If you have a fenced in backyard....

TriciaChick · August 2011

Do you let your kids play out there by themselves? How old are they? Thank you!

Rebekah1021 · August 2011

DD plays out back by herself. I can see the entire yard from any window in the house. The swing set and trampoline are in plain view.

We let her when she was 3.

MrsOlson · August 2011

I let mine. I started DD#1 at age 3 (she's 5 1/2 now) and DD#2 I let her go out with DD#1 and she is 2 1/2.

amiamish · August 2011

ours is fenced and I let DS1 play out back since he about 3. I go over the rules with him each time before he goes out and he gets 2 warnings then he has to come in. 99% of the time he listens and there's no problems. I also put our dog outside with him, she barks if anyone comes around.

Carol*Brady2 · August 2011

yes, 2, 4 & 6!

jettagurl · August 2011

I let any combination go, as long as B goes (5.3 yrs). Nat can go play by herself (almost 4) and I go with E&G if the older two don't.

I just don't allow Nat out alone with E&G because I don't trust her yet to be cautious with them (like waiting til they get off the slide, or pushing them on a swing before they are ready).

j-w · August 2011

My kids have played out there by themselves since the weather got nice in the spring. They were 2 1/2 and 5 1/2 when that started. Sometimes my almost 3 year old likes to be out there by himself for short periods of time too.

AngelaSue · August 2011

I do, our backyard is away from the road and butts up to our neighbors back yard, you can't see most of our back yard from the street and we live in a town of 170. My kids are 6.5, almost 5 and 2.5. I only let Addie play out there if the two older kids are out there too.

SuperCuteBenz · August 2011

Mine are 3 !/2 and 1.

I don't let DD play out there alone. I can only see the backyard from the kitchen, and she knows how to let herself out of the gate.

I am just not comfortable with it yet. We plan on putting locks on our gates, and then I might let her out by herself.

shopgirl78 · August 2011

Yes.

6, almost 4 and 1.5. If my youngest is out there, usually I am not but I don't mind leaving him out there for a few mins (up to 15) accompanied by his brother and/or sister. However, he hates it when I leave (gah!)

W&J'sMommy · August 2011

yes, 5 and 3 1/2

this is the first summer i've let them and it works out really well.

jettagurl · August 2011

And I second the dog part - they have to take take the dog with them...he's like my mother's helper. Stick out tongue

We also have our gates locked....but more because N would let the dog out!.

GinandTonic · August 2011

We have a fence, but it's not a privacy fence and we live on a busy corner.

They're 6 and 3 and I just let them go out by themselves this summer. ONLY if he's out there - not just her. And I stay on the side of the house where I can see them out a window - I usually open a window so that I can hear, as well.

They usually only stay out by themselves for a short period of time - it's like they can't entertain themselves without me. Or they start fighting...

EastCoastBride · August 2011

Most of the time, I go out w/ DS. He's 2 and 3/4's. I'll let him go by himself for a few minutes here and there - like if I need to make his dinner. I'm not entirely comfortable just letting him stay out there for extended periods w/o me yet. I feel he's a bit too young.

Plus, usually after a few minutes, he wants mama w/ him anyhow.

ghm · August 2011

Sometimes. It depends. We have a privacy fence and the gate is always locked. I don't usually have a reason to send them out without going and sitting on the porch. I'd have to sit by the window to see them. Sometimes I'll take laundry out there or something.

We have lots of snakes and wasps, so I'm not comfortable having them out there for long without being close. I let them in my parent's back yard (fenced in) while I'm in their kitchen.

summerbrideDC · August 2011

Yes, our entire back yard is fenced in & I let DS play out there alone or with his friends. He's 5, but I've let him out there by himself since he was about 4. I won't let him play alone in the front yard or anywhere else, but the backyard is fine.

jlw2505 · August 2011

Not really although this summer we have started letting them be back there more when we are in and out of the house to say BBQ or something like that. I trust my kids but we have a not so great apartment complex a few blocks away and I don't trust the kids that walk between the apartment and the local school park (they sometimes try and cut through our yard). I have let the kids be outside when the next door neighbor girls are out (10 and 8) with them but even then - I am typically close by or in and out and doing yard work. I think 3 and 5 is still a bit to young to be outside alone in my area.

lildevil968 · August 2011

We didn't have a fenced in yard until DD was about 3, so when we bought our house she got to play outside in the yard by herself. DS also goes out by himself with sister, but iam always right there watching them through the window, or the screen door.

kcisthebombdotcom · August 2011

Obviously not yet (LOL), but I probably will wait until they're 5 and 4. That might change as my kids get older though.

firefightersgal · August 2011

DD started playing in our fenced yard alone around the age of three.

Mrs Manners · August 2011

Not yet. Our deck is a stupid deck to nowhere with no steps into our back yard. Once we get steps so he can easily go in/out and I can get to him easily, I probably will. Unless I'm on the deck or in the basement, I can't see him from inside the house because he's a floor or two below. We are getting steps in a few months so he should be able to next summer when he's 4.

Angela814 · August 2011

DD1 yes. DD2 when she learns how to go down the steps on our deck and learns not to try to walk up the slide.

Ciarrai · August 2011

My girls were going out in our fenced yard at 1.5 and 3 and older on their own. We had an acre and a half and big scary-looking dogs. Plus, my kitchen and living room overlooked the backyard and both girls are very timid and cautious so I wasn't worried about them jumping off the top of the slide. Now that we have the pool (even with the safety fence), I don't leave anyone outside by themselves for more than a few minutes. Plus, I don't trust DS for more than a few seconds. He really would try to jump off the top of the slide because he's my daredevil...

hikerbeth · August 2011

Yes. DD is 5.5 and DS is 16 months. I'll check very often when DS is out there (with DD. . . I don't let DS play out there by himself).

UGAbride · August 2011

I do let the boys go out by themselves, unfortunately they usually will not stay very long (so hot). Hoping that will change as the weather gets milder. I will leave the back door cracked so I can hear if someone starts screaming or yelling, but they are both steady on the playset and stairs (not saying they *couldn't* fall, but it wouldn't be because they aren't big enough or good enough climbers). DS #1 is 4.5 and DS #2 is almost 3.

Jermysgirl · August 2011

No way in hell. #1, she's three and IMO that's too young. #2, we have a massive yard, and I wouldn't be able to see her from the windows. #3, we have a pool and she WOULD find a way past the locked gates.

AngelaU1971 · August 2011

Yes, my 4 and 6 year olds can play back there by themselves, but I am checking on them constantly.

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