Benefits of risk and challenge – specifically the role the practitioner plays.

In order to ensure we are keeping the children safe within their play environments “standards suggests carrying out risk assessments in order to identify hazards inside and outside” (Macleod-Brudenell, 2008, p253). These risk assessments help to minimize the risk of danger or harm to children however when minimising and measuring these risks it is important to consider that “safety considerations also need to be balanced with children's needs for play, learning and fun in the playground” (Risk and Challenge in Playgrounds, 2008), meaning they have the right to risky play.

When providing play opportunities for risky play we as practitioner are allowing children to “assess risk, problem solve, communicate, collaborate and get along with others” (Risk and Challenge in Playgrounds, 2008), all key factors of promoting healthy development.

Play Safety by Play England (2008) claimed that “It is the job of all those responsible for children at play to assess and manage the level of risk, so that children are given the chance to stretch themselves, test and develop their abilities without exposing them to unacceptable risks.” (Play Safety by Play England, 2008, p02)

It takes great observation and engagement from the practitioner within the setting to allow children the confidence to take themselves out of what may be their secure comfort zone. This is why it is important for the practitioners to show personal confidence and participation in all activities and environments. Vygotsky’s (1978) social cultural theory supports the importance of the practitioner when it comes to helping children to learn new concepts such as managing risk or problem solving. He explains how children will use their peers and surrounding adults as a provider or knowledge to feed off. They do this through his theory of the Zone of Proximal Distance (ZPD). The ZPD is the “distance between the actual developmental level and the level of potential development where the adult guidance helps the individual solves the problem and succeeds to the next level of learning” (Vygotsky, 1978). This means that the knowledge and learning that each individual child will develop is due to the knowledge in which their surrounding adults provide them with. If the adult or practitioner is not engaged and supportive of a child when experiencing risk and challenge they will not be able to develop a clear understanding of how to manage their risks and cope with the challenges they may face.

On the other hand it is important to consider that an adult can still be supervising a situation or activity even if they are stood at a distance. A study was carried out on a group of children in Cardiff while they were engaging in a forest school activity. The study found that “children were adept at policing themselves and were more likely to learn from the environment around them if permitted to play without too much adult interference” (Velmans, 2012). This gave them the opportunities to discuss the situations between themselves and manage their own risks. The dangers were still kept minimal and was “managed through discussion with the children and the nurturing of positive self-regulation” (Velmans, 2012). Also the adults were all “available to loosely monitor the children, aware of where they were and wandering occasionally to find and talk to them” (Velmans, 2012). This kind of supervision had a noticeably positive impact on the children’s development because “the option to make their own decisions allowed them to follow their own interests and therefore become more engaged in their learning experiences” (Velmans, 2012). This mean the children learnt valuable skills for engaging in personal learning.

The supervision of adults when engaging in outdoor, natural play that may be risky is paramount. However there is an added value to sharing your knowledge as an adult with the children through discussion and then taking a step back and allowing the children to problem solve themselves. When doing so, be sure to make yourself available to the children’s queries at all times as this will provoke self-esteem and the ability to self-regulation.  

Oriinal post by Sophie