06/24/2021
How do you decide whether to allow your child to take risks in play versus keeping them safe at all costs?
In collaboration with , we examine the research on risky play. It can be any type of thrilling free play that involves one the following:
▶️high speed
▶️heights
▶️dangerous tools
▶️being near dangerous elements (fire, water)
▶️rough and tumble play, and/or
▶️play where there is a chance of getting lost (Sandseter, 2007).
We are NOT encouraging you to merely observe while your child dances around a fire pit, but what we are noting is that risky play (within reason) is important for a child’s development and that the desire to engage in risky play has been found in children as young as one (Kleppe, Melhuish, & Sandseter, 2017) ... It’s not super surprising though, right?!
What is surprising is the handy benefits found with risky play. A recent systematic review of risky play found many benefits for children in terms of physical activity, as well as social and emotional development (Brussoni et al., 2015). One study even used the sole engagement in risky play as an intervention (Brussoni, Ishikawa, Brunelle, & Herrington, 2017).
It is important to note that more research is needed on this topic as there is a lack of high quality research on risky play (Brussoni et al., 2015).
How do you feel about encouraging risky play?
💭Want tips for encouraging risky play (within reason)? Swipe right and make sure to follow and .inimind