Giving children and young teenagers opportunities for adventurous, age-appropriate play can help them build confidence, resilience and sound judgement, according to a world-first Play Australia position statement co-authored by a Catholic university academic.
Growing Through Risk: Supporting Play and Wellbeing from 9–15 Years is billed by Play Australia as the first dedicated position statement on “risky play” for children and young people in that age group.
University of Notre Dame Australia School of Education lecturer Dr Michael Down is one of its four authors.
The statement, published mid-August, defines risky play as voluntary, exploratory and self-directed activity involving uncertainty and managed challenge, with serious hazards removed.
Examples can include climbing trees, cycling, skateboarding, playground challenges and rough-and-tumble play, depending on a young person’s age, ability and experience.
Dr Down told The Catholic Weekly that risky play is not about putting children in dangerous situations, but allowing them to test their limits through challenges suited to their individual capacity.
He said its benefits include building independence and self-esteem, strengthening relationships and helping young people learn to assess risk.
Constructive opportunities to take risks may also give teenagers an alternative to harmful behaviour such as excessive drinking or reckless driving, he added.
“By having outlets for teens to take these risks, other antisocial activities may be minimised or potentially avoided altogether,” Dr Down said.
Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT executive director Cath Garrett-Jones said schools already provide young people with risk-managed opportunities, including through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, sport, creative arts and recreation programs.
“These opportunities allow young people to engage in activities they otherwise may never be exposed to in a safe environment, while stretching their skills and offering challenges for them to navigate,” she told The Catholic Weekly.
A Sydney Catholic Schools spokesperson said its schools offered age-appropriate opportunities for students to develop confidence, resilience, independence and sound judgement through learning, sport, recreation and other activities.
“Our approach is to support young people to develop confidence, resilience and sound judgement while ensuring their physical, emotional and spiritual safety remains central to their education,” the spokesperson said.
Dr Down said Australians were more willing to accept the possibility of injury in organised sport than in children’s informal play.
“As a nation, we’re happy to accept injuries and risks on the sporting field, accepting it as part of sport,” he said.
“But kids climbing ‘too high’ up a tree are often told, ‘You need to come down, that’s not safe.’
“We’re not prepared to accept that injuries can occur in the playground.”
