Would you let your 5&6 year old play at the park alone ?

[Pinkflowersxo]

We live on a new build estate with a play area, it's very visible to all of the houses , we live in a very nice area crime rates are low. My girls are 5&6 years old , I don't feel comfortable with them going to the play area alone even in a group of other young children but unsure if this is too strict I want them to enjoy themselves and have fun. Right now I take them but they really want to go by themselves with their friends without an adult. The park is not visible from our house but only 1 minute walk. Just wondered what everyone else does at this age xx

No way. My child is 6 and there is just no way. She’s quite slight for her age and someone could just pick her up and be out of there in seconds.

Absolutely not. Honestly I'm shocked you need to ask or would even consider it. My daughter is 5 and no way in hell I'd let her out on her own.

No way! My DD is 8 & I still stand near enough so people see me & know she's not alone, but don't involve myself if she's playing with other kids. I'll keep doing it, too. 8 also don't think older kids need to hang around a park.

I'm not unreasonable here, as we've had several kids & teens walking home from school who've had abduction attempts. One was DS's year 5 classmate. There's just too many sickos around.

OP: Thanks, everyone, I've made my decision.

Everyone else: but you haven't read my opinion yet, which is exactly the same as everyone elses!

No, far too young.

For me it is not about fear of abduction as I know that is very unlikely statistically.

It is the much more likely scenario of them falling or getting injured.

I would let them play at the park with friends but only if I'm present/sat on nearby bench.

I would also offer to take neighbours children so they have an adult there they know.

Absolutely not. I don't trust my DS (6) not to follow another child somewhere else, or cross the road without watching, or wander around the estate, He's very trusty of adults and he wouldn't think twice about going with any adults or children. And he's very active, fast and can get very excited when playing so he's not the best at keep track of where cars or danger are.
Firm no.

Christ no, absolutely not. I have a six year old and I don't even really like losing sight of him in the park, let alone leaving him.

My friends have a very sensible eight year old daughter and I think she'd be ok... but I would worry more about other/older kids and how they behave, and whether an eight year old would recognise when to get away for safety. I'd be more inclined to let an eight year old walk to the local shop and back with a friend for a bit of freedom, rather than hanging out in a park (and even then, I think it's a bit young).

My in laws lost their five year old this way when he was out with his 8yo sister. Ran into the road. Just totally not worth it, they're way way too little.

Of course not. Anything could happen to them. They would need to be 10 at least before I let a child of mine alone in a park.

as others have said, no way.
I was a relaxed parent, our kids played out in the street with other kids from the street, and came and went into our garden and their gardens.
That was when they were 7/8.
There is a park at the end of the road (safe roads) which they could go to at about age 9.
Library and shop at the end of our road, they were allowed to go to them at about age 9.
We started with very short bursts and teaching them to come home when they said, and then gradually worked up to a longer play time etc.
I worked back from age 11 when they are going by themselves to secondary, and it certainly seemed that everyone relaxed when kids hit about 10.

a 5 /6 year old just does not have the capacity to understand or assess danger.

Absolutely not.

No

No. Only if they could be seen from the house (e.g. the park was like an extension of the garden).

I wouldn’t leave kids at home alone at that age. Let alone leave them alone in public. Wtf

No - only if they were under the supervision of an older cousin or sibling.

A lot can happen in that 1 minute it would take for you to get there, regardless of whether you could see them.

No way, far too young x

No.

My teens were in a park recently and within five minutes some younger boys aged about 10 were hassling them and swearing and calling them names. A 5 and 6 year old wouldn’t know how to handle something like that.

No, and I can see the park from my house. I let my 6 year old go across by herself while I am in the front garden weeding for example, but our back garden has high walls so I wouldn't let her go if I was in the back. Way too young I think

7+

Trust your instincts op.

It is hard sometimes when your kids are incredulous that X's mum lets them so why won't you let us, but you just have to hold firm. It's a long bumpy ride of constantly worrying you've made the right choice!

It's not just about if someone could take them (and a low crime rate area doesn't mean low risk). It's also about them crossing roads, taking risks, not having awareness of all the awful things in the world, is that berry poisonous, can I have one of my "friends" "sweeties" etc etc.

Things that have happened in a playground to me or one of my children:

• An older group for boys asking a younger child to put their hand in their trousers.

• A child picking up a drink off the floor and trying it. I've seen this twice! One was a MC Donald's milkshake and one was a beer can.

• A child running into a moving swing and being knocked out cold.

• A couple of adult substance abusers using stroll in, sit on the bench to roll up and then start having a barney, swearing at each other.

• A child jump off the climbing frame and break their arm.

• A child kicking a football, landing funny and injuring their ankle so badly they couldn't walk on it.

• A group of primary school children with a box of matches set fire to the den bit of the climbing frame.

• A child bringing daddies cigarette and lighter to play with with their friends.

• Kids making sex noises and encouraging the younger ones to copy them.

• A male adult flasher.

• Teenagers with fireworks.

• Teenager couple with alcohol having a very risque make out session.

Don't be ridiculous.

No no.