When are kids old enough to play outside alone?

RonanP77 · 22-03-2015 3:57pm #1

Our kid is three and a half, we live in the ass hole of nowhere with a big garden, a big gate and a hedge the whole way around the outside. I was thinking of letting them play outside alone this summer, just keeping watch out the window a pop out every now and again.

Do the good people of AH think three and a half is a little young or should it be OK?

There are probably forums for questions about kids but they'll be packed with so called experts that want us to wrap kids in cotton wool until they're 21.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 22-03-2015 4:01pm

A secure garden and at three and half they haven't been playing alone outside yet! You're a year late!

22-03-2015 4:02pm

It depends very much on the child in question.

howamidifferent · 22-03-2015 4:04pm

Twould depend on the neighbours I'd have thought?

RonanP77 · 22-03-2015 4:08pm

2011 wrote:

It depends very much on the child in question.

Tall for their age, fairly hardy and loves being outdoors.

howamidifferent wrote:

Twould depend on the neighbours I'd have thought?

There aren't many neighbours out here, the few we have are quiet. There aren't many other kids about. A 1 year old one side of us, a 13 year old the other side of us and we never really see the neighbours anyway.

shedweller · 22-03-2015 4:08pm

When you can't hear them you have to investigate quickly. They can be like ninjas when they want!

whiskeyman · 22-03-2015 4:08pm

When they're old enough to carry a blade.

pmasterson95 · 22-03-2015 4:09pm

39 and 3/4 years old

PLL · 22-03-2015 4:14pm

At first I thought you meant in an estate with other children. It always makes me uneasy to see young children (2/3) playing in the road even if they are with their older siblings.

With regards to the back garden I'd say fire away. My daughter is 3 and a half and adores being outside so when some nice weather came around on Paddy's day we cleaned out the garden, gave her toys from summer a hose and off she went. I was studying from the kitchen table looking out the patio doors, she was delighted!

mikom · 22-03-2015 4:16pm

RonanP77 wrote: »

Our kid is three and a half, we live in the ass hole of nowhere with a big garden, a big gate and a hedge the whole way around the outside. I was thinking of letting them play outside alone this summer, just keeping watch out the window a pop out every now and again.

Do the good people of AH think three and a half is a little young or should it be OK?

There are probably forums for questions about kids but they'll be packed with so called experts that want us to wrap kids in cotton wool until they're 21.

Shur let them off.
And if the poison doesn't get them... God will.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 22-03-2015 4:17pm

27. At least 27...

Miall108 · 22-03-2015 4:26pm

When their over 40. Taken straight from the Josef Fritzl School of Parenting

One eyed Jack · 22-03-2015 4:28pm

As soon as they're able to walk!

It's even better for them though if they have plenty of friends to play with outside. Children are great to entertain themselves, but they're even better at finding ways to entertain themselves in a group.

The_Valeyard · 22-03-2015 4:39pm

Put a tracker on him, be grand.

Macavity. · 22-03-2015 4:51pm

2 years old, or a little younger if they are a bright child.

ressem · 22-03-2015 4:57pm

Give him a sand pile in easy view of the house, a bucket and spade, a few toy vehicles and a sunhat. Keep the shed with tools / chemicals bolted.

Probably less things to fall off in the garden than in the house, and it's suggested that simply spending a couple of hours outside each day decreases the likelihood of short-sightedness in children.

bb1234567 · 22-03-2015 5:00pm

That seems really young. I'd let them out alone if they could walk/run well and could speak perfectly/shout loudly if in trouble. And I trusted them not to do something (too) stupid.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 22-03-2015 5:03pm

bb1234567 wrote: »

That seems really young. I'd let them out alone if they could walk/run well and could speak perfectly/shout loudly if in trouble. And I trusted them not to do something (too) stupid.

They're three and a half! They could be at school in 6 months. I'd worry if a child couldn't walk, run, speak properly or shout for help at that age.

RonanP77 · 22-03-2015 5:03pm

ressem wrote:

Give him a sand pile in easy view of the house, a bucket and spade, a few toy vehicles and a sunhat. Keep the shed with tools / chemicals bolted.

Yeah I intend buying a tonne bag of builders sand and putting a 9" high wooden frame around it over beside the swings and lawn furniture.

mikom · 22-03-2015 5:06pm

RonanP77 wrote: »

Yeah I intend buying a tonne bag of builders sand and putting a 9" high wooden frame around it over beside the swings and lawn furniture.

Don't forget a cover for the sand.

anncoates · 22-03-2015 5:07pm

Ours were out playing on our (quiet enough ) road and the green area beside it from around 4 to 5. Seems the norm with the other kids too.

Maybe it's just ours but kids that age don't tend to wander off too far on their own bat.

Hannibal Smith · 22-03-2015 5:08pm

mikom wrote: »

Don't forget a cover for the sand.

+ a million!
Hi ronan....3 and a half is a grand age to let him out. Just lock the gate.

Jaxxy · 22-03-2015 5:29pm

As long as the property is secure and you've child-proofed the garden (garden tools, any chemicals, etc. locked away) then I don't see the problem! Make sure he/she can't get out though (I know many a mini-Houdini), and alternatively, if your neighbours have dogs, make sure they can't get in, either.

Three and a half is the perfect age for garden adventures. My brother and I would play for hours on end in our garden with our little toy animal and dinosaur figures.

22-03-2015 5:32pm

RonanP77 wrote: »

Yeah I intend buying a tonne bag of builders sand and putting a 9" high wooden frame around it over beside the swings and lawn furniture.

Don't use builders sand, you can buy washed play sand that will be safer for him, but make sure you keep it covered or it'll be the neighbourhood cat toilet.

darkpagandeath · 22-03-2015 5:56pm

Eh, When did it become OK to leave children unsupervised at any age ? especially below 6.

Jaxxy · 22-03-2015 6:02pm

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Eh, When did it become OK to leave children unsupervised at any age ? especially below 6.

OP said nothing about letting his child out unsupervised. And where did this arbitrary age of 6 come from?

recylingbin · 22-03-2015 6:12pm

If it were my kids...
Boy: when he gets to an annoying age.
Girl: when she's married.

dogcat · 22-03-2015 6:13pm

Depends on maturity...

anncoates · 22-03-2015 6:17pm

Jaxxy wrote: »

And where did this arbitrary age of 6 come from?

A secret message smuggled to the surface from the Internet outrage mines. Many toilers died to make sure it arrived in one piece.

boobar · 22-03-2015 6:18pm

Just keep regular checks on the kid and you'll be fine.

Fresh air will be great for them.

biko · 22-03-2015 6:28pm

Just make the garden cage quite big and they should be ok.
Oh and don't forget water.

When are kids old enough to play outside alone?

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