God no… kids are kidnapped from parks DAILY. It’s scary as hell and not worth risking. Keep your baby safe at all costs.
Ugh sooo I guess I’m the odd mom??
My son is 8. Frequently rides his bike around our block, and plays at the park at the end of our street (I can’t see it from here but if I whistle loud he can hear me). He plays there alone sometimes but mostly with friends. When he goes I give him my Fitbit with a timer so everytime it buzzes he comes and checks in. If he doesn’t check in on time he looses the privilege of being allowed to go. I’m probably gonna get him a cheap phone with data soon so I’m more comfortable with him going that far. I can call or text and am able to set location setting on it to find him at any time.
Yes it’s scary, but we need to prepare them and trust in our parenting and in our kids. We can’t shield them but don’t send them out there without teaching the proper street smarts either.
buddy system is preferable, stay close to home, never cross big roads and always check in.
Sometimes I’ll go for a walk to see where he is and see what he’s doing and he’s always doing what he said he was. Most of the time he just practices his skateboard. 
being an overly protective parent doesnt do just good It also creates unneeded anxiety, fear and an inability to count on themselves in time of need. Be a cautious parent instead and let them live and learn while watching from a distance.
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We live in a fairly small town, right next to a big town. We’re close to I81 and I70. There is a park, about 1/8 mile down the road from us. I won’t let my 8 year old go alone/with her friends. She’s definitely not mature enough and all it would take would be for someone to snatch her and they could be on the Highway, headed North, South, East or West within 5 minutes. These kids being 8, isn’t like it was when I was 8 (early 90s). Back then, we could be outside, unsupervised, from sun up until sun down, without our parents having to worry about us because all the parents knew one another and the whole neighborhood was watching out for each other’s kids. These days, I don’t know if I can trust my neighbors with/around my kids. It’s not worth the risk! It would be different if at least one of the kids parents were in that general area.
Play in the backyard alone? Sure
Walk down the street to the park? Hell no!
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We live at a long dead end street and my 8 year old plays with her friends unsupervised. I check in occasionally. Everyone knows everyone on our street and multiple kids have phone watches including mine.
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Trust your instincts.
My 7 year old plays outside alone but in our fenced in back yard. I never would let him go out of my sight. He don’t even leave the yard without asking me first bc he has a friend that lives across the street. But we have ppl that love to do 50 down our road for no reason. Just some ahole teens that live at the top of the road whose parents don’t give a crap they drive the way they do on a road full of kids 
In old times maybe but now a days heck no.
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My kids are 7, 8, 9 all play outside on their own. My youngest has gotten in trouble once for doing something he shouldn’t at the neighbors house. Once. In the 6 months we’ve lived here. Kids have to be trusted to play and explore without constant hovering.
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It depends on location!! I’m way out of town with lots of acreage with no neighbors lol my kids have been going outside by themselves since about 5-6… if I was in the city noway…
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Just what a predator is looking for! NO!!..you are NOT being too protective, he is much too young to be left alone outside!!
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Oh no with all the kids disappearing I wouldn’t…
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Hm. There should always be supervision. Not hovering- but supervision at that age.
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I agree not ol enough
Nope. Our daughter is almost 9 years old and she isn’t allowed to play outside by herself. This world is not safe!
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No way!! He could easily be snatched at that age!
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No mine explore in groups or 10 is the oldest I let go alone to our park to play with friends
nope only in the backyard is where mine stay. I don’t trust people
If it’s an apartment complex with a playground in ur eye view I would other than that no lol
NO WAY! Out side in your back yard maybe but i wouldnt let a 10yr old go to the park by themselves or with other kids. Not in todays world. ALWAYS trust your gut. Your the mom. You know your child best
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In his yard, sure. “Hanging out” in an unknown peer group? Nope.
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Nope, not down the road at the park unless it has somebody to watch him and also outside. It only takes a second for someone to snatch him up.
No, I personally wouldn’t. Just because the type of world we unfortunately live in.
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I live Ina dangerous town, but on a safe dead end street. I allow my seven year son to play alone in our fenced backyard (we have a very protectivepit bull that stays with him out there). I have allowed him and his older (9/10) cousin to walk to get Frisbee and balls from where they were thrown over the fence into the cemetery, but they have to have their phones and come strait back.
Absolutely not!!! The world isn’t what it used to be and people are crazy. The only way I would allow that is if he had a friend and they went together and stayed together
Nope.trust your instincts
No you’re not… the way the world is now especially which is very sad!!
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So just wondering, does that make your parents bad parents cuase they let you go off and play without them near? We didn’t even have trackers or cell phones back the
We didn’t get any freedom until we had teen in our age
He is too young to play alone. He needs to be supervised
My grandson will be 9, he wont be getting kidnapped on my watch. I go outside with him.
My kids age range from 10 to 15. I still don’t let them go outside by themselves. They can play in the back yard all they want by themselves but not the front yard. In my opinion kidnappers don’t give a shit how old they are. I have a 8ft private fence around my back yard.
Not in this day and age
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I think it depends where you live. I live on a dead end road where no one really comes down. We have a big car port and back yard. My 5 year old plays outside alone. I can see him. My 9 year old played outside alone when he was 8. If you feel you live in a safe place I say sure. But if you live in a busy area I’d say no.
Absolutely not being overprotective. People are crazy these days. I wouldn’t let him go on his own
My daughter is 7 almost 8… while we live in the country and there isnt a nearby playground… Even if there was in this day and time she wouldn’t be allowed to go unless an adult was with her. Too many kids are getting trafficked and kidnapped…she is mature but it’s just too dangerous.
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The Evil that is out there,I would not leave a child alone.
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You know your child. If he lies a lot and you don’t feel he is mature enough then no. I definitely would not let him have that freedom to go hang out alone with random kids doing who knows what.
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Makes me so sad that you have to ask that question in this world. I miss the world of my youth when 8 year olds could rome the fields, neighborhood and just have to be home by the time the lighting bugs started or the streetlights came on😥
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Always trust your instincts
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No Absolutely Not Theres People out there Every Single Day Just waiting to Kidnap and Murder Children Girls and Boys Sad But True
In a fenced-in back yard
No not safe without supervision!
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I agree with the comment above about trusting your instinct. If you don’t trust the idea, don’t agree to it. I personally was very mature for my age as a younger child and still prefer to hang with an older crowd as a young adult. These days are still crazy. It would be different if you lived on a military base or something, where there’s very limited access from the public. Otherwise, I wouldn’t let my child play without supervision unless it were a very safe area.
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If you don’t feel he’s mature enough then no. You know your child
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Not wondering alone no.
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No to much evil in this world!!!
I wouldn’t. If he wants to play outside, if you have a backyard or front yard… that’s where I would be comfortable at that age.
Send your partner to the park!!!
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Definitely not in this day and age! There is too many crazy people in this world.
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no, no, no. Does your man watch the news???
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That’s a personal decision. If you feel he’s not mature enough to do so then don’t let him
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my daughters are 14 and 11 the bus stop is about a 7 minute walk down the hill I won’t even allow them to do that. we have a park about 10 to 15 minutes away. I’d love to let them but I trust no one
Is it a big town/city u live in? Is it rural? How old are the other kids?
So many variables.
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In my yard, I don’t have a problem with it, BUT, going somewhere by themselves absolutely not. I will walk or take my child to wherever until they get their own vehicle. If something happens to my child, I’ll gladly be seen in that orange.
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Nope is too dangerous we living in some ugly times def no
No way. Outside in your yard and down the street are two different things. Your instincts are correct
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No way! 8 is way to young to go off anywhere alone! 
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an 8 year old is old enough to play out side on own , as long as he stay with -in eye sight from home! if a friend asks him to go to his home - u should let him go as long as the mother of this friend has okayed it . this way you will know where u son is-other wise no !
Never should an 8 yr old be left alone outside.In this day n time I wouldn’t even leave a 16 yr old alone.
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no, not in today’s world.
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Personally I think his still young. Even when I take my kids in our backyard I’m always outside with them. Just incase something happens or someone gets hurt. I get everything I need to get done so I can spend time with them as a parent should do. Make time for there kiddos to play with them indoors and outdoors.
The world is a dangerous place now … personally i wouldn’t
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I’m okay with them in our yard, but I absolutely don’t allow them to go to the park etc alone. We live in a great neighborhood, but I am protective of our kids.
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I never let my son do that at 8. He was 12 before I’d let him go to the park with his friends and the park is right down the street from our house.
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Nope i wouldnt hes to young yet , Not him its whos around today … Maybe when hes older … 
Depends on where you live. My 5 year old plays outside by himself. He doesn’t go to the park but he does play outside
Nope not these days.
Depends on the town/neighborhood
I let my kids play alone outside at the apartments where I live at that age. But they had each other. I played outside all the time at that age. But really it’s what you are comfortable with.
Not in this world, it’s not him but it’s whose in this world, too many possibilities that could happen and I wouldn’t take that chance.
Outside the house is one thing , with someone checking on him but not down the road by himself … That is not a good thought or idea even …
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I wouldn’t but that is just me. I just started allowing my teenage outside alone.
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You know your child the best momma. I do not let my 9 year old daughter go anywhere alone due to her behavioral issues and her inability to withstand peer pressure.
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Depends where you live. Here in foster my step son has been playing outside on the farm since about 6. I’ll also let my 4 year old play outside with the older kids and in ear shot. I would never let them play alone outside if I lived anywhere else.
It’s not about trusting him. It’s about the fact that monsters walk amongst us.
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I believe this is something that you need to follow your gut with. some kids are not educated enough on these topics either. That being said, I never let my son out at 8 without myself there. but my son is 11 now and since he was 10 he has gone places with his older cousin with his dads permission but while he’s home with me, he only walks to and from school which isn’t far from where I live and there are a lot of kids that walk at the same time and he has been educated on the responsibilities that come with this privilege … but I wouldn’t be cool with him going to park or anywhere else alone no… personally though , the lying would make me very weary of allowing him to go anywhere without me… I use to roam the streets at 7 years old by myself, my mother would send me to the store to buy her smokes… but it’s not the way it use to be anymore and If you are even questioning this, I don’t think it’s a good idea… not yet anyways.
He’s to young,especially all what’s happening in the world today
not in this day and age
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The world is different now… sadly our children can’t do what we use to do. I say no… be that protective parent because we must protect our children at all cost.
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My 8 year old is allowed in our backyard by herself. That’s it. We have a park directly across the street from our house and she has isn’t allowed over there unless we see someone we know there or if her and the neighbor kid walk there together. We live in a safe town in a close neighborhood. It’s not her we don’t trust, it’s other people.
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Things are different than when I was a kid…I wouldn’t. And…if he lies a lot…that’s trouble waiting to happen
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I only let my boys 6 and 8 play down the street or at the neighbors yard if there was more than just my 2 boys. If all 8 kids on street were together and riding bikes or scooters on the street I would let them long as I can see them once I stepped out to check on them. My 2 alone NO.
Plus me and all my neighbors know each other minus 1 house. So everyone was always on watch when kids were outside.
Down to the park at 8? I’d say no. In the yard? Yes. 2 houses down? Maybe. To add, I have a 9 yr old, almost 9 yr old and a 18 month old.
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No l don’t think you are wrong
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Go with your gut, you know him better than anyone. Just say no.
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No. Only if in the back yard or front yard where you can watch or at a play date. Protect these little ones.
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Age means nothing. It’s maturity and street smarts IMO. The world is crazy AF now so you have to be extra careful.
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NO! Don’t do it!! These are crazy times‼️
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Follow your instincts.
Are there any children his age that live on your street or near you? Kids that can come to your house to play or someone else’s house that you know and trust so he can play with them?
I wouldn’t be comfortable with my 8 yr old at a park without supervision. Call me protective but predators know they can find children in parks unattended.
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An 8 year old is not to old enough to walk to the park by themselves.
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Keep him safe in this wicked world.
Your the mother, trust you instinct. It’s all on how you feel. Not what others suggest.
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And if someone takes him? Def not old enough
No I wouldn’t, that’s too young in my opinion, I don’t even let my son outside without me, I will sit outside the entire time while he is playing with the other kids around the complex, if they want to go off totally fine but I won’t let him out of my sight he will sit outside with me and wait for them to come back, this world is too scary to trust anyone in my opinion. You just never know what might happen.
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no. not in the time we live in.
In the yard, sure. But I’d still check every few minutes just bc you never know man. I’d never let my child go to the park or anywhere else alone until they are much older. Adult supervision is so important, even if it’s from a distance. Stuff happens way too often in this world around us, so I’m just extra careful and I’m 100% unashamed of it. Depending where you live, all it takes is 1 car to drive by and notice an opportunity, turn around, slow down enough to jump out/grab kid/take off. We live very close to a road, so we stay in the back yard away from the cars and the kids have rules on where to and not to go in/around the yard.
No. Not even because you can’t trust your 8 year old but there are so many scary people out there and scary situations that can happen. If he is not in an enclosed safe place like a back yard or in eye view, I would not allow it. I have an 8 and 10 year old. We live on 2.5 acres with one driveway and fencing all they way around, they know their boundaries and I can pretty much see or know what they’re doing at all times… I’ve allowed them to play outside together but without direct (me outside with them) supervision since they were about 4.
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Backyard, yes. Front yard, nope. I don’t trust neighbors, people driving, etc.