The problem is see, especially in my area, is that all of the places I used to go as a kid have been paved over and developed

We built a world hostile to children and somehow expect the children to be content living in safety bubbles.

100%. Which is a tragedy>. All of us adults, not just the parents, are ruining the kids childhood (and therefore deeply damaging their soon to be adulthood) under the umbrella of protecting their safety.