Children playing outwith the garden on own...what age?

[mumoffive]

What age will you let yours? I live on a street that is quietish but has a spate of cars going past and people walking to the shops. I let my two children play on their own out in the back garden. They used to play out in the front aswell up until there was an attempted abduction of a child at my local school and it scared me so much as my dd talks to everyone that passes. I only let them play in the back now. My dd is 5 and a half and my ds is 4. The girl next door has played up and down the street since she was about 3 or 4!!!! I looked out today and saw children on scooters younger than my son. Just wondered when you thought it was safe for children to go out and play outwith the garden? Is so hard! Im interested in everyones opinion!

 

[Scarletvixen]

Im really lucky, we live in a street that is very quiet and only has one way in and one way out, our is the last house on the street and is right next to the play park which is all fenced off so again only one way in and out.
Everyone knows all the kids in the street and mine have been allowed to play out since we moved here my youngest then was 3, if anyone gets hurt then someone will come to the door straight away and all the older kids look after the younger ones and play with them xx

 

[Scarletvixen]

Just to add before we moved here the street we lived in i wouldnt allow the kids to play out untill they were 5 because it was quiet rough, not just the adults but the kids! xx

 

[mum22ttc#3]

We don't have a garden out front but if we did then I would let DD1 out (she's 9) but then only if it was with friends and not on her own. Defiantly wouldn't let DD2 or 3 who are 4 and 2 and wouldn't either for some time yet.

I'm not sure what age I would TBH, I think it depends on the child but as a rough guess, probably not until they was about 6-7 (and if I'm truthful nearer 7) and then only with DD1 and not on their own.

I might be a bit more paranoid than others but I just think the news lately goes to show that it doesn't matter where you live or how much you think it isn't going to happen it still can and does.

To add we live in a quiet cul de sac right at the end so there is only one way in and one way out. The only cars that come in are those that live here.

 

[mumoffive]

Well i have older ds and i was trying to remember. im sure they played outside on the pavement when they were 6 and then allowed down the road to play at 7 and it was a gradual progression. I cant believe that at 3 children have any road sense!

 

[mum22ttc#3]

I think that is how I would do it, gradually over time
It wouldn't matter how bright a child they were there is no-way that a 3 year old has enough road sense to be out on their own. Even if there were no roads and there where older kids out I just don't think it is fair to give them that responsibility of having to look after a 3 year old, theres just so many things that could go wrong.

 

[Ceejay123]

Ill only let LO out in the back on his own when he's older, we have a park at the end of our drive. I don't think I'll allow him on there without me until he's 9/10..

 

[Lucasmum]

We dont have a garden front or back, we have lived in this flat since Lucas was 4, he has always been allowed to play out the front/back so long as the door is open, its a private road, so very minimul traffic, we also know all the neighbours in the block, that said he hates playing out on his own say rarely goes out, I'm not sure I would let him play alone in the street, if we lived on a different road, our old house was at the bottom of a culdisak so maybe I would have let him go, who knows

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Mine are only allowed in the back garden without me and we live in a quiet area. I cant imagine them going out alone!

 

[mumoffive]

Well we have a park quite close to us but it means crossing a road to get there so i doubt mine will be doing it anytime soon. Tbh i wont be letting either of mine go out of sight until they can at least tell the time!!! How will they know when to come back? How can i get them if i cant see them? Letting go is the hardest thing! Both of mine were out today ..they were in the front and back but then couldnt relax and get on with things so said for them to play in the back where i could keep my eye on them!

 

[RachA]

Mine have always been allowed out to play in the back garden on their own.
Front is a different matter. TBH i don't see why they would need to - we have a huge garden! If they wanted to play out the front with friends from down our road then i would have to say it'd be ok about 10 years.
We do allow Daniel to ride up and down the pavement on his bike IF we are working in the front garden AND we can see him. If he goes out of our sight that he has to come straight in!

 

[mumoffive]

Well my two are allowed out the back on their own and our garden is pretty big too but it still doesnt stop them wanting to go round the front. We have a large flat patch of grass in the front and they like to play on that. Children always want what they cant have iykwim!!!!

 

[binxyboo]

not sure about that one. On one hand, I live in a very quiet area and have a very large back garden. On the other hand, I have a very deep well in the garden!

 

[DazedConfused]

He's been playing out the back since he was 10 months? It's secure
We live right by a main road so I wouldn't let him play out there til he's much older. If we lived off a quieter street then around 5 for street play

 

[Baby France]

Erm...not sure. I know that they are not allowed to play outside on their own now and will not be for a few years.

However we plan to move at some point to somewhere quieter (cul-de-sac I think) if we have our own way, meaning no through traffic and probably a bit more security.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Once our back garden is sorted, Alex won't be out there alone until he's 7 or 8 and not in the front until he's 10/11. It's not so much that I'm worried about abduction. I'm more worried of him getting into mischief

 

[Emz1982_in_uk]

I let Kai play in the back garden on his own now if I'm in the kitchen. No chance of him scaling the 7ft fence or locked gate.

We live in a cul-de-sac also but he won't be playing out the front on his own for many years. I'm not sure how old yet.

 

[dani_tinks]

We live in a very quiet area, kindof middle of nowhere. Very quiet little lane etc.
Have a big back garden and a fair sized front. But I really don't know when i'd let Jake play in the back garden on his own. Definitely not yet! It is quite secure but i'm so paranoid.

 

[Loozle]

My ds1 is 7 and isn't allowed out without an adult. We don't have a garden but he can play in his nan & grandads with his cousin who is 5 but usually me or SIL will be out with them anyway. I might sound completely paranoid about not letting him out alone but IMO it's not worth the risk. Besides, he's never actually asked!

 

[Kate&Lucas]

We have a very small back garden and Lucas plays on his own out there as long as I can hear him and has done since the start of summer (just turning 2). It's rare though, he doesn't like it much out there as the grass goes up in a hill and it frightens him
I don't know at what age I'll allow him to play alone in the front path. We play a game sometimes where he goes out and I go in and shut the door, then peek through the peephole and as he runs up to the door to get in I open it and surprise him. A few months ago we were playing this when a lady a few doors down walked past on her mobile phone looking horrified, from behind the door I could hear her talking to her friend about a little boy left on his own, so I jumped out and she looked and me quizzically then walked back the same way still chatting. I guess I won't be leaving him on his own out there anytime soon

When I was little and lived on a quiet road (like this one) I played out with my sister and local kids from a young age. We couldn't tell the time, I think we just came in when we were hungry or one of the neighbours told us too. We moved when I was 6 to a main road and were kept in for a few more years.