Nervous about letting kittens out for the first time

[MildWest]

Really nervous about letting cats about for the first time, silly I know but hey.

We've got 2 lovely young cats - 6 months old. We've had them for just over 2 weeks and kept them in the whole time, to settle in at first then to get over the spaying op. So, now I must let them out, but am scared.

Ideally, I'd like them only to go out in the day and be indoors safe and sound at night for ever more.

I was thinking about the following plan of action - can anyone reassure me this is the right thing to do? They were allowed outside in their previous home and are desperate to go out, but am a bit worried that they won't be so easy to get back in again!

This weekend, let them out in the morning before breakfast for an hour or so, same in the evening and use hunger to tempt them back in!
Weekday evenings next week. Just let them out when we get home for a few hours, then in for tea and the rest of the evening.
After that, they can come and go during the day but get locked in after tea (will have no way of getting them back in if they're let out on a full tummy!).

If I keep them in at night, am assuming they're going to need a litter tray at night, just in case? They seem ever so small to be out on their own, am hoping they'll just stay in the garden and not wander onto the street but nothing I can do about that! But fences are 6 feet tall so hoping that can't quite jump that high yet.

[FruitynNutty]

I'm having the same problem so will keep my eye on this thread. My kitten is almost 6 months old and absolutely desperate to go out, she keeps trying to escape out the door if it is slightly open to let someone in!

She is especially tiny and we have so many big Toms in my street I don't think she'll stand a chance! Do you think the big Tom's will look after her? Or will she be terrorised?

She's getting spade in a couple of weeks so will be allowed out from then.

[FruitynNutty]

BTW, someone told me to put butter on their paws which seems to bring them back home. Not sure how effective this is, maybe a bit slippery!