How old should kids be to play outside on their own?
At what age did/will you let your kids play outside - beyond your own yard - by themselves?
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My kiddos are impulsive and have severe ADHD however, we’re on a cul-de-sac and have a public trail in a SUPER safe area. Still…. I’m sticking with the oldest option 😬
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We live on a small, quiet street with involved neighbors and loads of young kids who are pretty much constantly playing together outside. Because I feel comfortable with this particular neighborhood, I've allowed my 8 year old to play with his friends outside for the past couple of years, as long as he checks in frequently to let me know where I can find him. This goes on alongside frequent discussions about stranger danger, street safety, wearing a helmet, etc.
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Stranger Danger isn't really a thing. Every year, approximately eight million children are reported missing worldwide In the US, 2300 children are reported missing per day Strangers abduct less than 1% of missing children Parents are accountable for over 90% of abductions That means over 99% of the time it is someone that you know. Most often a parent is responsible for a missing child.
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It’s a good point and definitely worth recognizing that children are most often abducted by people they know - still, I think even that much smaller percentage of children who are harmed or taken by strangers makes it worth taking some precautions, depending on the age of the child, the community, etc. Even growing up in a pretty safe neighborhood, a stranger still tried to lure my little brother into his car one time while we were at the playground, and raising my own kids in an even safer area, I still regularly got warning messages from our schools about strangers approaching students on their walks to/from school, trying to get them into their cars. So, still worth having those discussions about safety and making good choices to minimize risk!
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I live at the corner of a busy intersection where people often don't stop. If it weren't for that, I'd probably answer 8/9!
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My older kids have always been pretty cautious but I still didn’t really feel comfortable letting them wander too far without an adult until they were about 11 or so…slightly younger when they had a nearby and specific destination in mind, like a neighbor’s home. And, we always try for them to have another friend/sibling with them so they aren’t completely alone.
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I have not done this yet. However, my husband and I have discussed letting our 8 and 9 year old ride their bikes on a bike path that runs across the street from us. Not too far on this trail, just a couple of blocks.
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We live in a quiet neighborhood without many kids so my boys are free to ride around the neighborhood as they please and go from house to house with the boys they play with. My 5yo wishes she could go too, but she's a little too young.
