# Would you let your 5 year old play out?



## jools

Hi all. I have a dilemma with my 5 year old. My husband thinks my son is old enough to go and play out in the street but I disagree. We live in quite a built up urban area with lots of houses, the only thing is if he was to go outside there are no windows in my house where I can keep a check on him. He's not very mature for his age either. Is he too young?


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## leeanne

No way. I've read one too many stories of kids going missing and I won't chance that with my child, not matter how safe one thinks there street is.

My older kids are 6 1/2 and 8 and I still don't and probably won't for many, many years.


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## v2007

Nope, my daughter played in the garden till she was 6 then we moved to a flat so no garden, and its only in the last 18 months thats she has been allowed to her mates house etc. 

V xxx


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## kiwimama

If I were in your circumstance I wouldn't allow it. If I couldn't keep an eye out for him, I wouldn't be doing it.


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## Tasha

Absolutely not, my son is 5 and there is no way I would let him go play on his own. I do know lots of parents that do let there children out from even younger than that (one particular family let there son play out from 3), so it is obviously a personal choice.


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## mommyof3co

Nope, we don't let my oldest, who will be 7 in April play out front by himself. He can play in the back because we have a privacy fence but that's it


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## Minstermind

I think it depends entirely on the situation, area, etc... we live in a quiet cul-de-sac and have a very large front facing window, and my son plays just out the front with his two friends (neighbors). He is always in eyesight of me and not allowed further than that area, and I feel very comfortable with this (he's 7 now by the way, but he started playing outside a wee bit between 5 and 6). The area we are in is very quiet and the town itself is relatively small. 

I would not by any stretch of the imagination allow him to play outside alone nor would I do so in an urban area, and **definitely** not without windows to be able to see him at all times. In your particular situation, it would be a big fat no.


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## Blah11

Oh no way, Too many evil/sick people about!


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## Serene123

:shock: No way! I wasn't allowed out in the street until I was 11 and the world wasn't even this scarey back then. I'm dreading letting her out on her own. I think I'll get her microchipped :lol:


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## sabby52

Defo not, 5 is way to young to be out on the street by himself, I mind a little boy who will be 5 this year and he still doesnt really have any road sense, if he gets excited he will be straight out on the road without a thought. Dan played in the garden until he was 8, then when we moved house he was allow to go to his friends garden to play. I think he was about 9 when he was allow to play out and ride his bike around, but Dan has always been very, very mature for his age, at 9 alot of people thought he was 11-12.


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## tasha41

Nope!! We were allowed to play in our totally fenced backyard when we were kids and that was it, and there was 3 of us out there not just one.


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## hypnorm

God no, I was almost 11 before i was allowed out by myself.
Ewan is 4 and half and has no road sense and is too trusting of people, it only takes a couple of secs for a child to dissapear.


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## morri

Well depends where you live really I was out alone as soon as I was in school so maybe wait 2 years? (I walked to school as most kids do here who live in Villages) So of theres a play ground thats close by he could play there as far as he knows all the rules (like dont talk to strangers and be home at that time etc)


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## Cariad_bach

Hell no.

Im lucky, outside my house is a small communal green owned by 6 houses on our little horse shoe bit .. all my kids (and the neighbours kids) play on that little green in summer when all us neighbours are outside chatting ...

...there's a few feral kids round my way (allowed to roam etc) and there a couple of lads in my sons class at school (their 5 to 6) and they roam .. its so sad, anything could happen :(


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## Minstermind

Feral kids...LOL....I like that phrase.. :)

Yeah, I have to say, there is one ''feral kid'' around here who was allowed not just outside the front to play at 3 years old, but was wandering around the entire estate and when I first met him, age 4, he was already over the wall and into our estate. He was inside our house, ate our food, etc.. and I'd never even seen his parents or had a clue where they lived. 

Then one night the father came driving around the neighborhood, basically knocking on different doors, to pick up his son for the night (this was dusk). He was at our house. I was totally shocked! He's done it a number of times since, just coming around and finding which house his son is in and taking him home. Unbelievable. 

Urban areas..no way. I have to be honest too and say I felt a lot more uncomfortable when I lived in the states with the idea of letting a child out anywhere anytime to play, even in a rural town. It could just be the media scaremongering but I heard way more stories there about random stranger kidnappings and whatnot than I have since moving here to Ireland. Obviously that doesn't promote a guarantee or anything, so I'm not saying it does, but I definitely felt more comfortable here, with the size of this town and the area we are in, and my ability to see him at all times, to let him play out in our front yard with his friends.


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## Dinoslass

My children were always playing in the garden, but then again we have a really big garden, so there was no need to go out on the street. The only rule I had was whether they could swim or not, as we have a big pont, so if they can't swim there is no playing outside alone.
I think it is a dilemma though. I think it so depends on the street you live in, and indead if you can keep an eye. If not, I'd say 5 is too young.


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## JuicyLucy

I wouldnt allow it, especially when i can't see where they are etc.


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## Lillipop

Where I used to live my front garden was adjacent to a little green separated by a little footpath all the way round it shared by 3 other houses and my older two used to play on that with the other kids but I always used to leave my front door open but I would never allow them to go wandering about the crescent on their own! 
My friend (well ex-friend) used to let her daughter who is the same age as my eldest (8) wander the streets and all sorts! She even knocked on my door once at 9pm as she had snook out!!!! 
Where I live now there is a park about 200m up the footpath and theres no way I will let them go up there on their own either! If I cant see them I'm not at all keen!
x
Well I say 200m its more like 500m but it goes round a bend too haha.


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## divadexie

No way! Even I wouldn't let my son play in the street and we live in a village, everyone knows everyone type of place. I just think its really common and lazy to let your kids run around on the street (dont mean to offent, just my personal opinion) like whats wrong with doing some hobbies together with your child or activities they can do in the garden.

My mum lives on a new housing estate and kids as young as 2 and 3 are allowed to play out on the street :(


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## Lillipop

Well I would have loved to let my two play in the back garden but you couldn't even swing a cat around in it :(
If I had any concerns they were in any danger playing out the front I wouldn't allow it personally! We always do activities together aswell :)
Luckily my new house's back garden has enough room to swing 10 cats round in it
:happydance:
x


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## marley2580

I actually would where I live as it's quite quiet, but they would have to stay where I could see them. In your circumstances I wouldn't for another year or two. I personally think that we are so scared of what might happen to our kids that we stifle them. The risk of child murder (by strangers) hasn't changed since the 70s - it's 11 a year - but our fear has increased massively. The vast majority of kids that are abused etc. are abused by someone they know and trust (over 90%), not by strangers.


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## Elli21

No way!!


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## nievesmama

I wont let my 5 yr old play out the front. Hes to young. He plays in the back garden x


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## loz

i let my daughter play on our street with her friends but i sit on the door step and keep a watch on them, me and her friends mum who lives across the road take it in turns. just cannot trust anyone anymore to let her out :-(


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## MrsB80

I think it depends on where you live and your child tbh.
We allowed our eldest daughter to go out to play with her friends on the street at the age of 5 but we stayed on the front for the first couple of months to now watching her through the window (she's 6 and a half now) she also has has good road sense which helps :)
And yet on the other hand our second daughter is 5 in July and we won't be allowing her to go out to play on the front for a few years yet! Mainly because she was born blind and she has no road sense ;)


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## VampMum1980

i let my kids in the street at 7 and 5, but that was with lots of other kids n me watchin out window they only used to go up n down pavements on their scooters but i still did worry but i saw how much they enjoyed it so i let them aslong as they stayed together n didnt go right to the end of our road x


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## rosie5637

how times have changed!

when i was a kid i used to be out with my friends all day. i'd only come home to eat or when it got dark! my mum was really chilled and she did lots of stuff with us too. i lived on a council estate so there were always people around. everyone knew everyone and kept an eye on each others kids.

as a result i was extremely streetwise, fit and healthy from all the running around and blackberry picking and had the best childhood ever! and i wasn't feral and never got in trouble or did anything really naughty. my mum taught me about repsect and without the childhood i've had i don't think i'd be the very confident, streetwise and practical person i am today.

i think it's so sad that children nowadays can't have the same freedom that i had.

i've let my son out the front from the age of 4. he has strict instructions on boundaries and i keep an eye on him through the window. there are always lots of kids out the front so he is never on his own. we are also very lucky that we don't have any roads to worry about and have a park and green literally right on our doorstep.

i think it depends on each families situation. if i was in your position i probably wouldn't let your LO out for a little while yet as you can't see where they are playing.


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## MommyToMany

In your circumstances, no. 
My 4 year old plays in our street with her elder siblings where I can see her and we live in a gated community so it's fairly safe.


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## Amy_T

Not a chance in your situation! 

My daughter is 4.5 and very mature for her age but wouldn't even contemplate it. She has been out with her older cousins (all around aged 10 and upwards) but wouldn't consider letting her out on the front if i couldn't see her. 

I agree we stifle kids too much nowadays, I was the same as a previous poster, out playing all day with my friends without a care in the world but I think 5 is too young particularly when you cant see them.


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## Abbiekye

Probably not, ok if the two are in the garden together. although we live in a fairly decent area in a quiet cul-de-sac.


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## x-amy-x

No chance... she can play in the garden/drive or the house. Once she's in school ill start letting her go to friends houses but ill be taking her. 

xx


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## daniandbaby

hell no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## DizzyMoo

Absolutely not, 5 is way to young imo to play out alone . 
Josh is 4, & he isn't even allowed in the front garden without me. He plays in the back garden where its secure.
Point blank no way to young stick to your guns hun x


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## nicegirl22

I wouldnt, but have also wondered if I was too overprotective..Sadly, You just cant trust anyone out there.


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## DizzyMoo

Its not just others that we need to be wary of, ok we say our kids will never walk off but you truly dont really know. It doesn't take much to tempt them & they will be off whether its another child playing a little further away or taking them for a walk your child may well just go with them & then what? Dread to think about it. 

Im on a dead end so there are no cars my way at all & i wont let josh play on the front street, Not even if her over road says she'll watch him!


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## Morgana

No i agree with you hun, my boys are 6 in a couple months and my girl is 9 but i only let them out on the street to play if I am there to watch them even though you can see them from my windows clearly and we live in a quiet cul de sac. They have a mini park and a veg patch in the back garden so that's where they spend most of their outdoor time.


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## carrieanne

no way mine werent allowed out till they were 11 and even my 14 year old has to be in before its dark too risky these days xx


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## Petunia

Not a chance! Five is way too young


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## babe2ooo

not at 5 i wouldnt


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## emmad339

Got a while before I have to start worrying about this but not a hope in hell's chance - they'll be at least 30 before I let them out of my sight lol


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## Beautywithin

Nooooo. my daughter is 6 even tho she has road sense, i still wouldnt let her out and play on the street, i wont even let her stay at some of her friends house, because i dont no the parents well enough! 

x


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## Midnight_Fairy

No way x


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## mama2connor

My son is 5 and i would NEVER let him play outside alone, or with friends for that matter. I personally think 5 is far too young, and wont let him play outside until he's mature enough. My brother was knocked down, and killed by a hit and run driver back in 1991 he was only 7 years old. Since then, we are very weary and cautious of roads, cars etc. We go in the garden though and play as it's fenced up, but thats as far as it will go. I wouldn't even allow him in the garden alone either, but thats just my personal choice.


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## lorrilou

I started letting nicole play out when she was about 5 1/2, i think it just depends on circumstances etc.... we are good friends with most people on the street, her uncle lives at the end and my good friends mum lives at the other, so keep an eye out on her for me, i always check on her tho. Most of the kids, there are alot, are allowed to play out and theres a little park opposite my house, which i can see from my sitting room window. She is under strict instructions that she remains on the street and if she goes anywhere else she WONT be allowed to play out anymore.


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## Jaymes

Not at all! I wont even let my 8 yr old do it and we live in the sticks!


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## Glitterfairy

My son is 5 and i wouldn't let him play out anywhere on his own!


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## ginma

My boys are soon to be 7 and 9 and I allow them to go to the playground with their friends where I can see and hear them at all times, but i would never let my younger one go without his big brother, And they are not to leave the playground ever! But I know other parents let their Kids roam the neighborhood and they can't be seen or heard by their parents, I couldn't do that I would be a nervous reck, only started letting them go to the playground about 2 weeks ago:)


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## snoozy

Absolutely not, it would not be safe.


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## babymakesfive

I'm assuming "play out" means outside of your yard? I have a fenced rear yard and I let my son play there by himself with the gate closed. He sits in his sandbox and plays for long periods of time; I check on him frequently and he's often popping into the house to get a drink or ask a question. As far as him playing in the front yard (facing the street) or outside of the yard entirely - no. He has no friends on the street (there are no kids that we know of on our street) and there is no need for him to be in the front yard. I don't trust him to stay on the property unless he's in the back yard.

Your son is pretty young though some kids are more mature than others.


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## hayleysd

i let my 5 year old go to the park next to my house, he doesn't have to cross any roads and i can see him, also he goes to school with the big kids who play there so it's nice for him at school as he's friends with the 8/9/10 year olds. he fell over the other day and they brought him home which i thought was nice of them


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## lkb21

I'm so glad i have just found this thread!!! i was just about to post the same thread! 

My son is also 5, 6 in July, but pretty young for his age. there are a lot of kids round our way, but all a little older than my son, and i see them up to alsorts. they have cottoned on that a little boy lives in our house and knock and ask if he can play out. I have to say no, and my little boy breaks his heart, so i was wondering if i was being damaging and being too over-protective. My son is quite young and very impressionable, and would be easily led etc (his favorite line is 'because 'so and so' said to do it, or 'i did it cuase 'so and so' said it would be funny) so i just dont think i could do it! i feel like im isolating him, and adding to the 'computer generation', but i just dont think i could trust him! 
i feel so much better knowing that other mums are equally as cautious!!! it only take a few seconds to abduct a child, and although dramatic this plays over and over in my head.


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## DottyLottie

I think it depends on the area and whether you can see him or not, though even then, 5 seems very young.


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## Fabmumof3

My eldest was 7 when he started going out on his own and it was within certain boundaries at the front of our house. He is coming yp for 9 now and goes a bit further but he has a mobile phone so we can always contact him and he can contact us if need be. My 2nd son is coming up for 5 and he is allowed at the front of the house (we have no roads for miles around) if he is with his brother and i keep an eye on him. He wont be going any further till a few years yet.


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## Midnight_Fairy

I wont let my 5yr old no matter how safe an area is. Not a chance. Very irresponsible x


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## Sam9kids

Mine all play in the front garden (its very large but only has a metal fence of about a foot and a half)

But we live on a quiet road, i have a LOT of kids and the neighbours kids (8 in total) play in our garden as well!

The older 4 play outside of the garden when the babies are in bed, or go out on their own with friends


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## AppleBlossom

I haven't got a 5 year old and I would love to think I could let them play out but the way things are today you can never be too careful so I don't think I would even if I lived in a quiet cul de sac


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## Onika

I have a 5 and 6 yr old we are caretakers at a primary school, I would in NO WAY let my kids out to play by themselves. Being at the school we are privay to some of the questional persons that live in our area. I would not let the kids out in the street to play unless they are under a watchful eye of an adult I would keeps the kids in the yard....but thats just my thoughts its not safe any more because even thought back in the day you knew your neighbour you didnt and in todays day you know your neighbour even less....my 9,11 and 13 yrs old nieces and nephew ride home from school now but only NOW and there are 3 of them 5 yrs old even 7 yrs old just dont have the survival instinct to know when to RUN.


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## Darkest

jools said:


> Hi all. I have a dilemma with my 5 year old. My husband thinks my son is old enough to go and play out in the street but I disagree. We live in quite a built up urban area with lots of houses, the only thing is if he was to go outside there are no windows in my house where I can keep a check on him. He's not very mature for his age either. Is he too young?

No way would i let my 5 YO out. Never in a million years, far to young. Whether mature or not, he's still only 5!


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## Midnight_Fairy

I know alot of 5 yr olds that play in the street unsupervised. I wouldn't let mine x


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## Boothh

i dont know what id do actually i havnt even thought about it, at the minute we live on a main road so no but depends were we move too..

i wasnt allowed to play on the front til i was about 7. before that i was allowed in either my garden or next doors garden, i think on the odd occasion i was allowed on the street but no further than either gate post of my garden and my grandads (next doors) garden, were my mum could see, we lived on a real quiet street though, after i was 7 i was allowed on the top half of my street, and i remember after that my mum walking round with me and saying were i was allowed to play upto (no further than this lamp post etc) xx


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