At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

Mom just looking out window from time to time?

When did they stop playing in backyard due to being "too old"?

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

When the oldest one outside is elementary aged and the youngest is mature enough not to run in the street I let them.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

I let my oldest play alone in the fenced backyard, with the door to the house open, at 2.5yo, although I was nervous about it. I let her play alone in our unfenced backyard at age 5 or 6. I let the younger ones play with her in the unfenced backyard when I trusted them to stay in the yard (probably age 3 or 4). For some reason, neither my middle nor my youngest will play alone outside, or without someone older (in the case of the middle), even though I have no problems letting them :hunh:sigh.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

With our first set of littles it was later than typical because we lived on a really busy street and our yard wasn't fenced until they were a bit older. Not sure at what age.

Currently, I let my 2 year old be outside if the other kids are out there or if I'm out there. If I'm out there, I'm rarely watching her, I'm usually working on something and listening to her babble. Plus the GSD follows her pretty closely.

Our yard isn't fenced but we don't have neighbors in the typical sense, either.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

So many variables. Fenced in yard vs. non. Busy streets. Older siblings. Etc?

Probably elementary aged for my oldest but we lived in town with no fence.

For my youngest probably as soon as he could be outside. :shrug3 But we live in the country. Huge yard. Quiet dead end street. And lots of older siblings to watch over him.

As for the "too old" side. It gets less and less as they get older for sure but even my 17 year old plays outside with his siblings in the yard. My 11 year old is out there daily and actively -- my olders (15 and 17) play outside for a purpose, not as much just spending hours on end running around like the littles do.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

We live in a small village, so the only "backyard" we have is really the playground that is one house over.

Since my oldest is autistic and youngest has had other therapy needs (speech, occupational) it has taken until last year to start to allow them time alone for an hour or so unsupervised with the rule that neither is to come home without the other (except in an emergency) and that both have a watch and are to come home at x time or we will come get them.

Aside from the ankle break last year (November), they had been reliably able to do that at 9 and 7. They are now 8 and almost 10. :heart

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

We don't really have a backyard and we share a driveway with our neighbors. So until about 6 months ago I wasn't really comfortable letting him play outside unsupervised. But as long as he leaves the door open where I can hear him I'm ok with it now. He'll be 8 in August.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

Pretty much. I still go out because my kids fight and I like the fresh air. But I think I've basically been letting them play outside alone since we moved here (they were 5 & 7). But NONE of my kids have ever run into the street, AND we live in a quiet neighborhood, AND we are a corner lot (so people are either slowing to drive around the corner, or stopping at the corner stop sign).

---------- Post added at 08:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:02 AM ----------

And our backyard was fenced in until all the recent storms made most of it fall! They were only allowed to stay in the fenced part.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

In a securely fenced-in yard with nothing perilous, by 1.5 years old mine will happily toddle around and push dump trucks and such. That was true for both big J and A (the only two I've had as babies/toddlers). A was even able to get on and off the trampoline by himself around that age, even though a sibling or I was always there to spot him just in case.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

So many variables.

No way mine would be outside at all without someone before the age to 2.5 and could be trusted to stay in specific areas because of fire ants...enough of their toxins and you can die. You have to be very cautious and little people aren't.

On the other hand, even without a fence, mine could have gone out because we had a crazy protective dog and live on a quiet cul-de-sac (one two houses back here). You didn't even think about turning down our road without the lab going off. Snakes took detours.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

We live downtown, close neighbors most of whom we trust, our back yard is fenced on three sides. Older two at 5 could play in the back without me. Now at almost 8 and 6 they can roam front and back and a little in the neighbor's yard. Youngest is 3 and can go out with them only in the back yard, but if she alone or there are other kids here I go out with her. Sometimes she can go out and play alone while I keep an eye from the open back door. As someone else said, I do go out with them probably half the time just because outside is nice or I have other things to do in the yard. My oldest doesn't really go out by herself unless she has something to do, she doesn't really do aimless playing anywhere.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

We have a fenced yard. My kids were allowed to be out pretty young but I did a lot of gardening when they were young so it was pretty rare they were out there long without me, maybe 2-2.5? I also have a row of widows that looks out on our postage sized lot.

My eldest (about to be 18) still plays outside if she has time - lawn games trampoline or entertains the neighbors occasionally.

My younger two (16.5 and 12.5) are out every single nice day

We’ve always encouraged them as much as possible and changed w their ages (purchased lawn games chalk anything to get them out ;)

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

It’s such a gradual transition. Ours has a 6 foot fence all the way around. At first I would be out there with them always, and then I might run in to grab something. A little later I might go in and make a snack, etc. It’s such a gradual transition I can’t give you an age.

No one in my family is too old, and I have a 14yo.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

I am an extreme extrovert. I prefer my kids playing in the front when they are too little and need supervision. And we've lived very close to parks with playgrounds and grassy fields. I preferred to go there. I didn't want to sit in the back, so we didn't!

We moved into the house we're selling when the kids were 4 and 6, fully fenced backyard. They've played in it unsupervised ever since. They love it. It's terraced. We're getting feedback that children can't play in the yard. We just roll our eyes and feel sorry for their children. Adults care. Children just play. It's a huge yard.

Re: At what age did your children start playing in backyard unsupervised?
 

Why can’t children play in the yard? The only thing I’ve seen in fully fenced backyards that would make it unsafe are extremely tall walls (remember we live next to mountains so I’m talking back yard is a cliff) or pools.