When playing in a forest kindergarten or outdoor learning environment, children are almost inevitably given the opportunity to take risks - be it crossing a stream, climbing a tree, using a saw, or playing a rough and tumble game of tag. Research shows that the benefits of properly managed risky play in childhood are enormous. Joan Almon, in Adventure: The Value of Risk in Children’s Play, highlights the importance of risk in the development of resilience, creativity, problem-solving, emotional regulation and management of emotions, and self-confidence (Almon, 2013). And of course on top of this we have to consider the sheer joy and exhilaration that a child feels walking across a log or inventing an adventure-filled game with friends at the forest’s edge. Children need and deserve this kind of play.
In Adventures in Risky Play: What is Your Yes?, Rusty Keeler talks about the importance of children being able to confront risk on their own terms, rather than under the direction and protection of an adult. He invites parents to consider the edge they have around risky play, and to push their boundaries for the benefit of their children.
Here in forest school, we are here to help parents along in this process by creating safe opportunities for your children to engage in risk. By mitigating any hazard that could make risky play, or any play for that matter, truly dangerous, we invite the children to push their limits and thrill their senses while also learning to venture forth safely and with care into the wild. There are countless ways in which we create safe situations - from daily education to risk/benefit analysis to hazard removal to teacher training. But, one of our favorite ways to promote safety is by inviting the children to embrace the qualities of local animals who navigate risk every day with skill and brilliance. Below is a link to the materials we use to teach the children about using their senses skillfully through the study of animals. Of course, the key phrases we use are in Spanish, and the children will hear them as cues throughout the day as reminders to play with joy and abandon, but also with attention and wisdom.
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References
Almon, J. (2013). Adventure: The value of risk in children's play. Alliance For Childhood.
Keeler, R. (2020). Adventures in risky play: What is your yes? Exchange Press.
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