Would you let a 4 year old play unsupervised in the garden with water table?

[wishIwasonholiday10]

My husband and I had a disagreement about this. Would you let an almost 4 year old play unsupervised in the garden with a water table and mud kitchen? The garden is fully fenced with no access to the street.

We both agree no unsupervised play with a paddling pool but disagree on the water table.

Are you risking being the risk-averse parent whose child never properly manages independence and safe judgement? Because the infinitesimally small risk of death here isn't the only risk at play.

Not a four year old. I worked in a nursery for years and they shouldn’t be unsupervised. They can have any sort of accident very quickly at that age. Very foolish to think otherwise.

You know that's not true right? The drowning in a couple of inches of water is a baby and toddlers thing. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be careful of 4 year olds round water- of course you should- but they're not going to drown themselves in a shallow puddle or a washbasin unless they're knocked unconscious.

Yes, the only 4 year old I know who I would supervise is my nephew but he is autistic and has been known to sometimes munch on some mud.

Can people posting messages like this clarify if they think school is inherently unsafe? Because every day 4 year olds are in classes of 30 (or even 31, 32) with a teacher and TA. They are not being watched at all times. That is the reality.

But it’s not a paddling pool its a water tray! no child could fit into it if they tried.

water safety is a bog anxiety for me but this is borderline neurotic.

Yes. I have a 4 year old and a water table i would. Paddling pool an obvious no.

Yes I’d be totally fine with this, as long as I was pottering in and out and always within easy sight of them (kitchen window etc)

Yes. My kids could both swim from two though! 🤣

and I’m assuming you’re talking about a water table and not a paddling pool?

I am a Childminder and super vigilant about safeguarding. My husband jokingly calls me Mrs Health & Safety, as I don’t like to take risks.

In this scenario (with my own children) I would be happy to pop in and out of the house for a few minutes at a time. But not left unsupervised for more than 5 minutes.

I can’t imagine being ok with this. That’s a big area if he got into difficulties time to realise and reach him

Do you live in a Final Destination film?

Pottering nearby - absolutely, helicoptering - no, not being able to hear or get to quickly - also no.

NO

I have to admit my mouth dropped open reading this 😳

I do think paddling pool and a water table/mud kitchen are two different activities that require different supervisions.

Paddling pool yes I would be outside supervising, water table and mud kitchen I would leave them to play independently and just keep checking at intervals if I had jobs etc to do

Same, my daughter is 4 and has been playing outside unsupervised since she was 2.

The biggest risk is that a red kite thinks she looks tasty and snatches her up.

There's the possibility of a tumble, but she would be fine.

I remember my brother playing outside in the garden by himself when he was a similar age. He was digging and stabbed himself through the foot with the garden fork and pinned his welly and toes to the ground with the fork. He was out there for a while before I heard him. Anything can happen!

I can't even imagine in my wildest dreams how a small child could possibly be at risk from a water table. It's not like they can fall in it.

It could happen if someone was outside with him though.How do you prevent that

You properly supervise them and remove the fork when they pick it up or start showing interest in it. Stuff like that just doesn't happen with proper supervision

In the classroom there will be other children who could alert a staff member if there was a problem, not the same as a child being out of parents sight while playing with water.
My DS is autistic so I would never leave him alone with water. He was playing with water today and I didn't even leave him to go to the toilet. I don't know if I would be more relaxed if he wasn't autistic but I doubt it (my DDs are adults now so I can't remember how I reacted when they played with water).

This👆Am trying to work out the mindset of some of the posters…wild !!

My child has known since the age of 2 not to eat anything in the garden. She knows brambles are safe to eat, but won't touch them unless mommy or daddy are there with her.

She's also fallen a lot (so did I ask a child).
There is absolutely nothing wrong with falling, it's what children do. And I'd be perfectly fine if somehow she did hurt herself badly enough to be taken to hospital to say "she fell whilst playing in the garden".

Yes. My daughter is 3 1/2 and I let her. I do stay in the kitchen and check on her regularly but she is very happy playing by herself.