The Importance of Children’s Risky Play
“As safe as necessary” versus “as safe as possible”: what the research tells us By Morgan Yates and Mariana Brussoni I
T IS A COMMON STORY. A gaggle of children are outside laughing, jumping, and generally running around. Then someone starts a new game or activity
that just seems a bit too dangerous …. or is it? The children seem to be having such a good time. So should you let them continue or should you stop the new activity for being too risky? How do you determine if it is too risky? Risky play is defined as exhilarating or exciting play
where there is a possibility of physical injury. Sandseter1 outlines six different kinds of risky play: speed (e.g., run- ning fast), height (e.g., climbing a tree), with tools (e.g., knives, ropes), elements (e.g., water, fire), rough-and-tumble (e.g., play fighting), and disappearing or getting lost (e.g., independent exploration). Risky play can sound like scary
and dangerous play and, as with any type of physical activ- ity, there is the possibility of injury. However, serious inju- ries are rare and risky play is typically a safe activity.2 Injuries are one of the leading causes of death for chil-
dren in developed nations so there is good reason for con- cern. However, injury-related deaths typically do not result from children’s risky play, but rather motor vehicle crashes, suicides, and poisoning. Furthermore, several researchers, teachers and public health practitioners suggest that efforts to keep children as safe as possible have resulted in con- straining children’s play and limiting opportunities to be challenged to such an extent that it could be having negative impacts on their health and development. Increasingly, rec- ommendations are being made to shift from keeping chil- dren as safe as possible, to as safe as necessary. We have a tendency to consider risk as synonymous with hazard, but these words have very different meanings. The
GREEN TEACHER 109 Page 3
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
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