Risky Play - for all our children, toddlers to adults

Outdoor “risky play” has been identified as one possible antidote to help prevent and manage common health problems such as obesity, anxiety, and behavioural issues.

Risky play is defined by thrilling and exciting forms of free play that involve uncertainty of outcome and a possibility of physical injury. Activities can differ widely based on a child’s developmental stage, past experience, and temperament.

There is a difference between risky play and hazardous play. Risky play involves challenges children can identify and manage based on their abilities, like deciding how high to climb, while hazardous play involves dangers children cannot recognize or control, such as an unstable slide or a rotten tree limb.

Interestingly, quality research has established that children are less likely to be injured while engaging in unstructured activities than when playing an organized sport.

The influence of nature and outdoor play on children’s health shows the positive relationship between physical activity, well-being and lower stress.

Risky play also provides opportunities to develop risk-assessment skills and fundamental movement skills.

Examples of Risky Play that could be included in your weekly homelife are:

Playing at height: Climbing, jumping, balancing at height.
Playing at speed: Bicycling at speed, sliding, running down a slope.
Play involving tools: Supervised use of an axe, saw, knife, hammer, screwdriver or ropes, like building a cubby or whittling.
Play involving potentially dangerous elements: Activities near fire or water.
Rough-and-tumble play: Wrestling, play fighting, fencing with sticks.
Play with risk of disappearing or getting lost: Exploring play spaces, neighbourhoods, or bushland without adult supervision, or with limited supervision for young children.
Play involving impacts: Crashing into something or someone repeatedly for fun.
Vicarious play: Watching other (often older) children engaging in risky play.

Each parent/carer needs to know their child and use a high level of consciousness in the choices that are made for their child but the evidence is clear that play, especially unstructured play that involves some risk, has a huge effect on development outcomes & wellbeing, and it's also fun!

This website has lots of ideas that promote movement  https://activeforlife.com/?s=risky+play

Japanese Visitors

We are looking for families to host Japanese students for two weeks in July/August. See inside for details. It's a wonderful way to meet another culture and make friends.