Numerous studies over the past ten years have noted a trend towards over – protective parenting practices that restrict children’s activities and limit children’s independent mobility and neighbourhood engagement. Through semi – structured interviews with mothers of four and five year old children, this study examines beliefs around children’s outdoor play opportunities and exposure to and management of potential risks in outdoor environments. Whilst the results showed mothers overwhelmingly acknowledged the benefits of risky outdoor play, tension existed between their desire to provide opportunities for this type of play, and their own fears and concerns about their children’s safety.

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Year Level: Early Years

Subject Area: Risk

Host Clare Crew outlines the key elements of risky play and their importance to children’s development: height, speed, tools, fire, water, rough & tumble and being out of sight. She discusses fostering resilience, time constraints and other challenges.

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Length: 25m : 48s

This site came out in support of the Project Wild Thing documentary which demonstrated just how little outdoor time UK children were getting on average each day. Their mission is to create new paths to help get children thriving, outdoors in nature by supporting families, schools and communities to get more Wild Time in their lives. Includes prompts for outdoor play, an app for parents and outdoor teaching resources.

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This blog aims to inspire all weather outdoor play every day. Photographer, journalist and parent Linda Akeson McGurk, grew up in Sweden where they live by the motto that there is no bad weather, only the wrong clothing. As an adult now living in America, Linda noticed how little nature connection American children seem to have. She shares stories of her family’s adventures, tips for green living, outdoor play ideas, active gear and book reviews. Really well put together resource.

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