Rethinking risky play in the early years
Risky play has been an important part of children’s lives for generations. In today’s risk-averse world, there is concern that children could be denied opportunities to learn how to manage risks safely.
Early childhood education lecturers Vikki Hanrahan and Kath Duncan investigate this topic in their article Risky outdoor play in early childhood: Feel the fear and learn from it, published in the latest issue of NZTC’s online ECE journal He Kupu.
Exploring the fundamental role early childhood teachers play as providers of risk-taking opportunities, Vikki and Kath note that teachers often struggle to find the right balance between keeping children safe and allowing them to take managed risks.
“We live in such a risk-averse world in the 21st century. It’s important for teachers to understand the importance of risky play to support children’s holistic development, and to be able to share this knowledge with parents and whānau,” shared Kath.
A former early childhood teacher, team leader, and centre manager, it was Vikki’s experience working in the early childhood sector that inspired her to research the importance of risky play for young children.
“I noticed that sometimes teachers would restrict safe risk-taking opportunities because they were concerned about parents’ beliefs surrounding risk-taking,” Vikki said.
“Teachers have a fundamental role in supporting children to engage in risky play, through ensuring that ample safe opportunities are provided to empower children to take safe risks. Teachers also have a role in supporting whānau to understand the benefits associated with taking risks.”
Vikki and Kath believe that if children are not able to engage in risky play, they may go on to take more dangerous risks later in life as they have not learnt the skills to self-assess and manage risks independently.
“Children who have not been exposed to risk in play may not develop an understanding of how their actions may impact others. Taking risks and failing in a supervised and safe environment provides children with a wealth of learning,” said Kath.