ment lists specific recommendations for dif- ferent target audiences, including encourag- ing teachers to embrace the outdoors for play opportunities more often and in all weather,20 which really applies to all educators who work with children. There are a number of resources to assist
in creating risky play supportive environ- ments. Herrington et al.21 developed the Seven Cs design guidelines for children’s outdoor play spaces, consisting of: (1) character or overall feel of the outdoor space; (2) context or where the space is located in the environment (on a rooftop or in a valley) and how that influ- ences its use; (3) connectivity is the extent to which the play space is unified to help children understand and use the space; (4) change is how the various places within the play space change over time, also whether there are vari- ous sized play spaces to allow for recognition
playing. Niehues et al.18 conducted education sessions with teachers and parents to reframe attitudes toward risk and found that teachers were sometimes more worried about risk taking than parents were. Furthermore, an open discus- sion between parents and teachers helped teachers to exam- ine their own worries regarding risk taking and feel more empowered to encourage risky play. These discussions also allowed parents to better understand their own conception of risk and the importance of risk taking in play. The Play Safety Forum in the UK produced a guide for
play providers to assist in developing an approach that bal- ances the benefits of risky play, along with the possible negative outcomes. This guide, Managing Risk in Play Pro- vision, is intended to replace traditional risk-assessments solely focused on mitigating negative outcomes. The risk- benefit approach has been endorsed by the UK’s Health and Safety Executive, thus sanctioning its use nationally.19 While this document is written in the context of the UK’s legal system, it provides guidelines on how organizations can approach a risk-benefit analysis of play spaces and activities. These include: a clear play policy that sets out the values, understandings, principals and criteria that inform judgments about play; reducing hazards as far as reason- ably practical; conducting a written assessment of the risks associated with the space or activity, as well as the benefits; looking at measures available to reduce the hazards and their effectiveness; the difficulty of application; any side effects and any possible unintended consequences of these measures. While this may seem daunting, their carefully described and systematic approach provides a useful road- map to support risky play. In Canada, this approach is cur- rently being used by Forest Schools Canada and Play Aus- tralia has just released a similar guide promoting a balanced approach to risk management play spaces. As described above in discussing litigation, the Partici-
pACTION report card can be an important tool in promoting risky play. Embedded within the Report Card is the Posi- tion Statement on Outdoor Active Play. This evidence-based document provides an overview of the relevant literature, and resulted from extensive consultation with experts and agencies across a range of disciplines. The Position State-
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of orders of magnitude and spaces for various activities; (5) chance is the ability of children to leave an impression of their environment, for example ‘messy’ areas; (6) clarity is visual mystery created by the play space; and (7) chal- lenge or the risk taking opportunities provided by the play space. While the seventh C is the only one that specifically addresses risky play, integrating various aspects described in this list can help to create opportunities for risk play. The Sydney Playground Project in Australia can also
provide ideas for introducing basic materials to increase risky play opportunities to teachers. In this intervention, materials, such as boxes, cartons and tires, were introduced to existing playgrounds. While these materials have no obvi- ous play value, they were found to promote physical and cooperative play.23
Conclusions Risk was historically used to quantify the odds of an event
happening, but it has evolved to imply danger and nega- tive outcomes.24 While at first blush ‘risky play’ may seem like something to discourage, research indicates its impor- tance for children’s health and development. It is our hope that there is a momentum building in the public and private sphere to swing the pendulum from as safe as possible, or excessive protection, toward a middle-ground that recog- nizes the importance of injury prevention but also children’s need for risk taking in play, through an as safe as necessary approach. Educators in all environments can play a crucial role in supporting children’s access to outdoor play and risky play opportunities and are important allies in these efforts.
Morgan Yates is a Registered Nurse and PhD student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Her re- search focusses on what factors influence parental percep- tions of neighborhood safety, specifically the role of crime, and how parental perceptions of safety influence children’s health. Dr. Mariana Brussoni is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. She investigates child injury prevention, including developmental importance of children’s risky play.
GREEN TEACHER 109
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
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