Playing Outside - Saint Charles,IL

If I am cooking dinner, then I let my kids play outside without me. The kitchen windows look directly out to the back yard, I open a window so I can hear everything, and I have a really big dog that could be scary to someone that isn't supposed to be around. They cannot swim (in the baby pool) without me outside or jump on the trampoline. My kids are 2 and 4.5. I do not leave the kitchen with them outside.

Is your backyard fenced?! Mine is, so I have no problem letting my kids in the backyard without me there. I have two boys ages 5 and 8. They have been playing out there without me for almost 3 years. Sometimes I go out and do yard work while they are playing, sometimes I go out if they have friends over (referee!), and sometimes they are just having a hard time getting along so I go out there. Most of the time though, I am doing laundry, making dinner, cleaning...whatever, and they are playing.
Why would you feel the need to sit outside with your 8 and 9 year old? The ONLY time I could see that being a need is if there is no fence. I mean, would you sit in your child's room while they are playing? Not me!
L.

Well, I'm not going to judge other people for their honest responses. It totally depends on what you are comfortable with. We have a tall privacy fence and a German Shepherd. I can see the the back yard from my kitchen. That being said, once in awhile I do let my boys (5 and 3) play out there together without constant supervision. I check on them and have all the windows open and the back patio door. Our house is set back pretty far from the street and I can hear everything that goes on. This was the first summer that I let them do that. In truth, most of the time, my husband is out there with them while I'm cooking dinner or whatever.

I think a lot of it depends (as others have said) on several things: Your yard, access to busy streets, the child, the neighborhood (although crimes happen everywhere).
I think my son first started going in the back yard at around 4-5, but if I'm in the kitchen I can see him from the windows. He's a cautious kid by nature and I highly doubt he'd ever wander off.

Mom, I think it depends on where you live, how safe the area is, how responsible your kids are, if they know what to do is a stranger approaches them, is the yard fenced in, do you live on or adjacent to a busy street etc. I didnt let our daughter play outside alone util she was 10 and with a friend about age 9 and we live in a nice, safe area, just my opinion. I am overly cautious, but I just think there are too many creepers in thw world now a days who want to harm children. In your state you may be able to check online at no cost to see how many registered sex offenders are within a 5 miles radius of your home. Do so if you can and you will see why I was so cautious. Hope this helps.

It depends on the child and where you live. We have a quiet street and a privacy fence, and I let my 9 year old play back there with my 3 year old but I check on them all the time. I wouldn't let my little one go out there by herself yet though. Maybe in a year or so.

I guess it depends on where you live and if there is a psychofreak next door. My 12 year old didn't go outside alone without someone on the block aware as we llived next to a 24 year old unemployed, loser in NC. Neither did her friends, so one of the moms was always "on". Then I have lived on bases where we let our kids roam pretty much free until dark at age 8 or 9ish.
We now live in an area where the kids have boundaries and I do not feel the need to be outside alll the time, we also have 13 acres.

I think it depends on your neighborhood and the comfort level of your children. At our previous home my 4 year old played in the back while I did a few things inside. (Not while I sat around watching tv) I always stayed close to a window and checked on her often. And she was only allowed to do certain things while I was not out there. Some toys/activities had to wait til I came out. My 9 year old played out front if she was with a group but not by herself. I always went out with her when she was alone- and that is how she liked it too. Do what you feel comfortable with. If you do decide to allow the backyard play- make sure your gate has a lock!

I have a fenced yard and big dog, BUT, i do not let my kids out there without me ever. They are 2.5 and 5. Im not sure when i would let them out by themselves. Maybe never. I cant see the back yard from inside, so im always out there with them. It may seem safe if you have a fence and dog, but a woman at my sons karate class was telling another mom how she went inside for a minute and her 8 year old was outside, in the fenced yard with a 110lb dog, and when she came out, there was a man on a bike telling her daughter to come over by him. And we live in a "nice area". It doesnt matter. Id rather be safe than sorry. Your back yard IS NOT like your kids bedroom, as someone suggested. Ridiculous. You never know who is around or if there are sex offenders near by. You just dont know. My kids safety is not something i take any chances with. I dont scare them about it, but i do my part to watch over them.

We have a very well-fenced open back yard (meaning I can see most of the whole thing except for an area near the playset). I let my 4 year old out there by himself, but only when I'm in the kitchen so I can step out on our deck and check on him every few minutes. By the time he's 8 or 9 -he'll be out by himself! I won't let my 2 year old out unless I'm out there. I think by the time they're 4 and 6 -they'll be fine without me constantly checking on them. They can't open the gate -it's huge and only opens electronically, and the sides of the fence are too high with no traction for them to scale. I think it depends on where you live -what kind of neighborhood or area; if you're near any water they could conceivably reach -even if you think it's unlikely; if you have a fence and how easy it would be to climb it or jump over it -that sort of thing.

In St. Charles, IL I would say any age when you are ready. I know that area well.
My 2 and 4-year-old play in our yard alone. I can see from the kitchen.