In this in-depth interview, author and activist  Tim Gill urges parents to consider the level of freedom and types of experiences they had in childhood. He explains why allowing children to fulfill their need to test their own limits helps them assess risks, learn their capacities, gain confidence and become more resilient. Tim talks about unstructured play and what a great play space looks like; garnering peer support from other parents; and what can be done to help the growing number of children suffering from anxiety and depression. You’ll learn why it’s vital to weigh up the risks vs benefits of certain types of play and how to be a little less risk averse and a little more free range.

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Length: 1h : 06m : 00s

Subject Area: Risk, urban planning

This study looks at the influence of outdoor time on preschool aged children’s physical, social and emotional development. The researchers’ aim was to examine preschoolers’ physical, social and emotional development in the setting of their interactions with various environmental affordances and their peers over a one year period. The children’s activities were observed in two natural outdoor environments: a creek next to the preschool and a trail along the river in a nearby national park. The study assessed sustained and complex interactions in the children’s immediate environment, over time, and included a number of developmental outcomes. Results showed confidence of children in this study increased with accrued experience and shifted from focus on their own abilities to a greater awareness of others and increasing social collaboration. The findings also illuminate the importance of varied and challenging environmental affordances for children’s free play and movement. This research suggests that early childhood educators should be encouraged to provide a diverse range of outdoor environments for children’s play, with shifting degrees of risk, to increase children’s developmental opportunities not only in the physical domain but also in a social context supporting resilience and emotional wellbeing.

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Year Level: Early Years

No Fear: Growing up in a risk averse society argues that childhood is being undermined by the growth of risk aversion. This restricts children’s play, limits their freedom of movement, corrodes their relationships with adults and constrains their exploration of physical, social and virtual worlds.

 

Focusing on the crucial years of childhood between the ages of 5 and 11, No Fear examines some of the key issues with regard to children’s safety: playground design and legislation, antisocial behaviour, bullying, child protection, the fear of strangers and online risks. It offers insights into the roles of parents, teachers, carers, the media, safety agencies and the Government and shows how risk averse behaviour ironically can damage and endanger children’s lives. In conclusion, No Fear advocates a philosophy of resilience that strikes a better balance between protecting children from genuine threats and giving them rich, challenging opportunities through which to learn and grow.

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Study of a Danish forest kindergarten from the perspective of the educator (pedagogue) and parents of children in his care. Includes discussion around school readiness, risk and trust in an outdoor learning environment.  Comments by author Jane Williams-Siegfredsen (author of Understanding the Danish Forest School Approach).

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Length: 11m : 33s

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