Hellobee Boards Topic: When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?

Hellobee Boards Topic: When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone? https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 12 May 2026 09:14:05 +0000 JerricaBenton on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1231972 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 10:09:49 +0000 JerricaBenton 1231972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think for us it'll depend on LO's personality/behavior. We live really close to the elementary school, which has a nice playground. I couldn't let her walk there alone until I knew for sure that she understood dealing with strangers and I felt like she was quick thinking enough etc. So if she is mature, maybe 10. If she's less mature, maybe not until even older. mjane on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1231939 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 10:00:50 +0000 mjane 1231939@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @lindseykaye: I completely agree about feeling torn! Last Child in the Woods (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Last-Child-Woods-Children-Nature-Deficit/dp/156512605X" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Last-Child-Woods-Children-Nature-Deficit/dp/156512605X</a>) is a really interesting read on this topic. junebugmama on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1231152 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 21:29:44 +0000 junebugmama 1231152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Totally depends on the kid. Our 6 year old plays outside in our neighborhood with a few other kids unsupervised. He follows the rules and understands his boundaries. He also checks in (without being asked) quite often and will always come back in if other kids get called in. When he was 18 months I could leave him sitting on the couch while I took a quick shower and he wouldn't move. My 18 mo now, I would never leave like that. He would burn the house down. So he can probably be unsupervised outside when he goes to college. oliviaoblivia on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1231078 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 20:58:27 +0000 oliviaoblivia 1231078@https://boards.hellobee.com/ 13 maybe. We live downtown. The neighborhood is really nice but our park backs onto a ravine and I once encountered a naked guy in the woods at lunch. Apparently it's a popular cruising spot. Not totally comfortable with my daughter hanging out without supervision there. mrs.shinerbock on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1231070 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 20:52:16 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 1231070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ It would totally depend on the kid and how responsible/comfortable they are with it. Our house backs up to a elementary school with a playground, so I would probably consider them walking to school at some point during kindergarten or 1st grade. Our neighborhood park is about 1/2 mile away, so maybe around 7. The world is only a different place in that we are surrounded by media and we hear about things more - and you would be judged harshly for "endangering" your child by allowing them to have some independence. The rate of abductions and crimes against children is actually lower now than it was 30 years ago. Andrea on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1230886 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 18:41:18 +0000 Andrea 1230886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ No idea. I have never seen kids on their own at the playground so I feel like I have no point of reference. The world is a different place nowadays! Mrs. Jacks on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1230878 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 18:35:50 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1230878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think it would depend on the kid. I remember walking home from school alone at age 4. What the hell were they thinking back then ?! This was on a busy street that busses went down. I remember how scared I was of them. shinymama on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1230843 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 18:10:16 +0000 shinymama 1230843@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I finally let my son play around our neighborhood with his friends, unsupervised, last year {at 10} and we live in a small community that's off a street that only residents enter. Our deal was that he would have to periodically check in or ride/run by so I could see him. To get to our park he would have to cross a major-major street, so that probably won't happen until he's old enough to drive there. :wink: T-Mom on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1230682 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 16:53:50 +0000 T-Mom 1230682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think mayyyybe 8. My DD is 5 and there is no way I would now, and not even when she is 6 or 7. Whenever the age I would feel comfortable sending her to bike to school on her own would be. Probably more like 9 or 10, haha. lindseykaye on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1230674 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 16:50:13 +0000 lindseykaye 1230674@https://boards.hellobee.com/ It's a tough one! I struggle with this idea in general like many of you. I think somewhere in the 8 year old range will be when I feel comfortable (depending on her maturity level and her friends). @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I like your requirements of being able to tell time, demonstrate responsibility, etc. I will probably add that I want her to know her full address and phone number by heart before I let her explore the neighborhood alone or with a group. @SugarplumsMom: A school in the forest? That sounds magical! I know I explored wooded lots and undeveloped areas in my neighborhood growing up and it was such an amazing part of my childhood. I have a lot of awesome memories of really imaginative play turning a stack of rocks into a "kitchen" or pretending that the small stream of the overflow ditch was a river we had to cross in order to find our way home as "lost children"! I really want LO to have those opportunities, too. But I'm so conflicted when I think of her safety. mrs. tictactoe on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1230527 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 15:54:47 +0000 mrs. tictactoe 1230527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I have a 12 year old brother and I don't think he has ever been anywhere alone. He wouldn't be comfortable with it, though. He's that kind of kid. He hates being home alone and rarely is. I'm not really sure how I feel about this, though. Part of me thinks I would like Liam to ride his bike to school, but part of me is nervous about it. Luckily I have a long time to decide! LuLu Mom on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1230513 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 15:47:40 +0000 LuLu Mom 1230513@https://boards.hellobee.com/ In our current city, never. When we move, she can go when she's around 8. It's a town of 300, kids play in the park by themselves all the time & my cousins' house backs it so she has a safe place to go if she needs it. Boheme on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1230505 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 15:45:06 +0000 Boheme 1230505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ In the city we live in? Never. Honeybee on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1230502 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 15:43:38 +0000 Honeybee 1230502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ We live right across the street from a park, and I think I'd be ok with the kids going there in a group at maybe 8-9? I can see the park from my front porch, so if I was in the front yard doing watching, I might be ok with them playing across the street at 6-7. Cole on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229926 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 13:07:23 +0000 Cole 1229926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ At 9.5 the twins I nannied for were allowed to go to the elementary school at the end of the block with friends- so there was always a group. They only needed to cross one small side street. From my house you have to go a little farther so it might not be until 10.5 or so and always with friends in the beginning. It is probably a bit young for many communities but it is a safe small community, I always know someone at the park and police drive by hourly. SweetMamaM on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229925 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 13:07:22 +0000 SweetMamaM 1229925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ With a friend? Probably around the age of seven. Alone, I'd be thinking slightly older, maybe 9 or so? I was a lot younger than that but we lived down a dead end street and knew so many of our neighbours, including three of the six houses that bordered the park. Mrs. Lemon-Lime on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229920 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 13:05:48 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1229920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Completely alone or with a friend but no adult supervision? Eight sounds about right. The child would have to know how to tell time and be trustworthy to stay at the park. mediagirl on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229918 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 13:04:55 +0000 mediagirl 1229918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ We live 2 houses from the park. I wouldn't feel comfortable with a 6 year old going there alone but maybe an 8 year old? Even at 8, I think I would want to know there is some parent out there...Ay yi yi, I have no idea. SugarplumsMom on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229874 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:56:58 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1229874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I'm not sure. DH says 8 is too old and it would be abuse. Lol. Maybe 6 if she's with other neighborhood kids and only to the playground nearby. To the forest and nearby lake, maybe older. Idk, her school is within that forest and they play outside in it, so I'm she'll be really familiar with it ... but I'd still want to be with her near water. I guess we'll gauge it in a few years. Bao on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229842 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:51:20 +0000 Bao 1229842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Oh man, the way the world is these days, not for a long time! When I was younger I would ride my bike all over the neighborhood alone at 5 years old! Now...there is no way I would let my kids do that. Maybe at 10 years old with a large group of friends if the park were very close. looch on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229838 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:49:58 +0000 looch 1229838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yes. We picked our house's location based on the fact that the street is one where my son can walk to the elementary school without crossing a major road. I can stand on my front lawn and watch him walk down the street to the school, which has a nice playground. I imagine that around age 8 or so, I will allow him to go there with a group of friends. Freckles on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229827 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:48:04 +0000 Freckles 1229827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I walked to school with my sister when i was 7 (she was 5), and i'm pretty sure we started going to the playground before heading home when i was 8. I would probably be comfortable at the age of 9/10, as long as she was with a group of friends. Things have changed, so i'm not sure if that's cool anymore! regberadaisy on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229821 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:47:20 +0000 regberadaisy 1229821@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Not for a long long time BabyMats on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229796 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:42:07 +0000 BabyMats 1229796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ we used to bike and walk to this park in elementary too. when I think about it now that park was kind of scary because I was a brand new park that was on the edge of a forest and we would walk through the forest like it was the thing to do. today? not a chance would I walk through it myself! I don't know if I would let Lo go to the park by himself with friends until he was in intermediate school. and by that age what is he doing at the park? oy vey I have to think about this one some more :wink: lindseykaye on "When would you allow your LO to go to a neighborhood park alone?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-would-you-allow-your-lo-to-go-to-a-neighborhood-park-alone#post-1229747 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:30:58 +0000 lindseykaye 1229747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ The thread about living close to a park got me thinking... If this is the case for you, at what age would you feel comfortable allowing your child to walk/bike to and play at a park or playground alone or with friends? I remember being able to bike and walk all around our (non-gated) neighborhood all the time in elementary school, though I don't know how young it was when this started. There was a church nearby with a playground where my friends and I would go during non-church hours. I'm pretty sure I was never once supervised during these play adventures! We live a few blocks from our neighborhood park - and I'm not sure when I will feel comfortable with my daughter going to the park to play without me...