Playing in the Street
“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”
Practice
Start small. Drink your morning coffee out on the front porch. Wave to neighbors.
Be seen. Eat a picnic with your kids in your front yard.
See the street as a place to play. Ride bikes or scooters, play catch, draw with chalk.
Create memories of playing in the street.
Some of my favorite memories from childhood are the countless hours of unstructured play with my siblings and neighbors. We created our own games and our own rules — the blazing Texas heat doing nothing to deter us. Playing in the street was the epitome of childhood.
This formative freedom of running out the front door and playing with a sense of independence is no longer the normal experience of children. On average, kids play outdoors significantly less than any previous generation. Only one in four kids report playing out in the street near their homes compared to three in four adults who regularly played in their street as children. Outdoor play is linked with higher mental health, increased creativity, and greater friendship development.
One of my favorite aspects of our home is its placement in the middle of a cul-de-sac and the presence of other families who value communal play. Group texts asking neighbors to send kids home for dinner are frequent. A ring on the doorbell may be for one of my kids, but is just as likely to be for my husband: “Can Mr. Nate come throw the football with me?” Even our neighbors whose kids have long-since moved away, graciously encourage our kids’ often overly boisterous play — by saying hi, driving slowly, and allowing their driveways and yards to be utilized.
Everyone cannot live on a cul-de-sac, but figuring out how to play out front is well worth the effort. Before we lived on a closed street, playing in the front yard and driveway, while avoiding the actual street, contributed significantly to getting to know our neighbors.
Sitting in the backyard as a new mom while my first daughter played, I found to be a very isolating experience. But when I took the kiddie pool or the slide to the front yard, the chance of interacting with other adults rose exponentially. One day, a neighbor whom I had never spoken with came over with a jar of peonies from her yard and introduced herself. “I’ve seen you and your daughter playing in your driveway for so long, and decided I needed to come say hello. I find so much joy in watching her play. I lost my husband about a year ago, but now I think I need to get back outside again.”
Street play not only opens up a world of discovery and growth for our children, but can connect us as adults to one another too.
By Brandi Galuzzi
