1. "Declining" is true, but "barely" is a needed prequalifier[1] 2. There are more children per year [2]. In fact, there are more children alive now than there

1. "Declining" is true, but "barely" is a needed prequalifier[1] 2. There are more children per year [2]. In fact, there are more children alive now than there ever have been in U.S. history. 3,5,6 - Maybe. 4 - I think cheap toys is the most likely explanation. Toys today are SUPER cheap compared to the 1980s. And more capable. And more cool. I am so jealous of the toys kids have available today. 7. I take it you don't have children or live in a "weird" area. Where I am (western US), there are children everywhere playing together, often outside! Anecdotal, I know, but so is yours =D And sure, you can find the crazy "news" stories about parents getting warnings/arrested for letting their children walk a mile outside. The reason those stories make the news is that they're bizarre and rare. The more likely reason is a single power-hungry cop/social worker who just had to prove to everyone how powerful they are. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_Sta... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States#/media/File:Fertility_rate_of_the_United_States_from_1820_to_2016.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_Sta... [2] https://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/tables/pop1.asp https://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/tables/pop1.asp