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

[ECingMama]

Mom just looking out window from time to time?

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

[Katigre]

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

[forty-two]

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 .

[Soliloquy]

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.

[2sunshines]

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. 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.

[HadassahSukkot]

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.

[bananacake]

Originally Posted by Katigre

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

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.

[MrsHutch]

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.

[CelticJourney]

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.

[marbles]

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.

[Virginia]

We had a fenced back yard and played outside with mom looking out the window starting around age 5 or so, but the kitchen window literally looked right into the backyard.

Too old? Never. DH and I still play catch or volleyball in the backyard.


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[Pragmatist]

I let my oldest play in our fenced backyard alone at 4. She still plays outside frequently at 11.

[ECingMama]

Originally Posted by Virginia

We had a fenced back yard and played outside with mom looking out the window starting around age 5 or so, but the kitchen window literally looked right into the backyard.

Too old? Never. DH and I still play catch or volleyball in the backyard.


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Do you have your own fenced yard large enough to play volleyball in?

Or a common area with loads of grass?

We have trails about 10 houses from us that go for thirty miles. Along those trails are grassy fields(maintained, mowed) and playgrounds and soccer fields, and, and, and.

My husband and I have been together more than 15 years and we've pretty much never played in our backyards. We've done yard work in them. We've played with the kids in them (although, again, I prefer to be in the flat front yard with neighbors to watch and talk to). But we LOVE to go for walks and runs together on our amazing trails.

I don't know if that makes us unusual or what.

I really have no concept of how often teens play in their backyards as I was really too busy for that.

[2sunshines]

Originally Posted by ECingMama

I really have no concept of how often teens play in their backyards as I was really too busy for that.

My teens spend most of their outdoor time in the driveway shooting hoops.

Sometimes they'll play an impromptu game of baseball or kickball with the neighbourhood kids.

We live in the country so have a yard large enough to accommodate that.

The other thing they'll do outside is play random runaround games with the little siblings. And actually my 15 year old dd will swing on the swingset with her friends occassionally. We have a really nice industrial strength metal swing set that accommodates even adults at full swing! A friend gave it to us. It's the best thing ever.

But overall I would say that my teens aren't out in the yard a lot.... But it still happens.

[Virginia]

Originally Posted by ECingMama

Do you have your own fenced yard large enough to play volleyball in?

Or a common area with loads of grass?

We have trails about 10 houses from us that go for thirty miles. Along those trails are grassy fields(maintained, mowed) and playgrounds and soccer fields, and, and, and.

My husband and I have been together more than 15 years and we've pretty much never played in our backyards. We've done yard work in them. We've played with the kids in them (although, again, I prefer to be in the flat front yard with neighbors to watch and talk to). But we LOVE to go for walks and runs together on our amazing trails.

I don't know if that makes us unusual or what.

I really have no concept of how often teens play in their backyards as I was really too busy for that.

We just “pepper” (hit the ball back and forth) with each other in our very small space. Teens seem to shoot hoops a lot in my neighborhood or play catch.


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