How much freedom to give kids?

[MaliMom]

What age would you let your child go around town, village really, on their own or with friends?

Dd is begging to be allowed out with these friends, siblings one 9-10 the other 8 nearly 9 the same age as Dd, they are calling for her once or twice a week and as we live in the centre of town they always see us and ask to come in or for Dd to come play.

She is not under any circumstances being allowed to go out without an adult to the park or scooter around town with them alone and yes I have reported that the kids are always out alone to the school but they either can't or won't do anything.

And they are not coming in again due to bad behaviour on the last play date.

Dd is only just being allowed to go to the local shop alone which is literally right across the road from us while I watch from the front garden but it has got me thinking about when is the average age people allow their kids that amount of freedom.

Similar questions are asked on here regularly and the thing is, everyone can only answer, picturing their own circumstances.
It varies so much - mostly on where you live, but also to some extent on the personality of the child

What I always did with mine was build things up.
So, like you - they start, when little "paying the lady" in the shop whilst you are right there.....then, as they shop with you, you point out things to do (check change / check date on the loaf you are buying or whatever...so all the things you need to know to buy something become routine whilst you are there. Then, you let them go in a shop for a specific thing whilst you wait outside.... a familiar shop for a familiar item....... then you might let them go in a shop without you to choose their own (maybe into the pound shop to choose something for you or their Dad for a birthday).....and you might let them walk down the road to the familiar shop to get you something 'standard' they are used to buying - it will depend where you local shop is..
Later, you might go into the town / village / High Street and give them 15mins to wander and meet them back at a certain time.......

and so on - gradually building up so it isn't a "Can't go out without me" then "Can wander round town with a group of mates" situation without all the in between stages .

You need to give your child some independence and freedom, I know its scary but if she is sensible and the others are sensible it will be safety in numbers. If there is three of them and something happens (fall off your bike etc), one can stay and the other can get help.

DD was about 9 (she's 23 so this is a long time ago), hang out with a few friends after school either at the park, go for a bike ride or a walk with their dogs, and they might end up at one of the other houses. This was a rural village so traffic was never a concern. DD wore a watch, is that an idea? so she never lost track of time. I knew the parents of the kids and where they lived, otherwise I would be a bit apprehensive.

DD walked to and from school on her own from about nine when DH was on nights (five min walk home), however there were others in her class walking home too.