What age do you allow your children to play out unsupervised?

[littletobyj]

We live on what appears to be a relatively safe estate. Decent sized 3-5 bed homes, families and never any trouble. There are often many children playing out on bikes, scooters etc of all ages too, some as young as my son.
My son is 4 and often asks to play out on the front. I have no issue letting him play in the back garden as its all secure with a locked gate. However I can't imagine being comfortable with him playing out on the estate unsupervised for a good while. I have all kinds of thoughts such as road accidents and god knows what else! I'm not happy with him just playing in someone else's home unless I know them and I am comfortable with that-you just never know these days!
Am I too over protective?!

 

[Blah11]

I don't let mine out and wont until shes a lot older and with a group of friends. Too many cases like april jones and Jessica and Holly make me say no. Not worth the risk and im sure their poor parents never thought it would happen to them either.

 

[littletobyj]

That's exactly how I feel, you just don't know these days what can happen. I'm just suprised when I see that other parents are fine with it. A friend of mine lets her kids play out on their own and admits that she goes outside sometimes and has no idea where they are-that would totally would freak me out! They are 4 and 6!

 

[MrsT&Ben]

I see so many young children playing out the front and it scares me. It is kind of safe where they live (in a cul de sac) but there is a fence with a gate on it that leads right on to a busy road. My little boy is 3 and I can honestly say he will not be allowed to play on the street ever. I don't mind if he went to his friends house or back garden but if he was playing near cars it would be a massive no no. Hubby will probably disagree with me but you can't be too safe!!

 

[mummylove]

I dont know maybe never lol only joking. It might seem safe but u never know whats round the corner. My kids will be way older maybe 10.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Mine are 7 &9 and I still dont.

 

[Bex84]

I would say around time she goes to secondary school so maybe 11. However i will be fine if she wants friends over. She certainly wont be needing to roam streets. I saw one of my neighbours grandchildren at park with friends who were primary age around 9. They were watching inapropriate stuff on phones and swearing and none of them looked when crossing road where lots of people spead. As pp said also snatching cases worry me and traffic. As i said i will have no problem when lo is school age having friends over as often as she wants. I taught primary and some of the kids who were allowed out on own had absolutly no common sence. There were several who didnt even know how to cross road safely. When i was a child there was a boy who i went to school with who crossed a very quiet road as i lived in country to village hall. A driver was speeding, hit him and caused brain damage. He was 11, its not just them you have to think of trusting.

 

[R_x]

Their 18th birthdays?!

 

[sparkle_1979]

I'm so uncomfortable just thinking about this and at the moment the thought of the, being out of sight makes me feel ill.

A little girl next door has it turned 5 and is always out on her own. Her mum is sleeping sometimes its bloody awful

 

[xxleannexx]

We also love on a safe estate with lots of families and children playing out, I've also noticed some young children. My daughter is 5 and I would never dream of letting her out the front and won't be anytime soon.

I don't think your been overprotective, you can't trust anyone these days.

 

[Wiggler]

Not for a looooooong time.

 

[discoclare]

I don't know yet. But definitely not at age 4! there is a little boy down my street who is often out front with a football and will stop and talk to me and DD1. He must only be about 5. Never seen an adult watching him and if he's talking to me he probably talks to everyone else as well. Our street isn't massively busy for central London, but still there are plenty of cars (often reversing) as there are several mechanics under the tube arches virtually next to where his house is. There are also sometimes people drinking cans and miniature spirits in the street round about there (not saying they are up to any good, but I don't like it, drink in your own house!).

 

[mum22ttc#3]

My oldest is 9 and she hasn't yet. I don't think I would let mine until secondary school age, so about 11.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

^ glad you agree. My sons friends are allowed to park alone etc. No way!! We live in a safe area but imo no where is safe.

 

[meli1981]

My daughter is seven and shes not allowed to go out alone unless in our fenced back yard. That said when we go over to my friends house, she goes outside with my friends daughter and a bunch of other kids, but shes has to stay INFRONT of the house and NOT cross the street for any reason. If i see her breaking the rules she has to come in and one of her precious my little ponies gets taken away! I guess im kinda strict!

 

[babyjan]

Just like someone else said, maybe 18 years +

 

[Eleanor ace]

Probably when they get to secondary school age. I can't see any reason for them to go out alone before then, if they don't want me around (as in, sat discreetly reading a book on a bench at the park while they play with their friends there, not joining in with their games lol) then it's probably because they're doing something they shouldn't be!
Even if I have super trustworthy children its all the boy racers, strangers, random planes falling out of the sky (maybe I'm slightly paranoid...) that I don't trust!

 

[sweetlullaby]

Probably never where we live It's a street but the cars fly up and down it drives me absolutely mad because most of the culprits have kids that play in the street. We have a big massive garden they can play there instead lol

 

[littletobyj]

I feel so reassured that I'm not the only one, we thought we were doing the right thing moving to a decent estate and I'm not saying we will pack up and move but it's so difficult for us to get our LO to understand when every day we are seeing kids out on their own? It worries me that one day something will happen, I have driven down the road and had kids run out after balls and like someone said most of them will approach anyone!

 

[EmziixBo0o]

Only place my LO will be playing out is the back garden!!!!