at what age do you let your child out the back unsupervised?

[Novella]

I was thinking about this the other day too. I sometimes let dd1 outside on her own if I am in the kitchen or on the lounge where I can see her most of the time, I also leave a window open so i can hear her (if its quiet she is normally up to mischief).

Yesterday it was quiet and I called out to her asking what she was doing she yelled back to me 'a poo'. She had done a poo in the dogs dinner bowl .

We have 2 dogs and if dd is outside on her own I put the dogs away. I trust my dogs but Im not sure I can trust my dd not to poke them with a stick or pull their tails and its just not worth the risk IMO. I also move the dogs water bowls round the side where the dogs are as my friends nephew almost drowned in their dogs water bowl and he needed to be rescusitated.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

We have a tiny garden, no steps (save into the house) and a gate to stop DS going to the front garden and the road.

He's been playing out there alone... since he was about one and a half. Although at that point "alone" was I'd leave him outside if I needed the loo. We use the washing line and sheets to make a den, we have a ride-on and some cars as well as some water play; Liebling will be out there for hours if I wanted with minimal contact from me. So yeah, an hour to get housework done broken only by requests for more water, that works very well for me.

As far as I'm concerned, the garden is just another room in the house. I've always treated it as such so it has no special rules, other than you can get things messier in the garden. BUT we have a very small, child-friendly garden.

[LimeSlice]

Charlotte has been playing outside 'by herself' since about 14 months old...the house is fully fenced and gate locked...she loves it! And I get some time to do the dishes without her being surgically attached to my ankle. lol

She is very independent, always has been. She has problems sometimes or trips over and cries, but she would do that if I was there with her anyway - this way she has learnt to pick herself up and dust herself off and takes off after the cat again lol

[LadyRaven]

I wouldn't for ages only because there is two levels of garden and Ry could fall over the edge and steps and we still need to clean up some things the previous owners left up the back corner we've been ignoring and the fence is broken and he could get into the psycho neighbours yard..

If your yard is safe then I'd say its ok, just make sure they can't escape thats when little people go walking and end up in dams or caught out in freezing conditions and end up on the news....

[Lolli]

We've got a pretty small backyard with big glass windws that lead into it. I can sit at the computer and watch ds while he runs around, but I can also keep an eye on the dog (who is great with him, but hey, a dog's a dog and a toddler's a toddler), the dog's water, and ds potentially climbing on the outdoor chairs (not so worrying except our entire backyard is concrete and I worry about him falling off). So he has free rein, but supervised.

We also have a small area that is just outside the back door and gated off. It has a chalk board and outdoor toys, so ds can let himself out there whenever he likes.

And this thread made me feel better- at least my cat isn't the only chased and tormented one

[Tobily]

We've got a very childproof yard - six ft fences, padlocked gates and nothing they can fall off or do major damage to themselves with.

DS is two and a half and he's been playing outside (usually with 4 yo DD) for probably a year now.

I am happy for him to go out on his own but if i know she's not with him I do stick my head out and check on him. But when DD is there, she is just at prime "dobbing" age so he can't even breathe in the wrong direction without her promptly submitting a full report to me

[Bathsheba]

. But when DD is there, she is just at prime "dobbing" age so he can't even breathe in the wrong direction without her promptly submitting a full report to me

LOL yep! my 5yo is the same.... "Muuuuuuum he's dropping toys down the drain again!" "Muuuum, he's squeezing through the fence again!". "He's just done poos on the laaaaawn!!!!"

[Jaycee]

I don't let DS out in the back yard on his own just yet, unless I need to dash to the loo.
I can't see too much of the back yard at all from the house so I usually take the laptop outside and sit and watch him while I'm on BB!
We're about to build a house which will have a fenced off area to the side of the house which will be DS' play area and he can come and go as he pleases!

[Tobily]

"He's just done poos on the laaaaawn!!!!"

haven't had the joy of that one yet but I'm SURE it's coming

[DoubleK]

my DD plays outside on her own all the time. i can see her from all the windows.. and can always hear her! i tend to call outt o her out the windows anyways, even just a 'whatcha doin bub?' and she tells me she is doing... whatever it may be.

at our old place, the back yard was perfect, small, but big enough to play in. there was nohere she could climb up, get out, get stuck etc