A couple weeks ago, I made a few posts about kids and sports.  In my last post, I spoke of an ‘idea’ I have for how we can help kids get together and play freely on the empty playgrounds of America.  In the comment section, my brother-in-law, Sean, talked about a set up he has arranged as a coach for the kids in his area.

Essentially, he has parents/coaches overseeing free play.  All the kids come to the park and play pick-up soccer with minimal oversight.  I like this idea and believe it would be great for more parents/coaches to buy in.  But the idea I thought of is a bit more grassroots than that.  In short, it’s this…

Parents more or less force their kids to ride their bikes to their local park or one person’s backyard, in order to meet up with friends.  And they can be sure that their kids will meet up with friends because one or a few parents can call around to arrange such a ‘providential’ circumstance.

I trust everyone is following me here.  This is what I plan on doing if my kids start struggling in this area.  I figure that if the parents can arrange the initial meetings by organizing themselves to all force their kids up to the park or the backyard at one time, such meetings will end up arranging themselves in the end.  Because I have to believe that kids will inevitably enjoy their time together and thus, want to enjoy such times again.

It seems best to me to begin in a great backyard.  Choose someone’s house with good enough space for a football or wiffle ball game.  And a basketball court (of course).  Or whatever.  Tell the kids in the area that they need to go.  When they ask why, tell them they just need to get out and play.  Sure, maybe the first couple of times, they won’t know what to do, but eventually they will get going and hopefully, arrange themselves.

Any thoughts out there on this one?  Let me know.