What's old/evidence enough to play outside unsupervised in a very safe area...?

[Monkeybird]

Here's the thing - my 8 (nearly 9) year old is used to playing out on the green in front of our house (which he has to cross a very quiet road to get to) pretty much by himself, but the key issue is I could always see him from my front room window/front door...

so we've moved - about 50 yards away but so that there's still slightly more road to navigate (the same quiet road), round a corner and there is no direct view over the green, although I can see a corner of it from my bedroom.

He is mostly quite sensible and knows about road safety (after a fashion - I wouldn't trust him on any 'proper' roads yet) and stranger danger... I also feel he is ready to be trusted a bit more to allowed a longer leash

Few strangers other than the people who live on this green ever go past, though there are some and most of the cars drive very slowly (is a cul-de-sac).

So when he wants to play out, do I just let him even though I can't see him? Or is it too young...? Or somewhere in the middle (ask him to check in every 20 mins or so? use walkie-talkies!? some other genius solution I haven't thought of?)

Or just stop fretting and be happy he can play out freely...?

Would be interested to know how other parents handle this kind of stuff

I'd say 6/7, (depending on the maturity of the child) in a group and 8 + alone.

anyone else got views on this?

think its hard to say

i am sure parents in dulwich will have different views from parents in.....devon i think its much depends on how safe you view your area.

However, i could see my kids playing when they were 9

start with short periods and the WT and build up from there if it goes well

I would let him if you think he's sensible enough. Would he be playing alone?

But I'm notoriously easy-going on such matters

I would also let him go out alone if you feel that you trust him.

Saying that, we live in Germany and our children walk to school alone from the age of aroud 6yo

I think that if you had lived in your current house forever, you probably wouldn't be letting him out yet... however, you have already let him out, he has been playing on the green for ages.

I would let him go, but check on him every so often (you don't have to let him know you check on him) drum it into him that he must be really careful near the road, and make sure that he understands what he should do if he does hurt himself, as you won't be able to see him.

Am sure he will be fine, 9 is old enough to have some responsibility, but that won't stop you fretting.