Young girl with long, blonde hair, makes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at the counter in the kitchen. — Staying home alone during the summer months while parents work is a big step for school-age children. Parents need to assess their child’s maturity to determine if the child is ready for this level of responsibility. (Photo by Mitchell Alcala, OSU Agriculture)

Home alone for the summer: Is your child ready?

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Media Contact: Trisha Gedon | Sr. Communications Specialist | 405-744-3625 | [email protected]

Parents considering allowing their child to stay home alone this summer may have visions of “Home Alone” protagonist Kevin McCallister fighting off the Wet Bandits or getting into other mischief. With the end of the school year approaching, it’s crunch time for parents to make summer plans for their children.

There is no magic age for a child to stay home alone during the summer, said Lisa Hamblin, Oklahoma State University Extension family and consumer sciences educator in Oklahoma County.

“A good rule of thumb is age 12, but parents need to look more at maturity,” she said. “Look at their level of maturity, responsibility and independence. Some may be ready at 12 years old, but other children may not. Being home all day is much different than a couple of hours after school or while a parent runs errands.”

Hamblin said signs of maturity include getting themselves up in the morning and ready for school, finishing homework and completing chores with little parental prodding.

Although parents might welcome the thought of no summer child care expenses, it’s important to talk with children to make sure that staying home alone is something they want to do.

“Sometimes, a child may be anxious at the thought of staying home alone while their parents are at work,” she said. “If the anxiety is too much, consider waiting until next summer, or look into alternatives.”

Hamblin offers some suggestions to help prepare a child to stay at home:

Parents should work up to leaving their child home alone all day. Do some test runs during the weekend for a few hours at a time.
Role-play. Go through different scenarios such as someone knocking on the door, a storm rolling in, the electricity going out or the child getting hurt. Have a plan in place for each scenario.
Discuss house rules. Can the child have friends over to play? Is the child allowed to ride their bike to the park, a friend’s house or to the store? Consider a tracking app on the child’s phone to know where they are.
Talk about kitchen safety and what appliances the child can use. Plan meals and snacks that are easy to prepare. A fun weekend activity could be preparing healthy snacks for the weekdays.
Have a list of emergency contacts on the refrigerator. Discuss the different types of emergencies that may arise and what could require a call to a neighbor or 911.

If the older child is responsible for younger siblings, that adds an extra layer to the summer equation. Taking care of younger children requires additional training. County OSU Extension offices or other organizations may offer a babysitting class to teach older children skills needed to look after younger children safely.

"It’s important to find things to help fill up their day. Simple chores such as emptying the dishwasher, taking out the trash and even light housekeeping will give them something to do,” Hamblin said. “Establish rules about how much television and computer time will be allowed. Be sure to have parental controls set on the computer, tablet or phone.”

“Staying home alone definitely depends on the maturity of the child,” said Tracy Stevens, who started letting her daughter stay home in the summer at age 12. “We discussed the house rules and expectations ahead of time, and we felt comfortable with our decision. The skills and confidence she developed staying home by herself for a few summers will help her this summer as she cares for a couple of neighborhood kids.”

Hamblin also suggests checking into what day camps are available in the area. Various organizations host programs for different ages. Also, find out what summer programs are available through the public library or the county OSU Extension office. Most library offerings are free. Coordinate with other parents to share transportation responsibilities.

“Summer care isn’t a one-size-fits-all for every family, and what works for one family may not work for another,” she said. “Talk with your child and involve them in the decision-making process to help make the summer as safe and fun as possible.”