At what age is it safe to let your child play out - unsupervised and out of your sight?

[pinkpyjamas]

I know each child is individual, but at what age did you let your child play out? I don't mean in the same street, but as in playing in the local area but out of your sight? My neighbour lets her three year old DS out of the street with her seven year old DD looking after him. This worries me, but maybe I'm too over-protective?

No experience as yet but possibly 11 even though I'd prefer to wait until they are 21!

I agree, bnm!! .

Never?? I would let my DD play in the garden, but would never dream of letting her out on the street. I have a neighbour who sends her nearly 5yo up to the playground (100yds??) with her 8yo sister to look after him, while she gets on with things IN the house, including napping. Has done for about two years (so 3yo being looked after by 6yo). Can't get my head round that one at all.

sorry - DD is 4.3yo

I would not be happy to let a 3 year old out with a 7 year old, my 5 year old plays out the front of our house/in our street with the other kids and my 3 year old.

Out of my sight completely not for a few years yet, i am in a small village so ,maybe 10 or so. My DS1 is quite sensible when out.

DD is 4y4m and she is allowed outside in the garden on her own - although I check on her regularly. No further for a long time yet!

Looking after a younger child is a huge responsibility for a child, especially at 6 and 7 year olds. Wonder how much of a choice the older child gets too.

Mine played out last summer - then 7 and almost 4 - in our close but only when I had front door open and was pottering around either in the front garden or kitchen which overlooks it . Still do the same this year but they aren't so interested. Our neighbours also allow younger ones out with older siblings and other kids apparently unsupervised.

Mine still don't play out and they are 11 and 9. We have good parks near us though and we all go together.

my DD is 7 1/2 and I don't let her play out at all, not even with 4 year DS. I can't imagine ever letting them out alone. I guess they will have to go to work one day though!

My dd is 4.11 and plays on our street with other children who live on the road. I wouldn't let her leave our street though and am not sure at what age I would do that.

Mine are 9 and 6 and they only play unsupervised on campsites (illogical I know) They love camping. I should start to give the 9 year old more freedom I think [[worry emoticon needed]

I reckon a lot would depend on the sort of area you live in - city centre, busy streets, grassy areas etc.

I live in a housing estate with a big park in the middle. I've been happy for my kids to play out of sight since the age of 7 certainly. But some other parents round about seem to wait longer.

3 seems tidsy.

As pointydog says, i think a lot of it depends on where you live. i live on a street with a park at the bottom ( but out of my sight) and Dss have been going there for just over a year Ds1 is 8, and DS2 is 6. However they also know every single person on the street, and every person in the houses that back onto the park, so they feel safe. If they go to a friends house, the friends mother always calls me, to say when they have arrived, and then when they are leaving and i start walking down to meet them.

i let my 5yr old and 8 year old play out in the street with other children in the street. they only go out to do something specific like bike riding, otherwise they are in the garden.dh and i decided we would let 8yr to park withfriend and no adult this summer but the question han't arisen and we haven't mentioned it.

Bad mother alert. My two ds's aged 4 1/2 and 3 play outside on their own in our cul-de-sac. We live in a very rural area of Colorado, it's very safe and quiet. Plus the dog guards them. I would never ever have done this where we lived in Scotland. So it's definitely comes from where we live and how I personally feel.

My shildren started going to the local park on thier own at 10. But it is only just across the road from us.

it was ds b/day on sat he was 9
today he got a bike with his b/day money and i let him go around the block (no roads) with his brother (10) and freinds
normally they are allowed lampost to lampost on the front so i can see them

When I read all this I think of my own experiences... When I was around 6-7 I attempted to literally walk around a corner on my own to catch up with my parents and was approached by a man offering sweets, I quickly ran back to the car containing my 3 teenage brothers!
Early 20's and I had 2 unpleasant experiences, both during the day, one I was folllowed from a busy shopping mall, the other nearly grabbed and pulled into a car only few yards from my parents house.
I'm 32 now and thinking of the above I'm pretty sure my dd will have a battle on her hands to get independance!

My DS aged 5 plays out on our driveway/hedgrow/up the path and slighlty out of sight all the time.

He will literally play out with friends all day, riding bikes, climbing trees etc

Not allowed to cross roads yet though and contant chats about stranger danger etc.

My Ds aged 7 is allowed across the road, but I have to know who he is with, where he is going and I also spy on him from time tio time to make sure he crosses the road carefully.

My dds aged 10 (twins) are allowed to the play park with riends but they must have a phone with them and we agree on strict times to return home.

I worry about my children all the time (naturally) especially as we had a horrible experience last week with a neighbour but I force myslef to allow them their freedom and independence because it is so important (but obviously within limits)

I feel much happier and more relaxed when they are all in, fed, bathed and on the sofa

As a child I lived in hastings and at the age of 8, I would catch the bus on my own to the White Rock Pavillion Swimming Baths and go for a swim, then catch the bus home. Never bothered me. Times have changed since then, alhough actually they haven't really!!!!

bounce

out on the street?

NEVER

at least not till they're teenagers and going out on their own

I think it also depends what type of setting you live in.

We're in a very urban, built up area about a mile and a half from town centre, so playing outside means playing on narrow pavement w/loads of cars racing by at 30+mph.

FWIW, I would never let my 3-year-old play out on any street unsupervised.

I agree that 3 is too young.

I also agree that it depends where you live (in some places 11 or 12 might be too young)

Our decision to allow our chidren to play out has not been taken lightly and we have discussed and considered every aspect of it from road safety (the big danger) to stranger danger (not a big issue, but the one that we all worry about the most probably). Then theres poisonous berries, dangerous dogs, glass on the pavement, dog poo and in our hedgrow - even a mad squirrel

Some days I feel happy letting them out, some days I don't, it depends on various factors. But if we ever had to move away, I would make sure that we lived somewhere where the children could play out in safety as it is so important!