A new series exploring what happens when children are let loose in the world without parental supervision is to be shown on Channel 5. The two-part series, with a working title of Who Let the Kids Out?, will see groups of children aged nine and 10 faced with “funny, surprising and revealing dilemmas” while their parents watch from a secret location.
The scenarios will be designed to test the initiative, independence, moral compass and problem-solving skills of the children. The parents, with a variety of parenting approaches, will get a chance to predict the responses of their child, while a child behavioural expert will be on standby to interpret the actions of the children and provide some insight into their responses.
Channel 5 said the participating children will be monitored at all times during production. Daniel Pearl, commissioning editor for unscripted at Paramount+ and Channel 5, said: “This is a warm, fun series which takes a closer look at the choices and actions children take when left to their own devices.
“How has their upbringing influenced the choices they make? How will their parents react when they see how their children react to certain situations? Following months of Covid lockdowns and restrictions on outdoor play and play with others, it will be interesting to see how this may have influenced children’s behaviour.”
The series will be produced by entertainment company MGM Alternative UK for Channel 5 and executive produced by Dom Bird and Sarah May.
Bird, senior international television executive at MGM Alternative UK, added: “This series promises to be a hugely entertaining and heartwarming look at how children make decisions when they think their parents aren’t around. At the same time, we’re excited to see how the parents react when they witness their kids’ choices from afar.
“We’ve all wondered what our kids would get up to in certain situations… and now we are about to find out.”
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