Kids101: Is Playing outside unsupervised safe?

Nowadays, with more and more children involved in accidents and traumatic injuries or life-threatening incidents, parents are wondering if is it safe to let the kids play outside without supervision.

Even authorities are worried of children doing unsupervised outdoor plays, as posted by a parent in a parenting blog, that cops are now saying that it is illegal for kids to play outside, unsupervised.

However, according to a study conducted at UCL led by Professor Roger Mackett of UCL's Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, youngsters who are allowed to leave the house without adult supervision are more active and are enjoying a richer social life than those who are constantly supervised. The study was participated in by 330 pupils from two schools in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, all aged between 8 and 11. The children were tasked to complete questionnaires and keep travel diaries. The children had also had their movements logged using GPS monitors and they wore portable motion sensors to measure their speed of travel, changes in direction, and the number of 'activity calories' they consumed. ('Activity calories' are those burnt during activities, rather than those used to maintain core bodily functions.)

Professor Mackett further explained that because fears over road safety and 'stranger danger' need to be balanced against the elevated levels of childhood obesity and poor health. Allowing a kid out to play is one of the best parenting advices a parent can follow for their child's physical health and personal development. He further says that though letting children leave the house without an accompanying adult supervision has significant benefits, there is a need to design and build environments that children will feel comfortable in and that parents would feel confident to let them on their own. Health benefits may be clear, but without a positive practical parenting action, there is a danger of losing the less tangible benefits of increased independence, self-reliance, and general 'growing up'.

Though these are good parenting tips, many parents are still questioning the safety of children playing outside unsupervised.
So let Parenting Blog help you resolve this dilemma and answer the following questions:
What Are The Risks If You Let Your Kids Play Outside?

The most obvious risks that children face nowadays are accidents, injuries, and kidnapping. Children may also be prone to getting “wild” or doing wild behaviors which is a very big parenting conce
for it might make them prone to experience the aforementioned risks.

If They Play Outside And You Cannot Tend To Them What You Should Do?
Because we, as good parents, definitely want our kids to be active and self-reliant but are fearful of accidents and dangers that come with unsupervised outdoor play, the best thing to do is to let them do more structured activities. This means letting them play outdoors like in the park, in your backyard. or in a playground. Though they are outside, their play activities are limited to a particular location, lessening the risks of injuries and accidents.

Is it still safe playing outside even if you live in a quite court?
It all depends on the things that are found in the court. If there are objects or structures that are accident-prone, or the kids themselves are too “wild” that will get into any risky outdoor play, then a quite court could still be unsafe.
No matter the environment, kids playing, whether indoors or outdoors, or supervised or unsupervised, still entail danger. The only sure thing is we always must be ready to do our best parenting and hope that it would be right for our children's futures.