It doesn't have to be entirely lackadaisical, but it shouldn't be as bad as it is now where kids must be locked up inside and supervised all the time. We didn't really go all that far from our respective houses until we were around 12 or 13, before that we were usually on our own roads or adjacent streets where the others lived, since we mostly lived in close proximity. Later on we'd go ride a couple miles into town and mess around a bit, but there were usually at least 3 of us together, and we didn't pay much mind to anyone else.