Callum.]

Just as things go on really. Everything is so easily accessable now. Streets aren't the best place these days for anyone.

[Grippz]

play in the garden, watch a bit of pokemon, build some lego towers, take the dog for a walk, and go on his trampoline and such like, then settle down with a scary 12a film and have a sleepover aha.

you little ledge, those were the days, honestly!! ;-[

[dbgtz]

I think it's parents in most cases however in my lazy case it was video games LOL.

[Lindsey]

I think it depends on the family, some family's Only have one computer or one T.v , and force the children outside, which personally i think its good to force them outside, because i suppose I am one of those kids who sit inside all day, ect. but not to the extent of me being obese, i'm actually under weight, nothing to be proud about but its true. ,

[Black_Apalachi]

I totally agree and I don't think the area makes a difference because I used to live in a much posher area and that's where I grew up. My childhood was pretty much how you described yours and we would would always have big games of man-hunt with all the kids in the few streets around mine. Before I was allowed that much freedom when I was much younger, we were only allowed to play in the entry behind our house and during the summer it would be full of kids! But since we moved away from there, I've been back dozens of times but never see kids playing outside at all. It is pretty weird actually. There was also the local park which would be teaming even on weekends and that's dead these days.