What age would you let a child play in the street unsupervised?

[NoRoomForALittleOne]

And to settle a debate with DH what sort of road do you live on and where do you live in the country ie north/south.

We've lived at opposite ends of the country and are finding the attitude towards playing out in the street very different where we are now.

"I think unless we visit each others houses and see the exact contexts we are talking about it really is impossible to compare."

Yes, I think the where you live is so important. My friend who lives in the big town won't let her children play at the park directly behind their house (but cannot be seen) because they don't know who else is there. Its a large modern development, and the children go to all sorts of different schools, so they don't know each other either.

Whereas, I live in a Cotswold village, has a reputation for being a very "naice" area and it has also got a really strong culture of children playing out. But then, its the sort of place that when you walk down the shops, people will just say hello, and almost all the children go to the village school. My children know every child at their school, so if anyone's out at the park, there's every likelihood that the children know whoever is there. In fact, they often just go to the park to see who is there to play with, and they'll play with children from any year group, just because they're at the park.

I wouldn't be as confident letting my children out to play if we still lived in the big town. But here is different, there's a real sense of community here and that makes it very different I feel.

BertieBotts I'm in Germany too with a German DH, and have noticed a difference, DH found the UK to "lax" about things.

Too lax? I think it's far more lax here, especially at kindergartens/schools etc. I'm constantly surprised by the lack of 6 foot spiked fences around schools (the one closest to our house is totally open) but I think it's better and nicer for the most part. When you think about it, schools having such high security seems mad.

However DS does keep getting stopped by concerned old ladies when he's running ahead of me down the road.

Combust - that's a poor example as it could just as easily have happened with adult supervision (unless you are glued to your child 24/7)
It's always a matter of judging a situation and weighing up realistic risks (not rare occurrences) & equipping your child with boundaries & knowledge (don't pet strange dogs they might bite, don't go into the road without an adult you might get run over) - this is why stock answers don't work here every child/situation is different.
My DS has had one accident in his life (serious enough to warrant stitches not bumps & bruises) and it was when he was entirely under both his parents supervision.
When playing out the worst incident that has ever happened was a scraped knee (oh which he's had dozens in the past 6 years & are a natural bike riding hazard)

BertieBotts - Weirdly, yes. He says parenting and attitude has a lot to be desired which where I grew up, I know exactly what he means but saying that he's digging his own grave because he'd let the DC play on the streets and send them off to forest kindergarden if I agreed!

Although I do find Germany a much nicer place to live and people are much more pleasent than the places I lived as a kid in UK. And feel safer sending my kids to play :)

Probably about 7 for ds - live in a London suburb and our road has parked cars all along each side and sometimes a speeding car down the middle. He has a friend on our side of the street that he can visit (now, age 5) if we phone to check it's ok first. A bunch of friends in the next street but all on the other side of the road, so key is being trusted to cross the road, which should be OK at the corner when he's only a bit older.

He is a very cautious sensible child though. Can't imagine dn (same age) being let loose on roads any time soon as he is in his own world too much of the time.

There is a large park with playground 5 minutes walk away, and pelican crossing to get to it, so once he is able to cross small roads safely he will argue to be allowed there without adults. Guess will start with leaving him and friends briefly while adults nip to shop across the road.

OK, I see the point. I think people expect more from children which is perhaps why they feel more able to let them out to play/use tools appropriately etc at a much younger age than the UK.

wonky- "Combust - that's a poor example as it could just as easily have happened with adult supervision (unless you are glued to your child 24/7) "

I disagree. While not a major incident it would not have happened if a child was playing at home, it would not have happened with adult supervision. If I had noticed my 5 year old picking up something from the gutter then I would want to know what it was and I would certainly have prevented a child from putting it on a finger. Streets are dangerous places, full of undesirable items.

I'm with wonky. Sometimes you just don't notice them picking things up. And such an item could have been found in a park or playground or other "safe" area, either kicked along by various people not noticing, wind, dropped by a magpie, etc.

A 2 year old, yes you should be watching them more closely. A five year old I probably wouldn't be looking so constantly at them. DS is always picking up stones "life crystals" for his games but I know he wouldn't put one in his mouth which is your worry with little ones.

I don't think it does well to keep them in overly sterile environments and prevent them from ever having an accident or bad experience.

honestly 2 year olda. i am very catsbumface at it but i asked one of the.nighbours once and they said the older kids were watching him. apparently the 5 year old is very responsible we have prwviously had 6 year olds at the door for my ds at 9pm and seen kids at the local shop close to 10pm and theae are kids no older than my own. it seems to be the whole area are very relaxed about it but i just cant get my head around it myself

I don’t think children should be allowed to play on the street at all. I mean what if they were hit by some drunk millennial who won’t get off their damn phone. Or some godforsaken rowdy teen! I prefer to have my kids safely inside studying