Healthy Kids • YMCA Camps and Outdoor Education • YMCA Child Care
Why we need to encourage kids to take risks
01 June 2016 - by Cheryl - YMCA Child Care
With summer quickly approaching, you might expect to see more kids playing outdoors – but they aren’t.
Canadian children received a D- for overall physical activity in ParticipACTION’s 2015 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth with recommendations to give kids more opportunities for unstructured outdoor play.
Spending time outdoors has many benefits but sometimes the risks associated with playing outside may cause parents to limit the time or type of activities their kids participate in.
The term 'risky play' is not attractive to many parents. Risky or adventurous play involves letting your child enjoy the excitement and thrill of an activity that has the risk of physical injury.
Benefits of Risky Play
Risky play has the obvious disadvantage of a child getting hurt, but when it is conducted in the right environment and in the right way, it has the following advantages:
Children require supervision when playing outdoors but an overprotective environment restricts their ability to understand risk and develop skills to help them manage everyday situations effectively. There are many benefits from risky/adventurous play and the lessons children learn from it stay with them well into adulthood.
Looking for a safe outdoor environment where your child can develop their risk management skills this summer? Check out our YMCA Outdoor Education summer programs.
Canadian children received a D- for overall physical activity in ParticipACTION’s 2015 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth with recommendations to give kids more opportunities for unstructured outdoor play.
Spending time outdoors has many benefits but sometimes the risks associated with playing outside may cause parents to limit the time or type of activities their kids participate in.
The term 'risky play' is not attractive to many parents. Risky or adventurous play involves letting your child enjoy the excitement and thrill of an activity that has the risk of physical injury.
Benefits of Risky Play
Risky play has the obvious disadvantage of a child getting hurt, but when it is conducted in the right environment and in the right way, it has the following advantages:
- It allows children to develop problem-solving skills and to exercise their risk assessment skills, which translates into making them better at setting goals and achieving them.
- Children learn the concept of 'cause and effect' through experience and may develop a few bruises to show for it.
- It helps children deal with stress by improving their cognitive, emotional, creativity and social interaction skills – all of which help kids become more mature, independent and self-directed.
- Kids develop their motor skills and improve their understanding of their environment.
- It helps develop resilience, which helps children learn that they can deal with frightening and uncomfortable situations.
- It alleviates anxiety by giving children the thrill of possible danger and the joy of overcoming a fear.
- Children are given the opportunity to test their limits, explore their boundaries, and learn about the consequences (both positive and negative) of risk taking.
Children require supervision when playing outdoors but an overprotective environment restricts their ability to understand risk and develop skills to help them manage everyday situations effectively. There are many benefits from risky/adventurous play and the lessons children learn from it stay with them well into adulthood.
Looking for a safe outdoor environment where your child can develop their risk management skills this summer? Check out our YMCA Outdoor Education summer programs.
