How old to do this walk on their own?

[Fireworks91]

My kids are 8 and 6. We live about a 5 minute walk from a small local park. (Diagram attached). Road is quiet, outside our house is very rural, lane type going up to a 20-30mph single lane residential road.

They have taken the dog for quick strolls around as far as the school, but asked to go to the park.

Dh isn't here as another adult to bounce this off, so am asking here. I am thinking of saying yes, on a few provisos. Walk on pavement, cross at zebra. 8 yr old wearing a watch with an alarm set for the time they need to leave to come back, go being them approx 30mins there. If they haven't reappeared within 10 mins of that time I go and get them.

They know our address and home phone number and have my mobile number in their pocket.

It is a smallish park with no outlandish rides, overlooked on all sides by houses.

I trust them to walk safely etc, it is more 'stranger danger' that I am nervous about.

Would I be unreasonable to let them do this?

A lot of it depends on your children. I think I’d let them go, and say you’ll join them at the park in 10 mins. If then you get cold feet immediately after they’ve left, you can watch out the window and then join them earlier.

We live in a small village/rural

Mines is 7 now and went to the park herself from age 6, but shes very street wise and has been here before. My brother is 7 going on 8 and I wouldn't allow him to go because hes quite sheltered, and not half as resilient or quick thinking as my oldest. Similarly my youngest who is 4 will likely be much older when shes allowed because she's just completely away with the fairies!

I think it really depends on lots of factors with age being one of the least important.

My biggest concern would be cars more than anything else. Also my 8yo DSD is horrendously clumsy so could no way be trusted on her own in a park!

I'm just contemplating a similar issue with my two, and they're 9 and 11! We did a practice run where I let them do the walk to the park 'on their own', with me following 30 seconds behind them, then I sat by the park and told them to pretend I wasn't there and to be home at a certain time (eldest had a watch on). It all went fine until they were walking back and decided to start skipping along the pavement and the youngest tripped and stepped into the road. Luckily there was no car coming at that moment, but they 'failed' the test on this point, so we'll be trying again in a few days. I was more worried about what would happen if they had an argument or if one got hurt in the park, but it just shows that anything can happen and it might be something you're not even anticipating being an issue.

I think your 2 are too young just now, your instinct seems to be telling you so. It's so hard as you want them to have a bit of responsibility and feel trusted, but ultimately, YOU (meaning us parents rather than you specifically OP!) are responsible for them.

Perhaps you could follow closely behind them on the walk, then just be available at the park if they need you so that they feel a bit more independent and then when they're a bit older you and they will both feel more confident.

The walk back went swimmingly, so I think we will continue doing that for a while and then perhaps I will let them, with my provisos but spy on them from a distance to see what they do when they think I'm not watching 😂

Thanks for the opinions all 😁

I'd let two reasonably sensible 8yos go together but I don't think it's fair or right to make the 8yo responsible for the 6yo

Great 😊

I think it would be unfair for the 8 year old to have to be responsible for the 6 year old.

At the end of the day, you know your kids better than anyone so are able to judge how capable they are, but I don't think it's something I'd be able to do personally.

I have a 12 year old who is very independent with regards to stuff like this, but he's never had to be responsible for anyone younger.

My oldest will be six after Christmas and I would say is quite grown up for his age, but I will definitely not be letting him out alone in the foreseeable future, six is very young op.

Left to my own devices I would allow it when it's light. (DH is more overprotective than me and wouldn't have allowed it even when they were about 10!) You said they have walked as far as the school before and that would appear to be the most secluded bit, the rest is all overlooked. I worry more about traffic than the minute risk of abduction, but if there's a zebra crossing and they know how to use it, that shouldn't be too much of a problem. For the people who mentioned children breaking their arms on play equipment - that happens when parents are present too, and they've got your phone number.

Would you feel more confident if they took the dog with them?

I'd say no too.

For me personally that'd be a 'no'. It's too young to be going to a park alone especially for the 8 year old to supervise a younger sibling and the dog. I wouldn't be worried about trusting them, you obviously do trust them, but I don't trust other people. Parks can be dangerous places.

I agree children are more likely to be abducted/abused by someone they know and at 8 and 6 it would be hard to refuse a persuasive known and trusted adult who might try to take them from the park (as per the Ian Huntley case). Unlikely but not worth the risk.

With the broken arm it would require one leaving the other to call for help (assume they don't have a mobile phone) which raises further concern. Especially if it's the 6yo knocking on the door of someone unknown.

Walking to school when there's several other families around is totally different from the suggested park trip. The park trip probably would be fine 999 times out if 1000 but I wouldn't take the risk with my dc. Plenty of time in later primary school, y4 onwards, to develop independence.