What age is reasonable to let your children go off on a holiday campsite alone?

[S2023]

Is it reasonable to let a child of 11 with asd walk a holiday park alone and go to certain areas?

and is it ok to send an 8 and 10 year old who don’t get on off on their own to go on the boats on park site?

11 year old isn’t very good with strangers and if put in a situation will become less aware of road safety etc.

8 year old does not feel safe or happy going alone without an adult anyway?

Of course you can’t.

Child with ASD walk to the swings and back on a small family run holiday park I would say is fine.
Not at Haven, unless you are very close to the park.
No to boats obviously because it’s boats and the younger ages

No to boats for safety reasons. I'd let an 11 year old walk to the shops and around a bit where we live, but not on a holiday park as there are so many people coming and going, and some dodgy people about.

Maybe two 11 year olds together, if they're sensible and I'd know roughly when they'd be back.

I wouldn't let my children go on the water without a supervising adult.

Otherwise... you can't generalise. Weve been on plenty of campsites where the kids can go off on their own safely. Plus others where more caution is needed.

Well it sounds like it’s not right for your family at this time. They will know when they are ready

I don't think age is the determining factor here as they are all very different. Mine are 10 & 12 and would be absolutely fine, but others of the same age less so.

Hard no to the boats though just for water safety reasons.

All children are different (regardless of neurodiversity). All holiday camps are different. Only you know your kids best. Only you can assess any risk.

Boats? Not without an adult for any of them.
The 11 year old? Depends on the ASD.
The 8 year old sounds unhapppy about being without an adult - so that sounds like a no, unless I've read it wrong.

Usually yes, apart from the boats. But with them not getting along, probably not the best idea.

I was definitely off on my own on campsites at younger than that, with my autistic sibling. All was brilliant and really good for us. But the circs you describe arnt great for it and you won't be able to relax anyway.

Why not start by saying they can got to the site ice cream shop by themselves and come straight back and build up from there.

This

No children should be going on boats without an adult. Unless there’s a very big detail you’ve missed such as the boats are on dry land.

16/17? Maybe 14/15 depending on where we are.

I let my 8 and 12 year old go off but not my 5 year old. 8 year old prefers to stay near me though.

I wouldn't let any of them on a boat without an adult though.

It sounds like you don’t think it’s ok so maybe you are asking about somebody else who thinks it’s ok? I think it’s difficult to answer as there are a lot of variables but based on the extra info you’ve given I’d say no.

On holiday I let my then 9 and 6 year olds walk together to the little campsite shop to buy ice creams. It was only about 3-4 mins walk and a very family friendly camp site and I obviously had one eye on the clock to check when they should have been back.

this summer I will let them do that again unless it’s a very large campsite or we are really far from the shop. Like pps have said - it depends on how sensible the kids are and what the campsite is like and how far away it is!

for those saying age 14/15 etc lots of kids are walking home alone from school in year 5 or 6 which is aged 9, 10, 11. That’s unlikely to be as nearby as a campsite shop or as safe as a family campsite.

obviously going on boats or near water etc brings a new level of danger in to it!

We took our DC and a friend to a caravan park last year when 11 and 12. We let them go to the morning swim session alone (indoor pool with lifeguard) and go to the park, arcade etc on their own. They both had mobiles and we agreed times to come back or check in by. I think end of yr 6 and over is fine. Obviously depends on the child and how big the holiday park is.

I’ve just come back from Haven and my 8 year old wasn’t allowed out of my sight. DC doesn’t have any additional needs but can’t yet be trusted to be aware of cars moving about on a caravan site, especially if they’re excited about ice cream or going to the arcade etc.

My 9 year old runs off to the play park, shop etc. I usually check where she is frequently. DS 10 this year so will be the same. Sites are smallish though.

All depends. Never involving water for safety reasons but the swings for instance i would.

I used to send mine for the croissants in france too, they would have been late primary age.

Too many variables to give an age but I’d say no to the boats and no to the children that don’t get along going off unsupervised

We go to one site several times a year, it’s a small site and two lots of our friends have statics there. The play park is overlooked by the statics and I do now let my 7 and 4year olds go and play with siblings and friends’ children there but wouldn’t allow that anywhere else!

11 just walking round the park-yes of course. Younger ones I assume wouldn't be allowed on the boats in any case.

Going back in time here. When DS was either 5 or 6 he and a little friend ran around a campsite (small, friendly, French) together, including the (guarded) water slide, I should say he could swim 25 meters without aids.

But that was 2009/2010 (we went twice I'm not sure which year it was). No cars on site though.

The tone of your post seems like you don't want to, so don't. You know your kids.

I think there's an additional consideration too - do they behave? So many times at those sites there are kids exactly those sorts of ages causing issues: running around where there are food/drinks being carried, climbing on arcade games, knocking younger children over, etc.

Last year mine were 8 and 6 and I let them go off to the playground alone. I could still just about see them. Wouldn’t have let them go to the pool/boats etc alone though and this was a small site not a large one.