[jvanderbot]

Also ticks.

My kids love to run around my backyard, and I keep it mowed and trimmed for them to do so.

The iconoclasm runs deep in techno-optimists, but some things stick around for a reason.

[jerlam]

Backyards are different than frontyards. Your backyard is considered your private space and you can put a locked fence around it, store your stuff in a shed, put in a swimming pool, etc. You are more restricted with a front yard.

If I had the choice and I was forced to allocate, I would choose 100% backyard and 0% frontyard.

[bryanlarsen]

In my experience, urban parks do a much better job of this than backyards do. Urban density means more neighbors, and parks with other kids are much more appealing than backyards without.

[jvanderbot]

Probably true - when I move to a dense urban area where a park makes more sense I will definitely take my kids there!