Risky Play - Good for Brains and Bodies
Submitted by Diane Gallagher, Be Fit for Life
We all know kids these days have fewer opportunities for unstructured play than previous generations. With good intentions, our kids are scheduled into a plethora of activities from sports to music to arts to clubs. There’s also a heightened level of caution around keeping kids away from “danger” – whether this refers to people, the environment or situations. At first glance, risky play seems contrary to our desire to keep kids safe and calm, but with the right perspective, this type of play can have a significantly positive impact on their development - physical, mental and emotional.
Risky play is not a new concept but it is an important one that is worth re-visiting. A recent CBC documentary and article brought this idea to the forefront again this past month. Keep in mind that risky play doesn’t mean putting our kids in situations with obvious danger. Mariana Brussoni, a professor at the University of British Columbia who has spent years researching play, says it well: Focus on ‘as safe as necessary’, over ‘as safe as possible’.
Risky Play helps children build:
Self-confidence
Risk-assessment skills
Problem-solving skills
Understanding of cause, effect and consequences
Self-control
Resilience
Gross Motor Skills
Experimenting in unpredictable play situations, without someone telling you what to do, what to watch out for and when to stop teaches so many transferable skills that kids can apply to a host of real-life situations. As they develop more physical confidence, practice making their own decisions and dealing with the outcomes, we see that they cope better with stress and are less likely to suffer from anxiety. It’s still a great idea to have conversations with your kids about dangers we have in our surroundings, but then allow them to play, and give them time and space to explore and experiment.
Outdoor Play is the best place for Risky Play!
Nature provides us with trees to climb, hills to roll or slide down, piles of snow to climb, rocks to throw, logs to balance on, water to play in, parks where we can run far and fast, trails to ride bikes on, places to hide and so much more. Neighbourhood playgrounds have lots to offer too, so take a step back and watch the play that happens when we encourage unstructured, creative play with a little spice!
Sources and references
https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/features/risky-play-for-children-why-we-should-let-kids-go-outside-and-then-get-out
https://buildingbetterbrains.com.au/risky-play/
https://www.buildingbrains.ca/blog/lets-get-moving-with-gross-motor-skills