When we see children on the playground climbing over rocks, scrambling up slides, and roughhousing with their friends, our first instinct might be to intervene. However, these seemingly risky activities are fundamental to healthy child development.
“Outdoor play includes running and moving vigorously, climbing on equipment, and navigating uneven terrain. It also includes boisterous large motor activities like tag, tumbling, and pretend fighting,” says the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). “The benefits of outdoor play aren’t just physical. It also allows children to challenge themselves and become appraisers of risk. This, in turn, helps develop cognitive, social and emotional, and self-regulatory skills.”
Acceptable risks in play, sometimes called “risky play”, are essential for children’s development.
“As they jump over equipment, and chase each other, children learn to assess risk, devise a plan, and take action,” explains NAEYC. “They make decisions and problem-solve when they face a challenging moment. They also learn to process and navigate their feelings and emotions. These actions build resilience as children experience success or challenges.”
The key lies in understanding the difference between manageable risk and unnecessary danger— and how thoughtful playground design can provide the perfect balance.
Risky play refers to activities that involve uncertainty, physical challenge, and the possibility of minor injury.
This doesn't mean dangerous play that could cause serious harm, but rather age-appropriate challenges that push children just beyond their comfort zones. Research consistently shows that children actively seek out these experiences because they fulfill crucial developmental needs.
When children engage in risky play, they're not being reckless—they're responding to an innate drive to test their limits, build confidence, and develop essential life skills. This type of play has been a cornerstone of childhood development throughout human history, yet modern safety concerns have sometimes led us to eliminate these valuable experiences entirely.
“Opportunities to engage in outdoor free play—and risky play in particular—have declined significantly in recent years, in part because safety measures have sought to prevent all play-related injuries rather than focusing on serious and fatal injuries,” says the Canadian Paediatric Society. “Proponents of risky play differentiate ‘risk’ from ‘hazard’ and seek to reframe perceived risk as an opportunity for situational evaluation and personal development.”
Risky play can help children in their physical development, emotional and social growth, and cognitive development:
Physical Development: Risky play provides unparalleled opportunities for physical growth and skill development:
Emotional and Social Growth: The psychological benefits of risky play are equally significant:
Cognitive Development: Risky play also stimulates intellectual growth:
While keeping children safe on the playground is a priority, eliminating all risk from play environments can have unintended consequences.
“Injury prevention plays a key role in keeping children safe, but emerging research suggests that imposing too many restrictions on children’s outdoor risky play hinders their development,” says a research paper in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Overprotected children may struggle with anxiety when faced with new challenges, lack confidence in their physical abilities, and miss opportunities to develop crucial risk assessment skills.
Studies have shown that children who don't experience manageable risks during play are more likely to take dangerous risks later in life because they haven't learned to properly evaluate potential consequences.
Additionally, overly safe playgrounds often fail to engage children, leading to sedentary behavior and missed opportunities for physical development.
Creating playgrounds that incorporate manageable risks requires careful planning and expertise. The goal is to provide challenges that are exciting and developmentally beneficial while maintaining appropriate safety standards.
Effective risk-inclusive playground design considers several important factors:
Well-designed playgrounds can incorporate various elements that provide beneficial risk:
Incorporating risk into playground design doesn't mean abandoning safety standards.
Professional designers work within established safety guidelines while creating opportunities for appropriate challenge and risk-taking.
Modern playground safety focuses on eliminating hazards — unexpected dangers that children cannot reasonably foresee — while preserving manageable risks that children can evaluate and navigate.
This approach requires expertise in child development, safety regulations, and innovative design techniques.
Regular maintenance and ongoing risk assessment ensure that playground equipment continues to provide appropriate challenges without creating unnecessary dangers. Professional designers also consider factors like supervision requirements, community needs, and local safety regulations.
When playgrounds successfully balance safety with appropriate risk, they create the kind of memorable experiences that children treasure. These environments become places where children want to spend time, where they're motivated to be active, and where they can grow both physically and emotionally.
Creating play environments that successfully balance risk and safety requires specialized knowledge and experience. At Churchich Recreation and Design, we understand the delicate balance between providing exciting, developmentally beneficial challenges and maintaining appropriate safety standards.
Contact Churchich today to discuss how we can help your community design a playground with the appropriate amount of risk to help your children grow physically, emotionally, and cognitively.