Why do the kids decide to go to the Radley place in To Kill a Mockingbird?

The kids went to the Radley Place to try to get Boo Radley to come out.

Scout and Jem had always been interested in Boo Radley, but Dill was obsessed.  He seemed to believe that Boo Radley was just misunderstood, and if they sat down and talked to him everything would be all right.

Dill said, “We’re askin‘ him real politely to come out sometimes, and tell us what he does in there—we said we wouldn’t...

The kids went to the Radley Place to try to get Boo Radley to come out.

Scout and Jem had always been interested in Boo Radley, but Dill was obsessed.  He seemed to believe that Boo Radley was just misunderstood, and if they sat down and talked to him everything would be all right.

Dill said, “We’re askin‘ him real politely to come out sometimes, and tell us what he does in there—we said we wouldn’t hurt him and we’d buy him an ice cream.”

…“It’s my idea. I figure if he’d come out and sit a spell with us he might feel better.” (Ch. 5)

Scout thinks Dill is crazy.  She has bought into the idea that Boo Radley is a monster.  Dill has a more sophisticated view of him.  He still has childish ideas, but he seems to want to see Boo Radley and help him, rather than being afraid of him.

Jem and Dill’s plan is to use a fishing pole to get a note to Boo Radley.

“I’m goin‘ around to the side of the house,” said Jem. “We looked yesterday from across the street, and there’s a shutter loose. Think maybe I can make it stick on the window sill, at least.” (Ch. 5)

The trick doesn’t exactly work.  Jem thinks that because it is dark no one will be able to see them.  Atticus walks up in the middle of it, and Jem has to stop. They hear someone laughing as Jem runs off, and he loses his pants.  The children tell the adults that they were playing strip poker with matches, and Atticus tells Jem to get his pants.

Jem does not want Atticus to find out that he was at the Radley place, because Atticus has repeatedly told them to leave Boo Radley alone.  He sneaks back later to get his pants, and finds them removed from the fence and sewn up.  Jem realizes that Boo was reaching out to him, trying to help him.