At what age do you allow your children to play outside alone?

Question

What age do you allow your kids to play outside alone? I've seen so many kids that are 4 and 5 running around unsupervised before. That was when I lived on a military installation. Where I am it was so illegal but people wouldn't watch their kids at all. It always scared the crap outta me. My oldest 2 are about to be 10 and 9 and I'm only just now allowing them to be outside alone. I'm in a pretty rural area in a subdivision. It's a very nice neighborhood. So they are allowed to go up and down the st but have to check in every hour. I was just curious what other do with their kids.

Answer

I think it depends on your community, neighborhood, and situation. I would let my 4 year olds in our fenced back yard alone while keeping an eye on them from the house. They couldn’t get out of the fence and were never far from my sight. As they got older, they got more freedom. By 7, they could go play outside with their BFF three doors down. Rules I used were they couldn’t go in anyone else’s house, even their BFF without my permission.  Only outside play. And they were twins, so I’m told them they had to stay together. No man left behind. 🙂 This worked really well for us. They got to have more freedom, learn responsibility, and earn my trust. By 9, they had the run of the block, but still couldn’t go in friends houses without my permission (they are almost 12 now and I still don’t allow it).  When they were 9, I was pregnant with my 3rd, and we got them Gizmo Pals so I could GPS locate them and they could call me or I could call them as needed. Now they are almost 12, have iPhones, and I can track them and we can call/text as needed. They do stay home alone after school or other short amounts of time - rules include no cooking, don’t answer the door, don’t leave the property without telling me.
One of the challenges I see in America is we coddle children and then they are helpless adults. I’m trying to stair step my kids into responsibilities so they are useful, gainfully employed adults. Not basement dwellers!  They have done aspects of their laundry since age 4, and now do their laundry completely on their own -including knowing when they need sports gear ready for various events, etc. They have mandatory chores (mainly their own rooms, bathrooms, clothes), and they earn money for extra chores like dishes, yardwork, extra house cleaning. They use their money for charity, savings, any extras they want.  When we go on vacation, they have to save up for their own souvenirs. This has helped greatly - one example is my daughter’s love of making slime. She buys her own supplies, sells her slime, and has quite the little business going. The on,y slime supplies I have bought are when she asks for something for Christmas or her birthday.
Highly recommend this method. It’s hard when you first start, but it is an investment in your family’s future. Over time, it gets easier and now I barely have to counsel them on what they need to do. They are very independent and capable young adults. They can get their own meals, etc.  Now we have the toddler and new baby on the way, and the toddler is learning from the older two and does age appropriate chores like picking up her trash and toys. She also can play outside with her siblings and they do a nice job keeping an eye on her. We do not let them babysit unsupervised yet as they still have some growth to do with their attention span. 🙂
Hope that helps spawn some ideas.

Answer

Around 5 I let my son start running around our street. 6 or 7 he started going to play at other kids houses over a street or two. He is 8 now and has about a mile radius as long as I know where he is going.

Answer

I'll probably let them outside without supervision around 10 or so. Mine are still itty bitty, but when they get older I think they'll be safe on our property. Our house is on 5 acres of land and rural. We have a busy road up next to our property though, so that's why I'm thinking around 10 years old, so they'll be cautious enough to not get too close.

Answer

I will let my 8 yr old play outside on our wrap around porch with my door open but screen door closed. If I had a fenced in back yard he would be able to go out there but only because I know everyone in a 4 block radius and they're all old as dirt. I just started this this year because I'm a paranoid soul.

Answer

my little girl is 6 and just let her play in our fenced garden but I check on her every 10 mins to make sure she's ok but I know some children who are allowed to do what they like at that age. I'm terrified my daughter gets kidnapped or hit by a car. she might be aloud out the garden when she's 16 😂

Answer

I have 5 kids, youngest is 7 and the oldest is 11. They are just now allowed to be out in  front of our house to play alone but they all have to be out there together or at least 3 of them. I don't let just one out there by themselves.

Answer

Depends on where you live and what is around you.

Answer

My oldest is 9 and she's still supervised unless it's out back. I think that it really depends on their maturity level. My back yard is fenced in otherwise I would be constantly watching her due to her being the type that will do something before thinking it through. I hope that this helps!

Answer

Everything has change not saying back in the days was any good but i say 16- & up I have to know where , with who etc. too much crazy people out there “even your own neighbors are suspects” #just saying.!

Answer

Darn it I meant to put this in parenting lol oh well.

At what age do you allow your children to play outside alone?

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