Poll - Kids and Playing Outside

For those ages- Absolutely. Thats how we played as kids and its sad that many kids/neighborhoods dont have that option anymore. I let my older kids do the same thing but I have to be outside for the five year old to be able to leave the driveway. They will remember all that fun time when they are older!

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me, to yes, they would be allowed out without constant adult supervision under these circumstances.

Yes I would allow that. And, if I knew the parents very well, and I knew who was home when, and I had easy access, I'd even let them go in houses in bad weather, and I'd let the kids into my house if their parents said it was OK. As long as everyone kept constant contact.

Sure. But by that age I let my kids bike several blocks to friends' houses, walk to and from school and play in our front yard unsupervised. It's nice that there happen to be so many safeguards in place but kids should be able to play outside unsupervised even under less "safe" conditions.

Absolutely!! I grew up this way (LOVE the rule about not going in houses, that was our rule too), and that's the way I'm raising my kids, same rules. All the kids look out for each other, I trust my children will know what to do if something gets hurt (immediately tell a grown up, call 911, whatever is appropriate), stay together, no kid plays alone, be aware of your surroundings, but the second they don't come home as soon as they're called, we're going to have a problem. You've got to instill this in them EARLY, because it's SO important to be trustworthy. The more I trust you, the more freedom you'll get, kiddos!! This not only teaches them about trust, self confidence, and independence, but it gives the parents a breather too :)

Do you realize that we were pretty much all raised to play this way, and if we banded together as parents and made it 'okay' to do this again (since we all survived), that we could give the innocence and freedoms of child hood back to OUR children?! Yay :)

The cul-de-sac my kids play in is not within sight. It is within sight of three different families who have kids playing out there who also know which kid belongs to who. My daughter is up there all the time and I don't worry about her at all. She is also allowed to go into kids homes so long as her bike is left on the front lawn. I am not worried about the people in the house, I don't feel like ringing every doorbell to figure out which house she is in.

Everyone must be home when the street lights come on. These are the same rules my older two had.

Oh, the youngest child in the bike pack as my older daughter calls it, is 4.

At those ages, absolutely. The only issue for me would be to remove access to the sun block and bug spray. If a parent is checking in periodically, that parent can apply the sunblock or bug spray as needed. At that age it will not be done correctly or turn into a game, which can turn into "Oh my eyes!" pretty quickly. ;) Kids need more independence than they are often given.

Well, since that's a lot more controlled than my children's outdoor activities are, then I'd have to say, absolutely!

We live on a cul-de-sac and the kids all run around and up and down the street. (Mine are 12yo and 9 yo)

But we can't ALWAYS see them, and we just wait 10 minutes to see if they show up. They typically play together, so chances of there being something wrong are slim. If we can't find them after about 20 minutes, we'll call out to see where they are. Usually they're just over the hill, playing in the little run-off stream.

Our children are also allowed to go on bike rides and walks through the subdivision, as long as they are with a buddy the same age or older. Our neighborhood has a playground over by the pool, so sometimes they like to go over there to play. We just give them my husband's cell phone in case of emergencies, and so we can call and check on them if we get worried.

Of course, age and maturity are always a factor in determining these things. : )

Absolutely. Yes. Our son (7) plays outside in the culdesac with the other kids. He rides his bike and he is allowed to go to the other kid's houses too (but only the ones that we know the family and are friends with the parents). The other kids come over here to play sometimes too. I will make cookies for everyone occasionally and I have gotten to know ALL the kids very well which is nice. We invited over neighbors one at a time for dinner to get to know them and everyone is great/very nice. Our son knows the rules about talking to strangers...he is to say My mom does not allow me to talk to strangers and run home. He knows not to let someone to get close. He knows not to respond if someone is calling him over for directions or saying they have candy or saying they lost their puppy etc. He knows not to go down to the street our culdesac attaches to. When he is older he will be allowed to ride his bike down to that street which has quite a few of his friends on it...or ride to the park with a friend. But I don't know yet what age that will be. Anyway, it sounds nice and safe to me. Don't you love culdesacs!

Yes, I would.. it is awesome that they are outside so much.. just like the good ole days.

My kids roam free between our house and The three neighbors.

The house across the street and down two have grand kids that live with them...and they have two of the best Easy to climb trees for kids. They spend the whole afternoon sometimes just hanging out in the trees.

Our next door neighbor to the Left of us, is Family to us. My kids LOVE hanging out with Rory that dad. He is one of those guys that can find just about ANYTHING to tinker with out in the garage and my youngest ABSOLUTELY loves hanging out with him.

I I could install speed bumps and a fence that ensured me they were staying up on the grass I would be a happy camper. But I just keep a good ear and a sharp eye on where they are all. And 9 times out of 10 I am out there with them(if they are out front).

Thankfully my house is the house they prefer to just hang out at. We have a Swing set. A little tykes cube with climbing thing and slides and then one of those hexagon jungle gym.

I support free range kids. I love that they feel safe enough in their neighborhood, to roam.

I like that they dont worry...and they leave that to me.

I have found that if you have a good relationship with the neighborhood..and those who reside in it....the more people are willing to ''keep'' and eye out on the kiddos in the neighborhood. So the key to something amazing is just sticking your hand out and saying HI every once and awhile:)

HAHA This is exactly the way we lived in NC. But we had the Jones's, the Smith's, the Martin's, the Frank's, the Carter's, and on and on. At one point there were 37 kids under 12 between 16 houses. (Marine families are very prolific)
My house and K's house were the bandaid houses. T's house was the Koolaid house. M had a trampoline and water slide. B had freezie pops in her outside freezer.
We lived like this for 4 years.

Sounds ideal for those ages. Heck, yes!

When I grew up, all the kids would congregate at the school playground - not a parent in sight - and I think we were about 6 and up. At around 6:00 pm, you'd hear bells, whistles, etc. - parents calling their kids home for dinner. It was pretty idyllic.

I remember there was even a serial killer of kids running around in the nearby city at that time - this was back in the early '70s. Our parents sat us down and read us the riot act about not getting in a car with a stranger, not accepting gifts, walking with a sibling or buddy. I was so flat-out scared about walking anywhere alone that I recall RUNNING over to my best friend's house - I was only 7 at the time. But no one restricted their kids to their houses or yards - sounds crazy, huh? They never solved the case.

Yes, as long as all four kiddos were well-versed in the "rules" and follow them. This sounds very much like our neighborhood and the kids (at that age) are all outside playing until it gets dark every night. My little guy (3.5) is too young to be outside alone, but when the "big kids" invite him to play, we don't hover b/c they are good to him and there is no traffic on our street either.

We literally live on this same street and have kids the same ages! We have 7 houses on the cul de sac and there are 9 kids ages 9-15 that play together. There is one family who if their daughter is playing outside, one of them will sit outside in the yard while she is out. The rest of us parents, just pop out every 15 minutes or so to make sure all is well. The kids will either ride bikes or scooters, chalk draw, play ball or any number of things. We currently rent but hope to find a home an a cul de sac when we do buy. I love that we know all the neighbors and we are the only ones that drive on our street. We feel very safe in our neighborhood and the police dept is on the next street over. So the answer is YES, I would allow the kids to play outside like this... I do it every day! =)

I think it sounds great for their ages! What is the problem?

From what you've laid out, the rules, the kids' ages, the little to no traffic on a cul de sac, etc. YES absolutely. Sounds ideal to me, really.

I think at those ages it is completely ok.. Think it's great that kids can get out and play on their own and become more independent.. Growing up we lived on a dead end street and next to a park, we had free rein for the whole place, there was a big bell that was rung when it was time to check in or time to eat.. We knew that we better get home QUICK if we heard it.. I understand that times of course are different and wouldnt suggest the freedoms we had but I think your situation is ideal..

Sure. It sounds like a well thought out situation. If your kids were 2 and 4, I'd say no. But 8-11, yes.

I would probably allow them to play if they were the kinds of kids who could be trusted to not do really stupid things and to stay in their defined area. When SD was 10, she and her friends on another street would wander between two or three houses and as long as they stayed ON that street, they were alright. Periodically one of the parents would check in and the kids had to be back by a certain time, etc. A cul de sac is a nice little offshoot for kids to play in. I often see kids playing in cul de sacs around here.

Weigh the factors, but then make informed choices based on facts, not fear. You can't be holding their hands when they are going to college.

Absolutely! My kids were always out with their friends on the block. There
were rules and all had fun.

Of course I would. That is actually exactly how I grew up (we had two circles in our cul de sac) and honestly, I am sure that there was rarely an adult physically watching us most of the time. The younger kids on the block (ages 5-8 were also allowed to play with us when we were outside. I think this is the ideal situation and I wish my street today were like this.

I would let my kids play like this. However, if I were one of the two families, I think at least some of the time I would make a point to play outside with the kids, walk beside them when they are riding their bikes, or sit in the front yard, garage or on the front step and read a book or do whatever I'm doing so I can keep a good eye on them.

I'm happy to read the 2 trusted parents so far. I still want to feel that the U.S. is really a safe place for kids to grow up. Geez, I grew up like that in Brooklyn. My parents hardly checked on us. As long as we were playing in each others drive ways or on the sidewalk. I'm so scared to leave the children out to play by themselves. I keep having this notion of fear that my kids are going to get kidnapped, and sold if I dare leave them out alone. I don't want to scare you, because you have such a nice setup in your neighborhood. Yes, they are older, but the question of "what if" would constantly haunt me. If you feel very confident and secure, then all power to you. I think I'd be sitting out on the stoop watching out for them. I could be watching too much CSI, and other crime stories that make me fearful of our world. I like the, "no going to each others homes" rule. I think when my kids get older the same will apply.

Yes, sounds safe and they are old enough not to get into trouble.

We have several BACKYARDS that connect and we do this ... the front yards not as much (we're also on a cul-de-sac; but our kids are 9 and under so big difference).
Although we live in a nice town, there has been a 'creeper' seen in several of the neighborhoods - an older man slowing down when kids get off the bus, asking them if they want a ride, etc. He's even gone down cul- de- sacs. He's approaching kids in the 8-10 YO range.

Even if we didn't have a creeper 8 seems a bit young to be unsupervised but 11 - most definitely. Kids need this today!

We lived on this street, exact same layout, and same rules - our neighbor even had a son and older twin daughters!
Yes, we absolutely let our kids play outside without being constantly attended to. We also had the reassurance of knowing that 7 out of the 9 sets of parents were fingerprinted, background checked and cleared to work in the state with children - we were all affiliated with one or more of the following: schools, churches, police dept, military, and the airlines.

Not only would I let them but I raise my kids the same way. What your doing is great, the kids will learn some self sufficiency and have a blast at the same time. So many important life skills can be learned in an afternoon of unstructured play. I think adults need to butt out more and let kids enjoy life on their own terms sometimes. As long as you lay down the ground rules (which you clearly have) the gift of a little freedom is beautiful.

For me a Definitely YES! it sounds safe and if the kids get along great, they will take care of each other and are at an age they can run and tell if something is wrong. Plus you say that at all times an adult will check on them.
I used to play outside all day long everyday when I was a kid and will try if possible for my kids to have that experience too, (not everyday but whenever possible YES)

Absolutely! I think it's vitally important and something missing from too many kids' lives today. They need to be out there figuring things out, creating, dealing with dust ups between each other and getting some exercise and air!

This should be absolutely fine but this is a new world from the old days. I would let my kids do it with the rules you have though. I am just so happy to read that some kids do still play outside and get exercise and not sit in front of computers, TV's, Wii's, etc. I know the danger of kids being taken is much greater than in my day but I think kids need to learn to be careful, have fun, and get along on their own too. Just check on them often even if they don't know you are checking. I think I would be checking too much maybe.

It's all been thought out and as long as none of the kids are really bad about following directions, I would say yes! They are old enough and will tell on each other!

I babysat an infant at 11 years old. Took a 12 year old out and about yesterday and she was very mature. But, not all kids this age are. So, it would depend on the kids' maturity level with the increased level of responsibility.

Of course, especially with a 9 and 11 yr old. I wish we had this on my block. I remember playing ball in the street when I was little. Not too many cars were parked since everyone was at work. But we had to get out of the street once 5 pm hit since everyone was then coming home from work. When my older kids were younger, say 6 and 7, they were allowed to play in our large yard which is on the corner but could not be out there alone. I also checked on them often and can see the yard from my back porch and bedroom window with the blinds pulled up. Now at 12 they watch my younger daughter while outside but I also check often and have the window open so I can hear them. They have never been able to play in the street though.

I live on a street like this, i have a corner yard that dead ends to a ballpark gate, the only driveways that empty out into this street are mine and my neighbors. Its a very fortunate set up as the ballpark is only open 2 weeks a year. I let my daughter (8) play out there alone, or with friends of a similar age. My 3 year old is still not allowed because i see her going too close to the street, i assume age 5 will be a good age to allow this.

Not for my 6 yo and his friends, but maybe when he is older. idk...right now he and his friends play in the backyard or in the playroom so I haven't had to worry too much of him playing in the streets yet.

Just last year in my area, a regular size 8th grader was riding his bike in a well to do neighborhood and a black pick up truck full of men tried to grab him and pull him in the truck. Miraculously, the 8th grade boy got away THANK THE LORD.

Please don't let any of those points neighborhood features you listed give you a false sense of safety and security.

Because they are ages eight and above.....Sounds perfectly fine to me!

We have kids riding bikes around the neighborhood together starting around 9 years old without adults. The neighborhood pool allows kids 9 and over to enter without adults, as long as they are proficient swimmers. So kids this age hang at the pool together, ride bikes around the large park with a bike path, play basketball on the courts, etc... I'm glad I live across the street from the park, though.

No. I don't let my kids play outside unsupervised (oldest is 7 1/2). I may work in the garage or the yard while they are in the backyard 1-2 houses away. But playing on a road without supervision sounds needlessly dangerous. The rules are fantastic. But kids don't follow rules and they make poor decisions, So the best rules in the world don't substitute parental observation and judgement. It only takes a split second for a kid to make a bad choice. Nothing I have to do is so important that I can't keep an eye out.

Yes, probably year round. Always in sight of their own house though. We caught some kids playing...."Doctor" in the playhouse one evening and decided it was too much temptation for little ones to explore their bodies so they have to stay in sight of the door of the house at all times now.

Yes! This sounds like a dream. We are always complaining that kids don't get to run around and play anymore. Mine are only 5 and 3, but I look forward to the days when we can let them have a little more freedom.

I live on a street similiar to Family Street and it connects to another street similar to Main Street (although no speed bumps to slow down traffic but it is 25 mph). My kids are too young to play outside alone (3 and 5) but at the ages you describe, I think they would be fine to play on the street.

Yes! sounds like an ideal situation for 8 - 10 year old children:).