I once was Ken Griffey Jr. No, I don’t mean I got to meet him. And I don’t mean I was him in a video game. I mean, I was Ken Griffey Jr., along with a host of other baseball players: Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken Jr., Rickey Henderson…you name it. On a regular basis, whether it was a beautiful spring day or a blistering 110-degree “dry heat” in the Arizona desert, my friends and I would convene in my front yard for a good, old-fashioned game of wiffle ball.
But we didn’t stop there.
When we didn’t feel like playing wiffle ball (maybe because baseball wasn’t in season), you could find us playing football, basketball, hide-and-seek, freeze tag, and more. And it all took place in my front yard.
For a kid growing up in the late 80s and early 90s, this was common. You could drive through my neighborhood and see countless kids playing in the front yard. We didn’t think twice about it. But somewhere along the line, that changed. Nowadays, as a 38-year-old dad with 3 kids, I drive through my neighborhood and typically see people in their front yard only if they’re taking out the trash, getting in their car, or working on their landscaping.
But why? Why don’t kids play in the front yard anymore?
I’m not sure I have the answer. Maybe it’s because of safety reasons. Maybe we’re too busy as a society. Maybe we overschedule ourselves and our children so much that we don’t have time to play at home, let alone in the front yard. Or perhaps as parents, we don’t want to put in the time and energy required to supervise our children in the front yard.
But I can tell you this…we’re missing out. And so are our kids.
About a year ago, a trend began to develop as I arrived home from work each day. My family would greet me in the front yard. I’d pull up on my driveway to laughter, smiling faces, and yes, even an occasional tantrum. On some days, the hose was out, indicating that I missed out on a good afternoon of water wars. On other days, my car interrupted the latest version of “Tag, You’re It,” involving rules that always seemed to favor my oldest.
Regardless of what was happening, my wife Alissa was certainly a trend-setter. Do you know why? Other kids and their parents started coming over. And then other neighbors started coming over, whether they had kids or not. And it all started because Alissa took our kids to play in the front yard.
As the months have passed, we’ve all talked more as neighbors. We’ve gotten to know each other. Our kids have become good friends. We’ve built trust and found mutual respect. And even on those occasions when the conversation delves into faith and politics, nobody ever leaves angry, frustrated, or enraged. That’s quite a difference from the world we see on social media.
But none of this would’ve happened if we stayed in the comfort of our own homes or latched on to the safety of our “busy” schedules.
Feeling inspired by what I witnessed (and perhaps a bit nostalgic), I decided to be more proactive about playing in the front yard with my boys on the weekends. And that’s when I broke out the wiffle ball set. We played on our driveway, just like I did as a young boy. Every car that drove by waved and smiled at us. Some neighbors who were walking by would stop to grab a ball that went past them or even pitch a few to one of the anxious batters. And some of our older neighbors have stopped by to share their joy and what it means to them to see the kids play.
If you spend any time on social media these days or watch the news, the world certainly seems crazy. I can’t scroll through my newsfeeds without seeing some kind of argument, and the “angry” emjoi gets more than its fair share of use. You’d think that those same attitudes would be represented when we walk outside our front door.
But that’s not what I’ve witnessed this past year. I’ve seen a neighborhood turning into a community, rather than just “a group of people who live close to each other.” Isn’t that what this world needs more of?
I’m not sure where you live. And I’m not sure what the weather is like. (I happen to live in Gilbert, Arizona where it’s beautiful outside for 6-7 months each year. But when the summer hits, playing in the front yard becomes a little more challenging, though easily resolved with a Slip-N-Slide and some Yoo-hoo.)
If it’s nice outside, take your kids out to the front yard to play. If you don’t have a front yard with a play area, spend some time at your community park and leave your phone in your pocket. And if you don’t have kids, sit on your front porch, take a walk around your neighborhood, smile at people as you walk by, make eye contact, talk with your neighbors, and don’t be afraid to wave at a group of kids and their parents playing an old-fashioned game of wiffle ball. Who knows? They may need a “Nolan Ryan” who’s willing to throw some pitches.
And you can take comfort in the fact that you’re building the trust and mutual respect that this world so desperately needs.
Question: What’s your favorite game to play in your front yard? (Share with others in the comments below.)
Actually, it was Jacks on the front porch with Judy. Wonderful memories.
Living in a cul-de-sac in Texas it was Kick the can!! My parents would put out cones in the street for cars to slow down, and neighbors would sit in their driveways in lawn chairs after work. Definitely miss those times!
Ahhhh…There’s nothing like Kick the Can. Good times! Thanks for sharing, Jaime!
we were taught to play in the backyard. it didn’t annoy anybody and we didn’t get hit my cars
As always an enjoyable read from a wonderful Dad, husband, son, brother, friend and child of God ♥️
You’re so kind! Thank you!
My sisters and I played football in our front yard with my Dad. We played kick the can with the neighbor kids using the street. Cars always drove slowly as there were kids playing on most streets/yards in our neighborhood. Growing up in the 60’s/70’s was a different time. Your children are blessed to have parents who are bringing back the era I experienced. (Tragically my hometown changed drastically in 1976 when several children were abducted and murdered in Oakland County.)
Thank you for sharing, Carole. Sounds like such a great childhood. But terrible about the abductions and murders of those children. I’m sure safety is certainly one of the concerns many parents have today about not wanting their kids to play in the front yard.
I enjoyed a front porch don’t yard childhood too. I met my best friend in my front yard. I think it was because the living room looked at the street and we didn’t have a garage. We live in an old house now and put in a short fence around our front yard. We are out all day. It’s wonderful. We are meeting all the kids in the neighborhood. Thanks for inspiring others. Give your wife a high five for me!
Technology is now the most attractive form of entertainment. It just is. We 80s babies had Atari and Nintendo, and these ’20 kids have that and more in their pockets now. I played wiffle ball every day in the 80s and early 90s. We set up an above ground pool, caught lightning bugs and played basketball to 100.