An Introduction to Risky Play
Dealing with your own fears and letting your child set the pace
In newsletter 1 of the Outdoor Play Masterclass, we explored the importance of outdoor play.
Having an understanding of why outdoor play is important is one step along the journey towards spending more time outside each day. But what about the things that can be off-putting when it comes to spending more time outside?
One of the biggest issues we face as parents is keeping our children safe. Our natural urge is to protect them and keep them away from danger. Sometimes, we can go too far with this and keep our children so safe that they don’t do anything remotely risky.
As a former helicopter parent myself, I know that finding the right balance between letting your child explore and keeping them safe can be hard.
Simply watching a short Reel can give off the wrong impression about what risky play is, so I wanted to explore what is is in more detail.
October at a Glance:
This post is part of the Outdoor Play Masterclass series. Here’s what we’re covering this month:
Emails are released weekly on Tuesday’s:
Outdoor Play Challenge - 1st October (free to everyone)
The Importance of Outdoor Play - 4th October
An Introduction to Risky Play (this email) - 11th October
There’s no such thing as bad weather? The practicalities of Outdoor Play - 18th October
Extending Outdoor Play Time - 25th October
What You’ll Learn in this article:
What risky play is
Why risky play is important
The difference between risk and hazard
Health & safety considerations
Creating an Outdoor ‘Yes Space’
Why be careful doesn’t work
When to interrupt play
Dressing for play
Following the Child
What do you receive as a paid subscriber?
Access to this article and the other newsletters in this masterclass series (which are released over the course of October 2022)
Printable resources
Journal prompts and reflection questions
Access to the Playful Prompts library
Seasonal Rhythms Guide and Printable resources
New masterclass topics every month - plus access to previous masterclasses
Access to community discussion boards
Bonus video overview of each topic
This newsletter is part of the Outdoor Play Masterclass which is exclusive to paid subscribers. To access the content, including printable resources and guides, please click the link below.