Abstract Research shows that children through free outdoor play develop many important abilities. Within occupational therapeutic theories, the physical and social environment can influence outdoor play. The purpose of the study was to describe parents' experiences of outdoor play activities during leisure time for children aged 6-10 years. The study adopted a qualitative method and used semi-structured interviews to answer the aim of the study. A convenience sample was used when selecting the parents. A total of 12 parents were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis that resulted in three categories; “Less outdoor play now than before”, “Opportunities and obstacles for outdoor play” and “The importance of outdoor play”. The result showed that parents' experience was that their children played less outdoors then what themselves did when they were children and the parents believed that it was the technology of today as it depended on it. It also turned out that parents thought outdoor play was very important for their children, but that parents saw many risks surrounding outdoor play. The conclusion of the study was that children's outdoor play not only are affected by the physical and social environment but also by their parents' attitudes.