For nearly seven weeks, Spain has been living under one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe. However, for Spain's children, those 43 days have been more akin to a jail sentence.

While many adults could still go out to shop for food and medicine, children under the age of 14 could only leave their house if they were accompanying one parent to the shops, and only then if there was no one else at home to look after them.

In addition to that, with up to two-thirds of children in Spain living in apartments, there has been little or no opportunity to play outside in a garden or get any fresh air.

Government attacked

In recent weeks, Spain's government has faced criticism from parents, psychologists and the opposition for its tough stance on minors.

The Spanish Society for Obesity (SEEDO) reported that children and adolescents would put on five percent of their total weight during the period of lockdown.

In response to the criticism, authorities have relaxed the rules on confinement so children aged 14 and under can finally enjoy some outdoor time with their parents.

Controlled Freedom

The rules state that children can only play on streets and not in parks or gardens, which are still closed. They can bring balls and ride scooters or bikes, but cannot travel more than one kilometer from their house.

For Madrid-based mother-of-one Marta Avello, who like many parents had been inside her apartment for more than six weeks, the easing of restrictions could not have come soon enough.

"It's been a huge relief to finally get out on to the streets with my daughter, enjoy the sun a little and the spring weather and we are much better, even though a long way off from returning to normality," Avello said. "There still have to be safety measures in place because we can't forget that this is a really dangerous virus. But we are a lot happier now," she added.

CGTN Europe spoke to several parents who were out on Sunday with their children enjoying the spring sunshine and the pervading feeling was one of relief.

One father said: "It was really, really hard on these kids for six weeks to be inside and not go outside. Madrid is a very liveable urban area but with lots of green spaces and it seems very harsh for them to lock us up for six weeks."

This is the first step in what the government hopes to be a gradual easing of lockdown restrictions in Spain and it's a welcome relief for many parents and children alike.