It is a parenting issue. I raise my kids to be very independent and I am not a fearful parent, but I am a careful one. We live in a very safe neighborhood. Yet I would never let a 6yr old "free range" alone. I wouldn't let my 10yr old off alone. I would let my 10yr old and 8yr old walk together to a specific location. It does not have to do with the intelligence of the child but the circumstances and people they may encounter. A child can take a chance on the monkey bars and if no one is around, not be able to get help. Child predators love "safe" places. The place is probably safe because parents watch their children and they are looking for the one who doesn't. That is the reality of the world we live in. Letting a 6yr old wander off your property alone might have you end up with a visit from child services.
