Would you let your 5 year old play out?

[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

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

No way x

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Jaymes]

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

 

[Glitterfairy]

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

 

[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

 

[snoozy]

Absolutely not, it would not be safe.

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[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.

 

[DottyLottie]

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

 

[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.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

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

 

[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

 

[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

 

[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.

 

[Darkest]

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!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

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

 

[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