When Do You Let Your Kids Be in the Front Yard by Themselves?

It depends on how well they follow rules. At 8 and 10, I think you should give them a chance.

When I raised my daughter, we lived in apartment complexes with play areas for children so I didn't have that worry.

When my grandchildren first started playing out front without supervision, probably right around age 7, I would run from window to window watching them! They never knew it, but for a while I did it just so I could see how well, if at all, they minded the rules about staying in the yard and not going into the street. So far, they have all passed with flying colors but I still have a few who are under 7 so a few more tests to give!

I never, ever let my children play in the front yard! You have all the speeders, pedophiles, and just plain crazy people out in candyland.

I don't blame you for your concern. I think the answer has to do with the maturity of the kids. One of mine could have been out in your yard at 6 but the other is 12 and I'd still be worried with him out there!!

Our front yards are very active because of the neighborhood. Yes, it is a major thoroughfare but once the children were 8, 9, 10, they had learned not to go into the street not even to go past a certain place in the yard on the way towards the street.

Of course these were children that were all pretty intelligent and mature. We had NEVER, since they were toddlers ventured towards the street. They played in groups and we were checking on them quite a bit.

We each had known our children since they were born and as a group of parents, we had agreed on the same rules, expectations and respect from each child.

They knew if we saw them breaking any of the rules, they would not be allowed to play out there. And we would speak with the parents if their child broke rules.

We had a fun "Air Pogo" and a "Twizzler" on one of our front trees, because it was the only tree that could hold them high enough.

At that time we did not have sidewalks.. So we had each made a visual marker in our front yards that the children knew not to cross.

I think you can decide based on your child and their maturity and decision making. Where you live. And how often you are able to check on them and how you can view them.. Front door open? All glass front door? Large front windows?

I know there are children waiting at the bus stop in the dark early in the mornings. They are in elementary school. Then they are dropped off in neighborhoods to walk home by themselves. IF they can handle this, I think they can play in their front yards.. again based on their personality, behaviors and the neighborhood.

When I was a nanny, some boys I cared for were busted by their mom for chasing after a ball into the street. She ended the game and called them in. "You're a mean mom" one grumped.
"Better a mean mom of a grumpy kid than the nice mom of a dead kid." she replied. I loved her for that.

Personally, at that age with older kids, I'd still supervise especially if it was a visiting kid--most especially given your circumstances-- only because you don't know *their* sense of safety. I've seen plenty of big kids run out into the street after a ball without looking. (When my sister was 8 her classmate/friend struck by a car and killed that way. My niece was named for that girl.)

ETA: as Elaine implied, it is often less about age and more about the level of maturity they have previously displayed.

We live on the end of a culdesac. We sometimes let the kids play out front without supervision (ages 4 - almost 13). I feel better when my nearly 13 year old step son is out with them. But just this Sunday we allowed our 4, 6.5 & 9 year old out for just a little bit alone. We had been out playing with them, but it was just way too hot and my husband and I went inside to cool off. The rule was nobody was allowed in the street...yard and driveway only. The garage door was up and I went out a few times to check on them. We would not allow our 4 year old out there without knowing someone bigger was keeping an eye on her.

I can't imagine why a kid would want to play in the front yard. None of my kids have ever asked and the oldest is 25 and has lived here since he was four. Well he doesn't live here now, but ya know.

The only time my kids go out front is to hop on their bikes, scooter, feet, and go to a friends house. They have been allowed to do that since they were six, okay the older two were allowed to do that younger but they were more responsible.

Still in the 21 years we have lived here never have any of my four children every played or asked to play in the front yard because all the cool stuff is in back.

somewhere between 4 and 6 - i don't recall exactly

By 8 and 10 they should be out and about with their friends in the neighborhood.

My 9 year old has been in the yard and around the neighborhood for a few years now. My 6 year old and 4 year old hang out in the front yard all the time. Our street is not the main drag but there are cars. They are all taught how to properly cross the road. They are not allowed to cross the road till they can remember everytime to look both ways (age 7 ish for the boys 6 for my DD).

I have seen, Middle School age children... walking home.
By themselves.
Fine.
Lots of kids do that at that age.
But, the kids, COMMONLY are not paying attention to the roads/traffic/cars/speeds nor what is going on around them.
They just cross the street, or bolt across the street to catch up with their friends, and all without looking first, at the oncoming cars or traffic or traffic lights. They don't even pause, before crossing a street.
And meanwhile, the cars are SLAMMING on their breaks, in order to avoid the kid(s) who do this.
Or kids, walking on the street, not on the sidewalks.
They have, no awareness nor common sense nor even look around them. And/or they are talking on their cell phones or looking at their cell phones and/or may have ear buds on, and have NO idea, what is around them.
There have even been, accidents. Because of the careless kids, who are, Middle School, ages.

Age, has nothing to do with the level of awareness or common sense nor maturity. Nor about how careful they are about themselves and their own safety.

If another person's kid, were over at my house to play.... I WOULD be supervising them. Because, that is someone else's kid, in my home.

I assume it's more "fun" in the front yard, pavement, riding toys, bikes, etc (?)
Your kids are old enough to play unsupervised (IMO) but I would worry about speeding cars. I trust my kids, but crazy speeding drivers, not so much. Even if you were sitting right there watching them it's not like you can stand up and stop a speeding car.
Unless.....you....are....a...superhero!!!
LOL, it's a joke :-)
If it's dangerous out front make the back more fun and appealing. Let them dig holes, pitch tents, build a club or tree house, stuff like that.

I let mine play in the front yard unsupervised when I was sure they wouldn't run out into traffic, so at about the age of four. I started letting them walk to and from school alone and go to the playground alone when they were seven, although I did let my younger son go with his older brother when he was five and his brother was eight. We made sure to teach them about crossing the street and personal safety before letting them go on their own and they took a safety class called "I Wanna Walk". Eight and ten seem a little old to require adult supervision to play in the yard.

The neighbors do age 4 or 5. But that scares me. 5 YO goes in the street on bike!
I swear I saw the 2 YO brother out too alone with 4 YO. Right by road!

I think 8-10 is better. But the tweens and teens all play in the street, and that to me is a no no. Honestly the 6 YO's seem safer, the ones not allowed in the road.

My children are 5 and 7. We live in an apartment community so like below, there really isn't a "road" per se. We let the kids play outside with their friends in front of our building without an being right there. We do leave either the window open or the front door open so we can hear what is going on.

I think it totally depends on the busy-ness of the street you live on, the kids in your neighborhood, and the maturity of your kids. Mine are 4 and 5 and are not allowed to play out front without an adult. We live on a blind curve. It's not a through street but it is blind. My 4 yr old just got a bigger bike and isn't fully in control of it yet. We have lived in our house for 6 months and only know 1 neighbor...it isn't a friendly place. :( Some 9 yr old boys have come by to play and one day stayed in our yard for 4 hours. I don't want my kids off with other kids who don't have to check in regularly...not yet anyway.

My son is 9 years old and my daughter is 6 years old and I let them both play in the front and neighbor's houses. They just have to stay in the yard and let me know if they will be leaving and where they are going. I just started this year. Last year they both played in the back or front. I've told them to stay together.

I do let my kids play in the front, that is where they enjoy playing most because all the neighborhood kids are out, they can ride bikes and scooters on the driveway and sidewalks and the basketball hoop is out there. My kids are 10, 8 and 5. That being said, they are NOT allowed to ride their bikes in the road. The other neighbor kids are, and I have watched them almost get run over countless times. My kids are good about following the rules I have set. I ask them to stay in our yard as well so I can see them.

I do sometimes worry though...a 2 year old was run over last week in my neighborhood and died. The driver was pulling into driveway and was distracted by the other kids outside and did not see the 2 year old. She died. I know my kids are much older but it does still concern me that something like that could happen even to older children.