When should kids play outside unsupervised?

What age is it acceptable to let a child play outside unsupervised in a fenced in back yard? Say for 15-30 minutes. ( adults inside, within ear shot cleaning up the kitchen for example .)

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Depends on where you live. Are you in a busy city? Out in the country? is there deep water ect. But I say 4-5 years if your in ear shot or able to look out window at them easily and there is no danger. I remember my boys played outside unsupervised at a early age in a fenced in yard with no pool or any danger. If there is nothing that could hurt them and it’s fenced in then why not :woman_shrugging:

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My oldest was 10. But I had the backyard locked and checked on them very often. You never know when someone jumps the fence to get in and kidnaps you child

When my youngest son was 6 and my oldest son was 8 I let them play in the backyard while I cleaned the kitchen, but I was also able to keep an eye on them as my kitchen window above my sink faces my backyard

We live in the country, my kids were 4 & 14 playing in the woods behind our house, crossing our creek, building forts & exploring for hours. They are now 25 & 35. My grandkids are 4, 6, 8, 10 & 15, I’d never let them do that now. I guess we worry more about grandkids cause we kinda gotta answer to their parents.

Really, judging by what I have read about some of your countries, your backyard safer than your schools. Teach the children from early to survive and thrive in their own environment.

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So much can happen within a few minutes let alone 15-30! People are doing the “unheard” of these days!

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My son is 4 he plays in the back yard by him self all the time. How ever my back yard is only accessible from my kitchen door and has 6ft high fences and my back yard is pretty small.

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Its wild in the 90’s my parents didnt worry about this as much, so sad…but mine is 7 and im like a hawk on that window so i wish i had the answer that made you most comfortable

I don’t think I would let my kids outside by themselves unsupervised until they are in high school even then I’m gonna be worried cause so many sickos in this world and anything can happen regardless of age

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Were in Ontario,Canada. My kids have played outside in the backyard for years (as young as 4 by themselves). I leave the back door opened and I can see them out the kitchen window. Our backyard is fenced. With that being said they’ve all started going to the park together (siblings) when the oldest was 11. There’s 5 of them so they’ve always stuck together.

DHS was called on me before when my kids were in the backyard unsupervised around 8 was my oldest. And they told me I have to be outside with them til my oldest was 10. But I am in Oklahoma

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My daughter is 7 and plays in the backyard unsupervised all the time. I also have a privacy fence and a very loud dog

I would say around 6 make sure fence is locked possibly buy a mini camera so u can watch them as you clean…

It all depends on where you live

Whatever your state has guidelines for. As well as maturity, the area. Etc.

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My daughter went out around 5 alone, fenced yard, while i was doing dishes at the back window.

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No way the way people are

My son was was about 4/5 my daughter is 8 and I still won’t let her. The difference was that my son listened to me and wasn’t as sneaky as my daughter. My daughter has no care of stranger danger and will walk right up to anyone, scares the hell out of me.

Depends on where you are. My last house I couldn’t let my grandchildren play in the fenced yard because there were always people walking around going through garbage bins, passing out wherever, using drugs in the alley. Then there was a methasaurus rex making all kinds of strange noises in the garage across the alley, until there was a murder there and those tenants moved out… This place, in the same city, no problem. They could play in this back yard all day without any of those issues and I’d feel fine tidying up inside while they play.

My kids are 9 and 13 and have been going outside to play by themselves since my oldest was about 5-6 years old yes we have a fenced in back yard but they also went out front in their own now I let them go a little further as long as they can hear me yell then they can go away from the house

My kid? Absolutely never :joy: these kids are fast and smart but have zero sense of safety.

I can’t believe some of the stupid stuff I survived as kid :melting_face:

In my backyard 7 or older, Out riding bikes in the neighborhood 10 or older, and wondering further than the street we live on 14 and up.

My son is almost 6 and hates being alone so I have nothing lol. We live in the country though where he could play in the back yard safely

There’s a lot of ‘depends’ in this answer.

  1. what’s the maturity level of the kid(s)? 2) Do the kids follow rules/boundaries without a lot of interference? Or do you need to constantly remind them? 3) Do they have risk awareness? 4) what’s your area like? High crime? Low crime? Bigger City? Small Town? What are the people like? 5) what’s around your house? Busy road? Side street?
    You’re really the only one who can answer whether it’s right for your kids or not.

Never till their atleast 6year old 30 min a long time for anything under 6 to be left alone outside

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my 4year old and 9 year old play outback in our fenced in yard all the time but we also have a German Shepherd that stays with them all the time too

We let my daughter play on the back porch ihas a gate and that was when she was 3 we had a hawk swoop at her so we stopped letting her go out by herself until she’s heavy enough to not be taken

My daughter does and she’s twelve but we live on a dead end with one other neighbor past us and we know them very well

When you know your child will not leave the yard for anything ever!

I wouldn’t let my 4 and 6 year old play outside alone. But this is hard for me to answer because we’re not fenced in! & my 6 year old is selective mute so I have other worries there.