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I also think there is an important part of kids exploring and yes, getting hurt, to learn their physical limits and boundaries. I've let my daughter explore and climb and fall and she has cuts and scrapes and has lost her big toe nail 3 times but she has figured things out along the way and I can really trust her not to do anything too crazy. Granted, I know there is a limit to this as I have a guy friend who was a crazy daredevil and always breaking his limbs, and otherwise seriously injuring himself, but for most kids, I think the falling and having consequences is a part of growing and learning.

I agree with PPs though about the running into the street but we also live on a cul de sac and I'd rather teach my child about street safety on a safe street than never expose them and them still be running in the street when we're on a busier street. So yeah, there will be an element of watching and teaching for a while but I think it's better to do it at home where you have more control until he figures stuff out.

@Applesandbananas: everyone pretty much said what I would, but as far as stairs, C is obsessed with them too. I am trying (not always successfully) to teach her which are ok to play on and which ones she needs to wait for mommy and aren't for playing. So at the playground she can go up and down the play structure stairs all day, though I stand there and spot her). But at home she can climb the stairs in our condo but I have to be with her and she can't stop and dawdle. (This is easier to enforce since they are in the common area, not in our condo, so she can't access them without me!). At my parents house she can climb their stairs but she has to wait for me to come help her. She follows these rules at least half the time so it's progress.

For scraped up knees I would often make her go out in jeans so she at least had some barrier/protection.

R was walking on our front retaining wall like a balance beam cause our neighbor's 4 yr old was. It pretty wide stones but she still fell. I ran and jumped down and picked her up and she was fine. Cause of course she fell at the highest part. Our yard has a big slant. Luckily she fell between the wall and hydrangea bushes. So she didn't cut herself on the bushes since they were all sticks since it was winter. But you know 3 mins later she was trying to do it again. But I think it was good she wasn't so scared to try it again. Now she is definitely more careful so she doesn't fall again but she is so happy when she can walk the whole thing. Kids are going to fall. Just like us they have to learn from their mistakes.

Yeah I'm one of those that lets the kiddo get hurt to learn boundaries and such. When he first came home I kept telling him to stop standing on the couch because I thought he would fall off and hit his head on the coffee table. And about the 900th time, that's exactly what happened. And guess who never stood on the couch after that?

We're in the city so we don't have a grassy backyard or closed in safe space so I just have to not worry and let him be a kid!

Do you feel like the outside is genuinely more dangerous than the inside? To me it seems like there are plenty of ways my kid can hurt himself indoors (jumping off the couch, grabbing a knife off the counter while we cook dinner (please tell me this has happened to someone else!)). I think toddlers somehow immediately gravitate to things that are dangerous. But after they've been in a place for a while, those things (the road, the stairs) just become part of the background after a while.

In the long run, there are so many benefits to being outside. Kids tend to be calmer, less over stimulated and more engaged. They can practice gross motor skills. They learn about nature, are exposed to good bacteria, are less likely to develop allergies and more likely to develop good eyesight. It's better air quality. To me, it's one of the most important things we do in our family, and we aim to go outside every day. Although yesterday it snowed, so we didn't!
And one big benefit is they can't get the house messy when they are outside!

Would more directed activities help? Going on walks, riding a balance bike, planting in a garden? Or eating snack outside?

The other day my LO was playing outside with some friends. They kept running up a "hill" (a mound a tree was planted in) and falling down it on purpose (it was raining). My LO ran up to me and said, "I'm gonna fall down and get another owie!" and then ran back, as excited as can be. Kids don't really seem to mind bumps and scrapes. As a kid, I certainly didn't - I thought they were badges of honor! Your LO will be okay.