Learning Opportunity - To look into the evolutionary benefits of risky play and why children have a natural drive to take risks

Image credit: Cambium Sustainable

Hello.

Welcome to this course on the importance and management of Risk and Risky Play at Forest School.

During the 10 lessons in this course, we will explore in depth, the role of risk in children’s development, the ways in which we can support risky play during our programmes and the practical procedures we must understand if we are to keep children safe during our sessions.

Let’s start by thinking about what risky play is and why children seem drawn to it.

It would be easy to make the assumption that because risky play can sometimes lead to injury, fear and even, in rare cases, death, it should be avoided at all costs.

If we look at risky play from an evolutionary viewpoint, it is clear that the benefits to children of risky play must outweigh the potential harm. If this was not the case, it would have disappeared over time due to natural selection.

If this is the case, then what are the benefits and why are they so crucial to children. So much so that they are more important than the risk of injury and death?

There are many theories on the benefits and reasons why all young mammals play in this way:

💥 Social development - Risky play allows children to explore social relationships with others including mock aggression, fear and power struggles. This opportunity gives them a chance to fine tune their social interactions with others and find appropriate reactions to potentially threatening situations.

💥 Emotional regulation - When children play in this way, they have the chance to develop their emotional reactions to fear, challenge and anger. Children must react in a way that the other players find acceptable otherwise the play is over. These skills are essential for healthy relationships in future life.

💥 Independence - Children who are allowed to play in their own way and for their own reasons are able to develop independent thinking skills and develop an internal locus of control. This means that they see things that happen around them as under their control and are able to react and adapt appropriately. This is different to an external locus of control where they view events as outside of their control.

💥 Resilience - Risky play is just that - risky, it doesn't always go to plan. This means that children must constantly update, adjust and change their plans to meet the needs of the changing situation. This develops resilience as well as flexible mindsets and good problem solving skills.

So, in conclusion, there is much to be said for risky play in an evolutionary context. So much so that in fact, it must be essential for children’s development, otherwise the drive to do it wouldn’t exist!

In the next lesson, we’ll explore some different types of risky play and see if we can discover what children might be learning from taking part in these challenging activities.

See you then

📚 Insightful to read

• Gill, T. (2007). No Fear: Growing Up in a Risk Averse Society. Portugal: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

🌻 Reflection

• Reflect on your own experiences of risky play as a child and compare those to the everyday lived experiences of the children you work with today. What are the similarities and differences? Join the conversation in the course comments.