Where are There Children Playing Outside? Arcadia, Chandler, Desert View or? (Phoenix: cul-de-sac, for sale)

[NYNO]

Considering a move with my family and wondering what areas have the highest concentrations of children actually playing outside. My kids are in elementary and middle schools. I'm aware this is a trend moving in the wrong direction nationally but every city generally has pockets where this still exists.

I have visited all the areas listed but as with most things it can be hit or miss depending on the day, time, month and weather.

Ideally we would find an area where neighbors know one another and it doesn't feel so isolating. Where is that place?

[Valley Native]

Phoenix has some great neighborhoods, but even the best ones don't have all the neighbors knowing each other. Gilbert is a suburb which comes to mind as being very family friendly, so you might want to check out some places there. As far as children playing outside: please DO NOT even think about letting children play in the streets (yes, I'm being serious). My suggestion is to find a house with a decent sized back yard that has room for grass, games, swings, and perhaps a pool. If not, a lot of the newer developments have green spaces where families/kids can gather & enjoy the outdoors.

[locolife]

Basically everywhere, I've lived in Chandler, Tempe, Phoenix, Mesa and Avondale over the years. Parks exist within basically every neighborhood and larger regional parks like Tempe Town Lake are usually packed with kids playing outside. The pools are also packed all summer long. Shouldn't be a problem just about anywhere you go in the valley.

Town Lake: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4319...!7i6080!8i3040
Kiwanis Park in Tempe: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3760...!7i8704!8i4352

[NYNO]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Phoenix has some great neighborhoods, but even the best ones don't have all the neighbors knowing each other. Gilbert is a suburb which comes to mind as being very family friendly, so you might want to check out some places there. As far as children playing outside: please DO NOT even think about letting children play in the streets (yes, I'm being serious). My suggestion is to find a house with a decent sized back yard that has room for grass, games, swings, and perhaps a pool. If not, a lot of the newer developments have green spaces where families/kids can gather & enjoy the outdoors.

Just curious why you wouldnt want your children playing outside in the streets? This is how my generation grew up and I'd like the same for my kids. We currently live in a suburb of Las Vegas and there are many communities and pockets where kids play outdoors completely unsupervised.

[NYNO]

Originally Posted by locolife

Basically everywhere, I've lived in Chandler, Tempe, Phoenix, Mesa and Avondale over the years. Parks exist within basically every neighborhood and larger regional parks like Tempe Town Lake are usually packed with kids playing outside. The pools are also packed all summer long. Shouldn't be a problem just about anywhere you go in the valley.

Town Lake: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4319...!7i6080!8i3040
Kiwanis Park in Tempe: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3760...!7i8704!8i4352

Thanks!

[WanderingRebel]

Originally Posted by NYNO

Just curious why you wouldnt want your children playing outside in the streets? This is how my generation grew up and I'd like the same for my kids. We currently live in a suburb of Las Vegas and there are many communities and pockets where kids play outdoors completely unsupervised.

My guess is probably all the idiot driver's out there texting and speeding while driving through neighborhoods. But I agree, our kids play outside in the street all the time. I just make sure they are aware and don't dart out into oncoming traffic. Ya know, common sense stuff.

[Led Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by NYNO

Just curious why you wouldnt want your children playing outside in the streets? This is how my generation grew up and I'd like the same for my kids. We currently live in a suburb of Las Vegas and there are many communities and pockets where kids play outdoors completely unsupervised.

Traffic. Video games. Kids whose parents are always working and want them to stay inside. Lack of the old-fashioned domestic routine that encouraged play in the sunshine.

And the modern excess of weirdos and criminals prowling unchecked and getting released early.

Not to mention the sex traffickers.

I never let my kids play outside our yard back in the day. Sad to say.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by ManU Red Devil

The only problem is that newer developments (Gilbert especially), build houses with high walls between everyone's yards. There's no real place to gather and play, other than community spaces (parks, pools, trails).

It makes you feel very isolated. I only really see my neighbors when I'm out for a run, checking the mail, or keeping up my front landscaping. I miss seeing my neighbors outside in our backyards and waving and making conversation...

Good point. Walls aren't new though. Phoenix back yards have been fenced in for decades. About the only place I can think of that has open back yards is Sun City where no kids are allowed.

My kids played in our cul-de-sac. The had a "fort" in a wash nearby. And they were fortunate enough to have acres of green belts and even a couple small lakes to hang out at. Still, they mostly just hung around the house or the pool. It's too darn hot when school is out. Kids do much better with the heat, especially the natives like mine who know nothing else. But still. Summer is for lizards, not children, here.

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by ManU Red Devil

The only problem is that newer developments (Gilbert especially), build houses with high walls between everyone's yards. There's no real place to gather and play, other than community spaces (parks, pools, trails).

It makes you feel very isolated. I only really see my neighbors when I'm out for a run, checking the mail, or keeping up my front landscaping. I miss seeing my neighbors outside in our backyards and waving and making conversation...

That is literally everywhere in the Phoenix Metro. Definitely not isolated to Gilbert.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by NYNO

Just curious why you wouldnt want your children playing outside in the streets? This is how my generation grew up and I'd like the same for my kids. We currently live in a suburb of Las Vegas and there are many communities and pockets where kids play outdoors completely unsupervised.

My first fear would be child trafficking. I-10 is a major corridor for cartel travel/Coyotes/etc. When our kids were younger, they played with the neighbor kids outside in the winter/early spring until it gets too hot but there was always a parent watching the kids. Primary reason we got them mobile phones in Elementary school was so we could track them when they went down to one of the neighborhood parks.

We live in a pretty nice area of Chandler with an Elementary and Jr. High in the neighborhood but there have been kidnapping attempts, kids getting hit by cars, etc. Sure when WE were younger, playing outside with friends was the norm but times have changed quite a bit.

Keep in mind that according to a recent report to Chandler Unified, they are seeing enrollment down across the board in the school systems, attributable to an aging population staying in their homes, fewer people having kids and if they do, lack of affordable homes available for sale. A lot of my teenager's friends live in apartment complexes or rentals. Most of our neighbors that had kids have moved or the kids are now older and out of the house so it is going to be hit and miss to find an area that has a lot of kids.

Not to mention that the AZ Education system is rated one of the worst in the nation (arguable) so folks with school age kids may take that into consideration. I don't think the education system is as bad as the media makes it out to be, we have many high performing schools, but that is the narrative.