I wouldn't recommend alone--maybe with a friend? Probably 10.

I'm guessing well into her teens. haha My husband can't even phantom letting our almost 8 yo play on our quiet street in our front yard by herself. We just managed to convince him within the last year to let her play in by herself in our fenced in backyard. And that's only cause covid it and I was like she needs to get out of this house.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7 or 8 for going with a parent, 9 for going with a friend unaccompanied by a parent

This

Wait. So you, as a parent, don't take your six year old to the park because they're not old enough? You have to be 7 or 8 to go with a parent? Am I miss understanding this comment?

PP here, I took my son and Larla to the park when they were 4 - 6 before they started going together unaccompanied when they were 7. So yeah I find this age range weird as well

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7 or 8 for going with a parent, 9 for going with a friend unaccompanied by a parent

This

Wait. So you, as a parent, don't take your six year old to the park because they're not old enough? You have to be 7 or 8 to go with a parent? Am I miss understanding this comment?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO parks are more dangerous than when we were kids because there are fewer kids playing on them (no protection from the herd) and I'm finding drug paraphernalia and condoms at parks now. There used to be nosey little old Karens who'd keep tabs on kids and I feel like that is gone too

Other people shouldn't be responsible for your kids. That's your job. If your kid fell, I wouldn't bother with them nor are they using my phone to call you. I figure if you cannot bother being there you don't care. If it is serious I'll call 911.

WOW - you wouldn't use your phone to call a kid's parents from the park if they fell and injured themselves? WTH is wrong with you? I mean, sheesh, that's just living in a society. If I saw an adult fall and injure themselves in public, I would offer to call a loved one for them.

Anonymous wrote:IMO parks are more dangerous than when we were kids because there are fewer kids playing on them (no protection from the herd) and I'm finding drug paraphernalia and condoms at parks now. There used to be nosey little old Karens who'd keep tabs on kids and I feel like that is gone too

You should teach your 7 year old not to touch trash, and not to touch needles particularly. A dirty condom is gross, but not actually DANGEROUS to an seven year old - what are they, gonna lick it? They're not toddlers.

Anonymous wrote:IMO parks are more dangerous than when we were kids because there are fewer kids playing on them (no protection from the herd) and I'm finding drug paraphernalia and condoms at parks now. There used to be nosey little old Karens who'd keep tabs on kids and I feel like that is gone too

Other people shouldn't be responsible for your kids. That's your job. If your kid fell, I wouldn't bother with them nor are they using my phone to call you. I figure if you cannot bother being there you don't care. If it is serious I'll call 911.

Middle school

Anonymous wrote:7 or 8 for going with a parent, 9 for going with a friend unaccompanied by a parent

This

Depends on your neighborhood too. Mine has gone much more free-range since Covid hit, and younger kids are out by themselves. This summer I let my then seven year-old go out alone: with a Gizmo watch so he could call and I could GPS track him. And we had observed that tons of kids were out. I think suburban parks are more desolate at times.

7 or 8 for going with a parent, 9 for going with a friend unaccompanied by a parent

My 8 year old and her friend go to the park together a lot. I'm not sure I'd let her go all by herself, though. My 11 year old pretty much has free range of the neighborhood.

But as others have said, really depends on the kid.

10 yo son started going to the park with his best friend when they were 7. Though we are lucky, since the park is just up the block from her house (she lives across the street from us). Our son and Larla are always very mature and sensible whenever they go somewhere together and always look out for each other.

IMO parks are more dangerous than when we were kids because there are fewer kids playing on them (no protection from the herd) and I'm finding drug paraphernalia and condoms at parks now. There used to be nosey little old Karens who'd keep tabs on kids and I feel like that is gone too

Op, is your kid meeting someone or are they just going to be playing alone at a park?