Do you play outside?

Hardly any of you are playing in parks and streets near your homes compared to when your parents were growing up, according to research.

Lots of people think it's really important for you to play outside with your friends, but what do you think?

Do you like meeting your mates for a kickabout in the park or would you rather stay indoors?

Maybe you prefer going round to a friend's house because you think it's too dangerous to play in the street?

Email us and let us know!

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Your Comments

"I love to play outside but lately it has been raining. If it wasn't, I would be running, playing swing ball with my mates and playing basketball."

Lydia, 12, Polle, England

"I play outside with my mates or in the park, but we just had this skate park built and before it was even open it was vandalised with graffiti with nasty words on it and now it's ruined. :("

Charly, 11, Sheffield, England

"I am always out! I am barely in! Most of my friends live far away from me because I go to a school off the island, but I have friends who I know from air cadets."

Emma, 13, Holyhead, Wales

"I play a lot outside but whenever I see a wasp or bee, I run indoors because I am allergic to their stings."

Lauren, 10, Bristol, England

"My parents very rarely let me play outside, they think it's unsafe. There's a park right behind where we live and I can always hear my mates having a good time. I'm not even allowed to go there and I never get to go to sleepovers either. I think all the media has hyped up all of this children going missing. It's okay when I go to my auntie's - I always play out then."

Erin, 13, Leamington Spa, England

"I like playing outside but most of the time we don't feel safe and the parks are boring."

Alexis, 11, Wallington, England

"I think it is boring playing inside all the time. You should make the most of being young and play out. I also think parents are too protective these days."

Joe, 11, Liverpool, England

"I would like to be able to go out but I'm hardly ever allowed. I go to a school which is about five miles from where I live, so the only way I can talk to my friends is by text and when we go swimming. I hardly ever get to see them apart from at school."

Zak, 11, Surrey, England

"I love playing outside! I play at my local park every day. All of my friends play outside too. Our park isn't very big but it's a brilliant place to play football at!"

Sian, 10, Kirton-in-Lindsey, England

"The only time I play outside is when I'm on my bike, although I don't go very far on it."

Laura, 10, Adlington, England

"My road is always packed full with kids in the summer. We have massive sports days and water fights, it's brilliant. Loads of kids come to my road because the others in other roads don't play out."

Erin, 11, Liverpool, England

"The streets are getting more and more dangerous, so parents are trusting the community less and less every day!"

Grace, 10, Kent, England

"I play football and I go to the park every Friday."

George, 7, Broomfield, UK

"Normally I do, but we have had a letter sent home from school to say that people have been mean to some children, so my mum said I couldn't go out. I wish I could because I love it!"

Molly, 9, Sandy, England

"It's too dangerous to go out with all the hoodie gangs hanging around! They look so scary! The world isn't safe anymore!"

Amy, 10, Aylesbury, England

"I'm outside 24/7. I enjoy football, cricket and cycling. You wouldn't find me on a PlayStation."

Freddie, 11, Henley, England

"I hardly ever play out. My family think that there are all horrible people round. To be fair, we do live in quite a bad neighbourhood. But now it's a bit OTT."

Gemma, 12, Liverpool, England

"Usually I would be outside if I was going shopping, walking somewhere or in my garden. Around my area, there isn't many places to go outside without a danger."

Rebecca, 12, Twickenham, England

"I always play outside when it's sunny, however after seven o'clock on Wednesdays and Thursdays I come in because I like to go on the internet and talk to some friends!"

Conor, 10, Mansfield, England

"I always play outside. My neighbours are all around my age so we all play out together!"

Hannah, 13, Reading, England

"I play out, I ride my bike, I post letters and I take my little sister to the park. I like to get out on my own in the fresh air!"

Alice, 10, Harlow, England

"I do play out often, but my mum doesn't let me go in the parks because there are dogs and druggies around. It must stop!"

Sameerah, 11, Leicester, England

"Sometimes I go down the park with my friends after school, but it takes a while to get there because I live outside the village."

Lily, 10, Salisbury, England

"I would love to go out on my own in my street, but my mum thinks it's a dangerous road so I can't. I don't even know anyone down my road so it gets a little bit boring."

Rebecca, 10, Epping, England

"I love going to the park with my mum, dad, brother and dog. The park is only across the road, but we don't always go to the park - we go for walks in the woods. But I do like to relax."

Beth, 8, London, UK

"Since the weather has turned nice, for the past few days I have been heading to the tennis courts every other day; my sister goes the day after me! But if the weather is haywire I try to play squareball in the house, but my mum confiscated the ball!"

Adam, 10, Nuneaton

"I live in the countryside but there's nothing to do, so I make things to do by playing on the trampoline and practising sport."

Orlagh, 11, Maghera, Ireland

"I play out, but me and my friends always stay close to at least one of our houses."

Ellen, 10, England

"I can play outside because I don't live on a busy road, but I feel sorry for the kids who can't play outside!"

Kate, 10, Guisborough, England

"I would prefer to stay indoors playing on my computer, GameBoy, or watching TV, but sometimes I go round my friend's house and we either play on the computer or walk my dog."

Paige, 12, Hertfordshire, UK

"I play outside with my friends all the time. It's great fun because we live on an estate and it's quite big, so we can ride our bikes!"

Kayleigh, 11, Guernsey, Channel Islands

"I live in the centre of the city and I have no garden, so it is hard! But I do go to the park sometimes."

Jersey, 13, London, England

"I have a huge garden, so my neighbours and me spend all day outside playing in it! We have two pairs of walkie talkies, so we play cops and robbers - it's SO much fun!"

Eliza, 11, Australia

"I like playing outside with my mates, I hate staying inside all day."

Sophie, 9, Manchester, England

"I play outside a lot because I live in the countryside, there are hardly any cars."

Sophie, 8, Sabran, France

"I don't play outside. Most of the time, I'm inside playing on my GameBoy and watching TV. But if I do go outside, I ride my bike."

Bethanie, 10, Hereford, England

"I play outside every night. I play with my friends and we have three huge fields in our estate. We are always doing sports and things."

Katie, 11, Gateshead, England

"I don't really play outside because there are no parks and I live next to a main road. I wish I could move house but my mum and dad say we can't afford it!"

Rebecca, 11, Kilwinning, Scotland

"I always play outside, it's safe where I stay."

Erin, 10, Falkirk, Scotland

"I love playing outside with my pals - especially now it's the summer holidays."

Seren, 11, Bangor, Wales

"My summer holidays are so boring! My mum reckons summer holidays are for homework. Guess what? We don't get any homework! I can't wait till the holidays are over."

Yusef, 12, Aylesbury, England

"I love playing outside with my friends, we play in our tree house, ride our bikes and climb trees. I get to play out until 9pm in the school holidays. It is great fun."

Jack, 6, Midlothian, Scotland

"I love cycling in my local park with my friends."

Keith, 13, Perth, Australia

"I usually play outside but the weather is only just starting to improve. When the weather is bad, I play on my Nintendo DS and computer."

Eleanor, 12, Galway, Ireland

"I like playing in my garden because it's so big and I have a trampoline. But I get scared going outside alone."

Mansi, 12, Sunderland, England

"I would love to play out with my mates but I live on a dangerous estate so I can't."

Dani, 11, Hull, England

"When the weather is nice, I play outside with my friends from 9:00am - 9:00pm. During the summer otherwise I normally stay indoors."

Michelle, 13, Liverpool, England

"I think that it's really great fun. A few of my friends live on my road and I play with them loads."

Victoria, 10, Swansea, Wales

"My parents don't mind if I go outside as long as they know when I will be back and if I take my mobile with me, which is good because I love playing outside!"

Hannah, 12, Derby, England

"I think playing out is a vital part of growing up. I love playing out when I have the chance to. Our local park is always full with people when the sun is shining, like today!"

Terri, 13, Silver End, England

"I love playing outside, it is really fun but I like to read my book indoors too."

Richard, 10, Sunderland, England

"I love to play outside on my bike with my friends."

Hannah, 7, Skipton, UK

"I'd absolutely love to play outside, but my parents are too worried."

Louis, 13, London, UK

"I go around the block on my bike when my friends come over, but I'd rather be on the computer than outside playing. I'm not really a sporty person, but I do like going to my local park occasionally."

Lizzie, 11, Solihull, England

"I think playing out is great because you get the exercise you need and it's a good way of socialising with your mates."

Imee, 12, Leicester, England

"I love playing outside with my brother and friends. My younger brother and I practically live outside - we're out there so much we've got lovely tans. My older brother stays inside all day and he's as pale as snow!"

Katie, 11, Orpington

"It is more fun and more exercise to play out. The only thing that I don't like is I have no friends to play with because they're all big bullies, but at least I have my two sisters to play with! That's fun!"

Bridget, 9, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, England

"I love being outside. We live three doors away from the park. My brother and I go and play tennis a lot. My mum and I also go for walks quite a lot, but not necessarily in the park."

Jonathan, 11, London, England

"I love playing outside, I go out to play every night until 9pm, it's so fun!"

Lucy, 11, Nuneaton, England

"Some people don't have back gardens and they live in a rough area. It is then not possible to play outside."

Becca, 12, Crewe, England

"I love to play outside on my trampoline, but I really don't like going out in the streets with my friends! Not because I am scared, it's just I would rather be where I know I am safe. But I really do like the outdoors and usually go out for a bike ride every day for about a mile and half!"

Cerys, 13, Caldicot, Wales

"I normally play outside when the weather's good because staying indoors all the time just depresses you."

Chantelle, 12, Oxford, England

"Playing outdoors is way more fun and you get fresh air and nicer scenery! Play outside while you can because on a sunny day you can be in or out, but on a rainy day you can only be in - unless you have a weird love for water!"

Alison, 12, Edinburgh, Scotland

"I don't really play outside. Me and my friends prefer to go shopping or to the cinema."

Emma, 12, London, England

"I play out all the time hanging around with mates, going for walks, bike rides even if it's just chilling out it is loads of fun!"

Emily, 12, Warrington, England

"I play outside when I get the chance but with this weather, I rarely get the chance."

Gemma, 12, Derry, Northern Ireland

"I don't play outside that much. I am more of an indoor person."

Paige, 10, Merseyside, England

"Yes! I play outside more than anything else. I do something different each day so I don't get fed up of doing the same thing."

Ikra, 9, Doncaster, England

"I think we should play outside because it's a different experience to being indoors all day."

Asheya, 13, Coventry, England

"I play outside usually from just after lunch until just before supper. I usually just take my dog for a walk with my friends."

Kayleigh, 11, Carmarthen, Wales

"I go out every day at 7pm and stay out until 10pm, but I also watch TV and go on the computer a lot."

Kiera, 12, Leeds, England

"There are about 40 kids that live in my area and we all play football against other teams and do Big Brother and everything! It's really cool!"

Hannah, 13, Croydon, England

"Why do some people say that indoors isn't fun? It can be just as fun as outside. For me it's just a choice depending on whether it is a nice day or not really."

Ella, 12, Ipswich, England

"I don't play outside with friends because I don't like the sun. I much prefer staying indoors."

Emma, 12, London, England

"I don't see why other kids stay inside to watch TV and play on computers. I play out till either 9pm or 10pm and I get up at 7am to ride my bike and play football."

Kara, 9, Bradford, England

"I like to play sports in my garden, like tennis, football, badminton and skipping."

Charlotte, 11, Poole, England

"I play out every day from 9am, sometimes till 9pm. We all love playing with our bikes and balls. We run, skip, jump and have lots of races. Sometimes I don't understand why everybody wants to stay indoors. Outside is a lot healthier and more fun than TV and computers."

Lucy, 11, Newcastle, England

"I live in a cul-de-sac, and there is a big field right next door to my house, plus a smaller one down the road. I have some good friends who are the same age as me on my street, and we tend to go on the field and around the local neighbourhood."

Rachel, 12, Rochdale, England

"I play outside whenever I get a chance - I love fresh air!"

Sophie, 12, London, England

"Me and my friends used to hang about in the neighbourhood park and used to play badminton and footie. But now we can't because the park is full of gangs of boys. Before, there used to be only one or two - but now it's full of gangs so we have stopped going."

Raby, 13, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

"I'm always going out after school with my friends - we go off to the local park and just mess about, but there are a few gangs around where the park is, so we sometimes go to one of our homes and just mess around there."

Connie, 12, Bradford, England

"Since I left year six a week ago, people in my class have been getting us all to meet up. There is a park opposite the school and we go there every Saturday and during the week. We have also been swimming and bowling."

Anna, 11, Orpington, England