How young is too young to go to the mall by yourself?

[Miranda_]

Some shops also have a "no kids under 16" rule; it's to discourage kids from bunking off school and hanging out at the mall.

[PruneBlossom]

I don't know how young is too young to go to the mall alone, but I think 17 is the good age to go to the mall alone.

[Miranda_]

How so? At my local mall, I see groups of fourteen to fifteen year olds hanging out; and they generally are behaving themselves. I really doubt that anyone is going to get snatched up from a group at that age, even if it wasn't a rare occurance, which it is. It's the kids of ten and under who are allowed to roam the mall alone who are causing the trouble, as well as being made open to the stuff I mentioned earlier. A lot of stupid parents do this; they dump the kids at the mall while they shop.

[delly1]

eleven is way to young to go to the mall alone. When I was eleven I didn't even have a job and the money I did have could barely by a beverage at the nearest corner store... Theres no point going alone at that age because your only going to be getting into trouble of some sort. I think 14/15 is appropriate. Although at age 13 I went to the malls on my own.Where I live our "malls" are outdoors kinda like a shopping strip so its a we bit more dangerous.I had to grow up quickly because my mom was ill so I had to assist her in grocery shopping while my father was at work .

[Cheshire1996]

14 was it for me, i was a very dreamy child, I was rarely focused on what was happening around me, the sort of person that rams into poles and bushes and doesn't actually realize for about 10 seconds
If I was alone at the mall at the age of 11 it would have caused utter chaos for my parents.