Risky play

Risky play

by: Lydia Lawton - 29-06-12 16:56

Getting ideas together for my literature review (BA Hons Early Years) and focussing on risky play within childcare.

I can only find articles that are positive towards risky play...anyone any knowledge of articles that are more biased towards staying safe??

Also, what are your views as a practitoner about risky play in the under 5's....how practical is this type of play in your setting? What are parents' views, if they have expressed any previously? Is anyone afraid of risky play due to being personally held responsible for accidents?

All views welcome please, I find this so interesting!

Lydia

by: whmon

Sorry but as an owner I am personally unimpressed with the idea of risky play. OFSTED may well say yes, but Insurance and Media say no.

RE: RE: Risky play - 01-07-12 10:33

by: Lydia Lawton

thanks for your honesty whmon.

by: purepurple

I've just doen this very subject for my dissertation and found it fascinating. I didn't find any articles like the ones you are after. I just compared the Uk's approach to other countries like Norway, Demnark etc where risky play is more socially aceptable.

by: Janet

Hi Lydia

I read this and thought you might find if interesting. I like what it says about children taking responsibility. It also has links to some over the top playground rules.

http://rethinkingchildhood.com/2012/06/28/kidshealth-parents/#more-1941

by: Lydia Lawton

Janet...thank you so much for this link!!! From it I have watched an hour's RSA lecture from Tim Gill and picked up on other links too!!  I get do sidetracked by what I find interesting though that sometimes I have to stop myself looking deeper and just get on with writing the essay!!

by: Jam

Don't children have to take risks to learn about life. As long as children are supervised during more risky activities then where are the problems. I work with someone who won't let the two year olds on the wooden climbing frame in case they fall off, so how do these children learn, certainly not in soft play areas!

RE: RE: Risky play - 01-07-12 18:33

by: Lydia Lawton

Similar to where I work Jam...they won't use the "block slide" with steps on one side and scrambling area on the other as, apparently, they need 3 staff to supervise this 1 activity.....

Been reading about Norwegian pre-schools where children play in the woods, climb trees and jump of swings at speed. Not to mention the whittling knives!

by: Jam

To be honest if i was younger and didn't have family commitments in this country i think I'd move to Norway so i could experience these schools first hand, because they sound fanatasic. I sometimes think that alot of children over here have know idea what real play is like!

by: BH

I didnt do my dissertation on this subject but my friend did. Her supervisor told her that it could be a little difficult to find articles against risky play because of the hype about it at the present time, but she did encourage her to take a look at the history part of staying safe compared to now i.e in the past young children played freely outdoors often away from their home environment all hours in trees ditches etc but it is rare to see them on the streets alone now because of what we are more aware of (bad people!) I split my lit review into three sections and i know many people who did the same and even though we all did different topics several people used one section to discuss the history around their topic. Hope it helps and good luck!

by: messy jessie

It would be interesting to find out what the consequence of wrapping our children in cotton wool has had on the children and young adults of the day. Are they less able to problem solve? Are they afraid to take risks in their learning? Are they afraid of going out in their local environment? Are they less able to find their way around when given some freedom? Perhaps you could talk to some teenagers and get their perspective.

by: Lucylui

Hi I did my dissertation loosely around risky play, it was more about how adult interference with risky play means children are unable to risk assess for themselves. It was all secondary research and I found loads. However I took my research back almost 50 years, ester ransen featured somewhere in it and I compared it like you to the rest of europe. I also focused on the dangers of fixed structured playgrounds, and the dangers of 'safety surface' in self risk assessing and found quite a lot ( including statistic) which linked to injuries. I realise that this might not be exactly what your looking for but it might give you another avenue to explore. Good luck I thoroughly enjoyed mine, if I can be on any more help let me know.