old enough to play in the backyard without parent?

michellebelle · July 2011

how old do you think is old enough for kids to play in the backyard alone?

when there is a privacy fence?

how about with the dog with them for protection?

and how about with another same aged kid?

i let M play in the yard with her friend without an adult present, but not alone yet. i am wondering if i am being over protective? this morning while i was cleaning the kitchen she wanted to play outside with our lab. she is 4 and a smart 4 year old at that (but emotional intelligence is still very much a 4 yr old level).

our living room and kitchen are a wall of windows that open to view the backyard, so i can see her most of the time.

tia

KelleyA · July 2011

Amelia is 3.5 and I let her play outside alone and with friends. I can see her, but honestly I don't watch her like a hawk. We're working to build confidence and independence and I think solo play is good for her.

mom2ll · July 2011

Mine are 2 and 3 and they play outside alone all the time. I leave the door open so I can hear them and almost every room in our house has windows into the back yard. We have a payset and they tend to stay right there. I will also put them out there with an activity (water color, coloring, play dough) on their little table and check back every 5-10 min. There is no way I can watch both of them 100% of the time. It's just not possible.

TexasHarmony · July 2011

Our backyard is not fully fenced, so mine don't play alone in our backyard. I let them do it at BPaullo's house though.

Nanner · July 2011

I think Sam was 3 when we first started letting him play in the backyard unsupervised. Hannah never played back there by herself, as she was only 2 when we moved. I think especially with the windows, you're fine to let her play out there by herself. Just make sure everything that she could "get into" is put away. You know, gardening tools, ladders, circular saws...

mom2ll · July 2011

I should add that there is no possible way our kids could get out of our yard. Even if they were able to open the gate, they would have to walk down the side of the house and would be blocked in by our driveway gate. The only way out is through the house in out the front door. We are fully fenced the entire yard and double fenced (wood and iron) about 40%. The only thing they get into is the hose...

AmyDrinkie · July 2011

Ian is 2.5 and I let him play in the backyard with the back door open. If I have to move to another section of the house where I can't see him, I make him come in for a little bit.

I remember playing in the backyard with the dog when I was about 4; if it happened sooner I don't remember.

04JaxBride · July 2011

I can't ever remember them not being allowed to play in the backyard alone... So I guess 3? Most of the time we ended up out there though, because C still needed help swinging and that's usually what he wanted to do. We can see the whole play part of the backyard from the kitchen/living room though, so its not like they were in no mans land.

M&M614 · July 2011

Three for Mia. She was responsible and pretty "safe" for her age.

Micah might not ever get to play outside by herself.

michellebelle · July 2011

Ok. So I AM being overprotective, lol.

We have a huge yard - it is a waste for her not to be playing in it. Now that the dog listens to her commands I want to encourage them to play outside together instead of watching TV. Our neighbor who has a 4 year old watches them when they are in the front yard, and his little girl loves to play outside. So I think we need to lower the swings so it's easier for them to get on them at their age and let 'em go for it! I just wish we had some sort of dirt path she could ride her bike on out there too. I had a big brother to pal around with on my bike and during the summers my dad lived in the country at the top of a hill. One had to drive almost a half mile down our "driveway" to get to our house at the top of the hill so we ran wild regularly and it was so much fun!

Thanks for the reassurance. I'll give her a little more rope, hehe.

FinallyKrisB · July 2011

Tori gets to play in the fully fenced back yard by herself. Like PP's I just leave the back door open so I can hear her.

old enough to play in the backyard without parent?

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