Embracing Risky Play at School

This book provides K–8 educators with practical, research-based guidance for implementing—and advocating for!—risky play at school.

Children are naturally drawn to risky play—taking physical chances, seeking excitement, and satisfying curiosity—and are more physically active when playing outdoors. Embracing Risky Play at School introduces readers to outdoor play and learning (OPAL) in the kindergarten to middle school years, explains the difference between risks and hazards, presents the concept of “Yes” spaces, and describes how and why risky play supports academic development and student well-being. Zeni and Brussoni, two experts in the field with decades of experience, share research evidence alongside accessible strategies for overcoming common barriers to implementing risky play at school.

The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends risky play as a preventative measure for childhood obesity, anxiety, and behavioral issues, and schools have an important role to play in providing access to the unique benefits of risky outdoor play. This book addresses the collective responsibility of adults to support risky play when designing learning environments.

Book Features:

• A clear understanding of what risky play is, and is not, particularly when supervising other people’s children as a professional educator in group learning environments.
• Guidance for creating conditions and building capacity for risky play in schools, which serves to support the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth of children.
• Links to learning modules that extend chapter content through the authors’ Outside Play website (www.outsideplay.org/).

Megan Zeni is a researcher and consultant who works with school districts and teacher education faculties to build capacity for outdoor play and learning in the elementary school years. Mariana Brussoni is a professor and developmental psychologist, head of the Outside Play Lab, and director of the Human Early Learning Partnership at the University of British Columbia.

“What happens when a culture decides that zero risk is the goal? Nothing. And that is what we’re near now. Kids are sitting stock still, dull as doorknobs or anxious as ants, while their internal systems are longing for the engagement of actual learning. They want to think, do, move—play! Here at last is a road map back to childhood in action!”
—Lenore Skenazy, president of Let Grow and author of Free-Range Kids

“Embracing Risky Play at School offers a great blend of practical and scholarly expertise for educators. The book highlights why Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) and risky play are necessary pedagogical approaches for children's optimal development and learning, enhancing mental health, student engagement, executive function, physical activity, and academic achievement. Importantly, it distinguishes between risks, which children learn to navigate, and hazards, which adults must identify and mitigate, advocating for keeping children as safe as necessary. The book provides practical strategies needed for teachers and school leaders to transform the school experience through outdoor risky play.”
—Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter, professor, Queen Maud University College, Norway

“What a refreshing book to read. Children need oodles of opportunities to play and learn outdoors (OPAL) to meet their learning and health needs. This book oozes interesting reflections and thought-provoking commentary throughout, making this a must-have book in every staff library. Zeni and Brussoni have swept aside the debris of overused OPAL mantras and offer elementary educators a firm grounding and research-based explanations about why risky play must be embraced. It is a call to action with substantial amounts practical suggestions to get going or to further develop one’s practice.”
—Juliet Robertson, former international outdoor learning and play consultant and author of Dirty Teaching and Messy Maths

“Embracing Risky Play at School builds its case through gold-standard scholarship, wisdom (including Indigenous wisdom), low-tech creativity, and commonsense practical tools and advice. Underpinning the authoritative tone is a heartfelt belief in the value of giving children the space, time and freedom to play, explore, and learn how to navigate everyday risks. The authors start where elementary schools are, not where advocates might wish them to be. They do not duck the challenges. The bar is high, the vision simple yet compelling: a rich, engaging, stimulating education and a happy, healthy childhood for every child.”
—Tim Gill, researcher and author of No Fear: Growing Up in a Risk Averse Society

Contents

Preface  ix
Comments From Megan Zeni  ix
Comments From Mariana Brussoni  xi
How This Book Is Organized  xiii

Part I: What Is Risky Play?

1.  Why Is Outdoor Play Important for Children?  3
What Happened to Play?  4
What About Recess? From Theory to Practice  6
What Is Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL)?  7
Systems Change Recommendation  7
Chapter Summary  8

2.  Why Is Risky Play Important for Children?  9
Risks Are Different From Hazards: From Theory to Practice  12
Guidelines for All Staff  13
Chapter Summary  16

3.  Why Are Outdoor Learning and Risky Play in Schools Important for Children?  17
Engagement With Learning  18
Five Pathways to Mental Health and Well-Being  19
Executive Function  21
Academic Achievement  22
Why Outdoor Risky Play at Home Is Not Enough  23
Risky Play in Schools: From Theory to Practice  24
Introducing Core Instructional Routines  25
Chapter Summary  29

4.  Should Schools Worry About Injuries During Risky Play?  30
It’s Safer Than You Think: From Research to Practice  31
Create Yes Spaces for Children’s Risky Play  33
Chapter Summary  36

Part II: Planning for and Implementing Outdoor Risky Play

5.  Risky Play and Academic Learning  39
Pedagogical Choices That Support Risky Play  40
Emergent Learning  46
Pedagogies of Place  47
Chapter Summary  48

6.  Access to Risky Play in Schools  49
Planning for OPAL  49
Benefit–Risk Assessments  53
When Risks Become Hazards  54
Chapter Summary  55

7.  Planning for Risky Play  56
Planning With Core Instructional Routines  56
Gathering Spaces: The Campfire  57
Spaces for Social Learning: The Watering Hole  62
Spaces for Quiet Reflection and Alone Time: The Cave  66
Growing Spaces: Life Spaces  71
Chapter Summary  76

8.  School Gardens  77
Risky Play in School Gardens  78
Mud Kitchens  82
Chapter Summary  86

9.  Risky Play and Loose Parts  87
Improving Affordances  88
Introducing Yes Spaces and Navigating Consent  93
Navigating Shared Resources  94
The Importance of Time  96
Chapter Summary  97

Part III: Risky Play Issues, Challenges, and Recommendations

10.  Perceived and Real Barriers for Risky Play in Schools  101
Safety Is a Feeling  101
What the Research Says About OPAL Barriers  103
Perceived Barriers to Risky Play in Schools  105
Real Concerns to Navigate  110
Chapter Summary  112

11.  The Importance of Mentorship  114
Guidelines to Get You Started  115
Chapter Summary  116

12.  Risky Play FAQs  117
How Do I Make Time for OPAL? My Day Is Already So Full  117
How Do I Keep the Children on Task? They Think Being Outdoors Is Extra Recess!  118
How Can I Justify to Colleagues That Learning Is Happening When It Looks Like We Play All Day?  119
My Class Is Really Challenging This Year. How Can I Take Them Outdoors?  119
Final Thoughts  120

References  123

Index  137

About the Authors  143