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This Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play was developed in Canada in conjunction with a cross-sectorial group of partners, stakeholders and researchers from around the world seeking an evidence-informed Position Statement on active outdoor play for children aged 3–12 years. The Position Statement was created in response to practitioner, academic, legal, insurance and public debate, dialogue and disagreement on the relative benefits and harms of active (including risky) outdoor play. The final Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play states: “Access to active play in nature and outdoors—with its risks— is essential for healthy child development. We recommend increasing children’s opportunities for self-directed play outdoors in all settings—at home, at school, in child care, the community and nature.” The full Position Statement provides context for the statement, evidence supporting it, and a series of recommendations to increase active outdoor play opportunities to promote healthy child development.

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Author: Tremblay, M.S.; Gray, C.; Babcock, S.; Barnes, J.; Bradstreet, C.C.; Carr, D.; Chabot, G.; Choquette, L.; Chorney, D.; Collyer, C.; Herrington, S.; Janson, K.; Janssen, I.; Larouche, R.; Pickett, W.; Power, M.; Sandseter, E.B.H.; Simon, B.; Brussoni, M. Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12, 6475-6505.

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Hanna Rosin’s excellent and in depth article looks at why a preoccupation with safety has stripped childhood of independence, risk taking, and discovery, without actually making it any safer. Rosin notes, most parents today remember their own childhoods as quite different from the way their children are growing up. Aware that she is not adverse to being a constant presence in her own children’s lives, Rosin takes her 5 year old son Gideon to ‘The Land’ – an adventure playground with a difference in North Wales – where children make the rules, parents are nowhere to be seen and fire making is an every day occurrence.

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Author: Rosin. H, 2014, The Overprotected Kid, The Atlantic

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Host Robert Siegel interviews author Hanna Rosin about the downside to parents micro-managing their children’s physical and emotional risks. She discusses the drastic change in parental supervision over a single generation and the effect it is having on children’s ability to grow up into healthy, capable adults. Contains discussion around ‘The Land’ – an adventure playground in Wales where children are allowed to light their own fires and are in full control of the typography without a parent in sight.

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Length: 8m : 09s

Subject Area: Risk, supervision

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This thesis from Landscape Architect Ashley Parsons, explains why designers of children’s playscapes should recognise the importance of play, nature experiences and the benefits that outdoor play have on children’s health and development. The author points out that play is a pivotal part of a child’s life and that children’s direct social and individual experiences in nature between the ages of three and twelve (the ‘developmental window of opportunity’) help shape their environmental identity and guide their environmental actions. It also provides children with experiences in naturalistic landscapes which could potentially influence morality, value development and future action.

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Author: Parsons, A, 2011

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Professor Jennie Hudson, researcher at the Centre for Emotional Health in the Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, focusses on the prevention and treatment of children’s emotional health problems using cognitive behavioural therapy. She makes the link between a risk averse society and what that means for children’s abilities to face their fears.  Prof. Hudson explains why making mistakes are inevitable but their power to create a courageous coping model are so important.  Hear why parents are asked to encourage their children to perform little acts of bravery, often.

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Length: 17m : 44s

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Melbourne’s Nature Play was named best playground of 2016 by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects. Built on the site of the former Nurses’ station around the corner from the Royal Childrens’ hospital, the playground’s design reflects the seven seasons described by the Wurundjeri people, traditional owners of the area. Each zone includes a design element or native indicator of these seasons like the silver wattle (Acacia dealbata) which blooms when transitioning from the wombat season (winter) to the orchid season (spring). The playground features sand and water play, rocky inclines, swings and slides nestled amongst thousands of new plantings overlooked by an enormous hill giving expansive views of the grounds and city beyond.

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Length: 6m : 08s

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With many modern playgrounds becoming more sterile, overprotected areas of parent-directed play, children are less likely to be enthused, active or impressed with the idea of getting outside.
Now there is a movement to create play spaces that challenge kids physically and socially, putting children in charge of their own play. Playspace designer, author and speaker Rusty Keeler outlines the benefits of ‘adventure’ style playgrounds and why letting your children build what their imagination dreams up (without critiquing every move) may increase their creativity and improve their mental capacity.

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A collection of ideas, resources and reviews of some of the world’s most inspiring play spaces from the turn of the century up to the present day. This blog was started out of frustration by Paige Johnson who was tasked with looking into options for her local church’s playground. After finding an uninspiring selection of equipment starting from $25,000. She knew from her background in landscape history that many artists and designers had made creative playspaces from the 50s but was unable to find reference to them online.  Eventually Paige found what she was looking for and built this website. Includes sections on design, art for play spaces and playground history.

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Nature Play SA acknowledges Traditional owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and Elders past, present and emerging.