If you're a parent, one of the biggest factors you'll consider when choosing where to buy your next home is how kid-friendly the community is. It's important that you pick a place where your kids will feel safe, receive a good education, and really be able to have fun. Making memories when kids are little is important to many parents, and where you live can play a big role in the memories you make with them.
The following neighborhoods are what we consider to be the top four kid-friendly communities less than an hour from Orlando (and lucky for you, they're all neighborhoods we've previously featured in our Central Florida neighborhood series, so just click each one for more information) :
Now that you know which neighborhoods we feel are most kid-friendly in our area, you may be interested in learning a little more about what exactly makes them kid-friendly... Here are a few things we feel are most important when you're buying a home with kids in mind:
The amenities of the community are kid-friendly.
This one just seems obvious, but it's true. When looking for a community that is good for you kids, look for one that features amenities they can take advantage of. While it might be great for you that a community offers world-class golfing or a 5-star restaurant, your kids may not feel as excited about these features. All four of these neighborhoods offer amenities with kids in mind. Celebration and Harmony both have numerous pools and playgrounds, along with a splash pad area where kids can keep cool year-round (and we know keeping cool in Florida is a must!).
You see kids playing outside.
Think back to your favorite shows or movies growing up, like The Wonder Years, Leave it to Beaver or Little Rascals. Those kids had the time of their lives playing outside... from sun up to sun down. If you can find a community like the ones Beaver, Kevin, Winnie and Spanky played in, your kids will be outside until you call them in, too. A recent study shared that kids today seem to be gaining weight during the summer time, versus when they are in school, most likely due to sleeping in, playing more video games, and so on. Seeing kids playing outside in one of these communities (and having your own kids play outside more once you move) will help lead them to a healthy lifestyle. Harmony and Lake Nona both feature a lot of green space, giving kids ample room to roam.
The residents of the community are really friendly.
Who doesn't want to live in a community full of friendly residents like those found in Stars Hollow or Mayberry? Having neighbors that care about you and your kids is key to a kid-friendly neighborhood. They will be there to keep an extra eye out for your kids and probably have really nice kids for yours to play with, too. Each of our featured communities host resident activities where you will be able to get to know the people you live near, making it really easy to feel out exactly who those friendly neighbors might be.
The community is located close to everyday necessities.
The community is located close to everyday necessities.Living in a community close to necessities is good for everyone in the family, really, especially when your kids' school and extracurriculars are located nearby. Living in a community that features a neighborhood school (Bellalago, Celebration, Lake Nona and Harmony all do) helps you be more active in your child's education and allows for your child to live, "work" and play in one place.
Safety is top priority within the community.
We talked a lot about finding a community where kids can play outside, but we know safety can sometimes be what stops you from letting them play outside without you. Living in a community that has safety in mind can ease any worries you may have when it comes to things like this. Bellalago and Laka Nona both feature manned, gated neighborhoods, ensuring the safety of your kids and your home.
Now that you know a little more about the features that make up a kid-friendly neighborhood and the communities around Orlando we feel are the most kid-friendly, which one are you interested in learning more about?
