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Risky business
Child care centres taking a different approach |
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Fire pits, power tools, knives, and little people don't mix. Or do they?
Although modern parents and caregivers usually err on the side of caution when it comes to children and risky endeavours, there is a school of thought that risky play does much more good than harm.
To test out this idea, we look at two early childhood providers that have invited risky play into the early learning environment to build safety and risk awareness.
Adamstown Early Learning and Preschool, Newcastle, NSW
With the support of parents, this early learning centre has a philosophy of removing 'cotton wool' from children and encouraging supervised risky play.
The preschool's director Kate Higginbottom said that the centre’s philosophy is based on the research of Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter, which encourages children to:
- Play at great height
- Play at high speeds
- Play with dangerous tools
- Play near dangerous elements like fire and water
- Engage in rough and tumble play
- Experience getting lost and not being watched by adults
And because of this approach, Adamstown Early Learning and Preschool was the perfect place for a University of Newcastle study on risky play.
What did the study involve?
Over a nine-month period, 60 children from the age of six months to five years were exposed to fire, tools (powered and unpowered) and knives.
With careful supervision, gradual increases in risk and safety parameters in place (like keeping a safe distance from fire and putting on shoes), children had some eye-opening experiences. This included kids sitting near open flames and building a cubbyhouse with hammers, hacksaws and power tools. Even babies were exposed to fire, beginning with tea lights on the lunch table and working up to fire pits.
What happened next?
We're pleased to report that instead of increasing the incidence of painful accidents, researchers found that exposure to risky play increased children's confidence and raised their safety and risk awareness.
So, is more risk good for kids?
Associate Professor Linda Newman, who co-conducted the study, says 'yes'. She sees risky play as an important part of childhood, with benefits that flow on into adulthood.
'Things like playing out in the street or climbing trees are often avoided, but these activities can be vital in shaping a child's perception of the world and how they approach risk, ultimately building resilience in adulthood.
By implementing risky play in a secure environment as part of early learning, we can ensure young children feel confident to engage with risk safely under supervision rather than on their own,’ she said.
And Ms Higginbottom agrees, saying that young children need to learn how to cope with risk rather than being wrapped in cotton wool.
'Children need to engage in these risks to know how to manage them. If we problem solve for them, they won't ever learn how to do it themselves,' she said.
Amaze Early Education Centre, Gold Coast, Qld
This is a view shared across the border in Queensland. The new Amaze Early Learning Education Centre has installed a fire pit where children as young as two can cook snags and toast marshmallows. Aimed to teach kids about fire danger and empower them to manage risky situations themselves, parents have greeted the idea with enthusiasm.
Centre director Lucy Cook said, 'We expected critics, but there has not been one. Parents are supporting the backlash against screen time and too much bubble wrap.'
And so is Nature Play Queensland. Program manager Hyahno Moser said, 'Risky play is not only exciting for children, but prepares them for the adult world by teaching them vital life skills.'
The rewards of risk
So, in conclusion, there is plenty of support for the idea that supervised risky play benefits a child’s physical, social and cognitive development by building their:
- Confidence and independence
- Problem-solving and negotiation skills
- Resilience, now and in adulthood
- Safety and risk awareness
- Knowledge and abilities
What do you think? Should children be given more opportunities to climb trees, toast marshmallows and hit the nail on the head?
You can read more from The Sydney Morning Herald and The Courier Mail.
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