HOW TO AVOID RISK AVERSION…

Risk takers…

“Be careful” – a word we often say without thinking, as it is built into our innate vocabulary to keep the children in our care safe. In a sector where we are surrounded by risk assessments, it can sometimes feel like too much to even consider having risky choices in our environments – simply to save on the paperwork.

But did you know there has been a 50% decline in the amount of time children spend engaged in free and risky play?

This is known as a risk deficit disorder (Eager & Little, 2021). Risk deficit disorder is described as the growing and unhealthy trend of attempting to remove all risk from within our community and the problems that this risk removal indirectly creates (Eager & Little, 2021). Several risk deficits now pervade our society, and there is a trend to remove risk from children’s play (Eager & Little, 2021). The absence of childhood risk is leading to many problems both directly and indirectly, such as: obesity, mental health, lack of independence, and a decrease in learning, perception and judgement skills within our children have been cited in the literature (Eager & Little, 2021).

Risky play has emerged over the years as a topic of interest for researchers, early childhood, teachers, parents and other stakeholders. The reason for the focus on risky play is diverse, but one point that is drawn upon is the mixture of positive and negative connotations of play and risk. Over the years there is more research coming forward to promote why risk taking is important in early childhood, and how the concept reflects a basic aspect of human life (Sandseter & Kleppe, 2019).

Risky play shares some characteristics with various types of play, for example, it could involve elements from locomotor and physically activity play, rough-and-tumble play, as well as play with objects. It also shares characteristics with deep play (confronting risks and fears), exploratory play (exploration of the unknown) and mastery play (testing one’s own physical and psychic abilities) (Sandseter & Kleppe, 2019).

Risk-taking and brain development

Studies have shown that when children are enabled to follow their natural instincts and expose themselves to risk, they develop clear strategies to minimise harm, children become:

• more resilient
• more confident
• more self-controlled
• they’re better able to work in groups
• more adaptable
• They’re better equipped to regulate their emotions

(Klein, 2016)

When we talk about brain development and risk taking there are two parts of the brain that are critical: the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system.

• The limbic system is responsible for reward processing, emotions and risk taking.
• The prefrontal cortex controls our impulses.

In childhood both the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system are both small and undeveloped, but they’re balanced (Klein, 2016). So, children are impulsive, but not driven to take great risks for rewards or emotional reasons (Klein, 2016). Studies show that children can be analytical when it comes to taking risk, but they are able to consider the hazards (Klein, 2016).

Emerging research and trends in behavioural health suggest two ways in which limited experience with risk in early childhood can affect risk taking behaviour in adolescence (Klein, 2016):

• Young children have natural and appropriate fears based upon their abilities, as they expose themselves to risk, they outgrow these fears as their skills develop.
• Without risky play children may never experience this ability to cope with and overcome their fears - and may develop extreme risk aversion and anxiety (Klein, 2016).
• Limited opportunities to experience and manage risk, as well as experience the negative consequences of risky play in childhood can lead to excessive risk taking in adolescence (Klein, 2016).

Early and ample risky play opportunities feed the prefrontal cortex so by the time they reach adolescence it doesn’t lag so far behind the limbic system (Klein, 2016).

How do I support risky play?

There are many examples, all around the world, of the joy, magic, beauty, power and creativity of children when they are given space, time, and resources to play (Buchan, 2019). To limit and attempt to eradicate all risk is not only impossible, but it also does an enormous disservice to children who are eager for opportunities to experiment, explore, learn, grow and develop resilience (Buchan, 2019)

When considering the benefits, rewards or outcomes of the activity you may include the following:

• Pleasure
• Development of self-confidence and well-being
• Engagement with the natural environment and natural elements
• Learning through experience
• Mixing between different age ranges

(Kid Safe NSW, n.d.)

As educators it is our role and responsibility to incorporate risk-taking in the outdoor environment safely. We can achieve this by following:

• The Education and Care Services National Regulation 113 states that children need to explore and experience the natural environment
• The NQS, Quality Area 2 – Children’s Health and Safety, expresses children have the right to participate in activities and experiences that are challenging, extend thinking and present manageable risks.
• Complete risk assessments and consider policies and procedures.
• Abide by Regulation 97 (1)(b) which states that children should be provided with a natural outdoor area “to explore and to learn the skills required to manage self-risk”.
• As stated on the Education and Training website, Early Childhood services need to “plan learning environments with appropriate levels of challenge where children are encouraged to explore, experiment and take appropriate risks in their learning”.

(Russell, 2019)

Time to reflect…

• Are these risks appropriate to scaffold skills and development?
• Are children getting the opportunity to assess risk and make decisions about what is an appropriate risk?
• Discuss risk with other educators on your team – how does everyone understand risk? How will you move forward? What is the shared vision?

References

Buchan, N. (2019, June 14). No risk, no reward: cotton wool should be for mending wounds, not wrapping children. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from The Sector: Early Education News, Views & Reviews: https://thesector.com.au/.../no-risk-no-reward-cotton.../

Eager, D., & Little, H. (2021). Risk Deficit Disorder. University of Technology Sydney & Macquarie University. Academia. Retrieved December 23, 2021, from https://www.academia.edu/1479806/Risk_deficit_disorder

Kid Safe NSW. (n.d.). Challenging Play - Risky! Retrieved December 24, 2021, from Kid Safe NSW: https://www.kidsafensw.org/.../challenging-play-risky/

Klein, J. (2016, October 20). Our Relationship to Risk. TEDx. Tahoe City, USA. Retrieved December 23, 2021, from https://youtu.be/WAsW3TFdjlQ

Russell, N. (2019, August 01). Practising essential risky play safely in ECEC settings to boost children’s wellbeing. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from The Sector: Early Education News, Views & Reviews: https://thesector.com.au/.../practicing-essential-risky.../

Sandseter, E. B., & Kleppe, R. (2019, May). Outdoor Risky Play. Retrieved 12 22, 2021, from Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development: https://www.child-encyclopedia.com/.../outdoor-risky-play