Risk and Challenge for Children from 0-5 Years: Outdoor Learning and Play

1. P L AY N O T E S
November 2006
Risk and
challenge for
children from
0–5 years
If Risk can be defined as ‘to
expose to danger, a dangerous
element or hazard’ and
Challenge as something that is
‘demanding or stimulating’,
why are both vital elements of
effective provision outdoors?
Babies and very young children deserve a learning Children, however, do not want to be met with
environment that enables them to take suitable risks daunting experiences outdoors! Allow activities that
and manage the challenges they present to enable they are familiar and comfortable with, as well as
them to grow up into competent, confident adults. opportunities to try out new skills and to practise
Children able to practise and acquire skills such as acquired ones.
digging, climbing and finding their own way around
will grow in confidence and develop their Who sets risks and challenges?
understanding of themselves, their world and their
own abilities. This Playnotes offers inspiration and Lead by example, providing ideas for activities and
encouragement in developing ideas that will support developing a positive climate where children can
children’s ability to manage risk and challenge. take up challenges when they are ready and at their
Further support can be found in the November 06 own pace, with as much support as they need.
Groundnotes: Site security and Safety. Work to what is developmentally appropriate rather
RoSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of than activities determined by age. Children can
Accidents) believes that exposure to acceptable risk learn from each other and may even set each other
should be encouraged to avoid children seeking the challenges which may or may not be appropriate.
thrill of risk elsewhere in unsupervised situations. Enable your children to move about and use
They are also quite clear that children’s contact with resources as much as possible without intervention.
unnecessary risk should be An inclusive environment will allow
avoided: health and safety children with a disability to be
procedures must be followed challenged too. Be
and good hygiene habits prepared to accept
fostered. inevitable mishaps and
learn from them.
Risks and challenges are positive
outdoor necessities. An outdoor Fill your outdoors with
environment that is safe enough opportunities for children
is not one devoid of risks and to enjoy the space,
challenges. freedom and natural
challenges it provides.
This resource was originally created as part of the
Early Years Outdoors membership scheme from Learning through Landscapes.
To find out more about membership call 01962 845 811 or visit www.ltl.org.uk
RISK AND CHALLENGE
LEARNING THROUGH LANDSCAPES – 01962 845811

2. P L AY N O T E S
Be clear that risk is acceptable can go no nearer. The children love to sit and bake
‘dampers’ (flour, milk and water) on sticks of a
As with any policy and procedure your Health and suitable length that they collected earlier, with 2
Safety policy should be easily available for parents to adults at the fire.
read.
Does it contain a set of clear safety rules?
Find out how people view activities that take place
outside: observe and ask children, staff and parents
too.
How do people feel about the risks incorporated into
your outdoor space?
Monitor how parents feel and inform them of good
practise through meetings, displays, open days and
access to their children’s work. Consider promoting
your safety rules during Child Safety Week which is
organised by CAPT (see Resources) and held annually
at the end of June. You can help allay parents’ fears
by explaining their particular child’s needs. Parents
that can openly question and remark on safety issues
will benefit from your positive attitude to children’s
ability to learn and develop skills of self-reliance.
Risk assess your outdoors Physical play and exploration
Crates, logs and tyres are all useful items outdoors, as
Use a risk assessment procedure to look closely at well as specialist equipment such as A frames, blocks,
your whole outdoor space and the existing features. steps and planks. Expect the children to try out new
See Resources for downloadable advice. Examine ways to use familiar equipment and support
your space carefully to identify any potential for opportunities for experimentation.
harm to occur to children or adults. Talking with
Some members have had experiences of being
other adults using the space is crucial to gain other
challenged by Health and Safety Inspectors about
perceptions of risk that you may have overlooked.
these resources. Our advice is to be well aware of
Check the accident record book and look
how these items are used by
for repeated incidents involving specific
children and to support them
areas or pieces of equipment.
in their effective, safe use.
Think about the different users of your
Rules you create will be
space and how they might be affected: a
determined by the age and
child who knows the layout and procedures
interests of the children but
may be at less risk than a younger or new
establishing a policy of how
child. Use your judgement to decide
and when these resources are
whether the existing safety measures are
used will support good
adequate or whether more should be done
practise. Some settings
to reduce the risk. Remember that the
determine a height limit for
benefits of an experience will often be
stacking crates or climbing
greater than the risk of harm.
them. Allowing their use
encourages children to
Specific areas to consider explore and deal with safety
issues in a supervised
Fire and heat environment. A ‘safe enough’
Fire is a fascinating element and children environment will have soft or
benefit from clear sensible warnings and yielding surfaces for children
advice on its use. Perhaps you can talk landing from jumps or
through with your staff how best to provide somersaults; rules for the
opportunities outside for your children to number of children a piece of
experience fire? New Ark Playgroup in equipment can withstand;
Peterborough have a designated fire area. agreed ways to use
This is a hard standing area with a container equipment; and explanations
– the top 1/3 of a metal dustbin (see picture or examples of safety by
on page 1). They have benches or logs a safe adults as and when
distance from it and children are able to sit appropriate.
on these after they have understood they
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3. P L AY N O T E S
Practical life skills and use of tools ● Let them try the activity with your support.
Store and organise tools using labels and pictures so ● Gradually allow as much independence as the
they can be found and used safely. Learning skills children can manage safely.
that require the use of tools can be exasperating for ● If some activities are just for adults then give the
children if they are given ‘safe’, blunt, children’s children clear reasons for this.
versions. Finding slightly
smaller versions of real Assess and reassess behaviour
tools can result in satisfied
learning when supported Evaluating behaviour can be fun and parents will
by attentive adults. appreciate learning about what their child has done
Remind children to watch and how you have enabled them to learn. The
carefully what their hands outdoors is a great place for child-led investigations
are doing when they use and play. Knowledgeable adults provide appropriate
tools. Think carefully opportunities and resources, letting the children’s
about the activity and needs set the pace with adult and child-led activities.
where best to site it. Decisions about where staff will be and how many
Woodwork, sewing and challenging activities are going on will require a
craft activities will need to be in clear view of flexible approach. Children can learn that risk and
watchful adults with the appropriate amount of challenges are exciting, necessary and important but
support for the activity and children using them. require thinking through first and appropriate
resources. Use group times to reinforce positive
Enable messages so children can grow in confidence and
satisfaction - not just by recalling the activity but also
Step by step coaching of through praise when the ground rules are
new skills is necessary remembered.
and a Tell, Show, Do
approach as advocated When is risk or challenge unsafe?
by Jennie Lindon works When an activity is beyond an individual child’s
well. Offer help and do not always insist on children mobility skills or level of understanding there is
working out how to use resources for themselves potential for a risk or
when there is a real safety issue. Firm suggestions can challenge to become
be given in simple, explicit and respectful ways. a genuine hazard or
Words of encouragement and constructive feedback danger. Knowledge
which acknowledges a child’s efforts help them to of individuals is
persevere and compliments can be used to confirm crucial since all
things they have done well. children have
different capabilities
and an acceptable
risk for one may become an unacceptable hazard for
another.
Satisfy yourself that:
● All children can reach play materials or equipment
without having to stretch or clamber in an
unsafe way.
● The environment is organised to provide the
opportunity to make choices between activities.
● Activities are available at the right level and a
Preparing children to acquire new skills requires an child can move easily in order to complete a task.
awareness of what these skills involve, so be ready to
break a task down into simple steps and explain why All practitioners should be aware of their Health and
you choose to work in a particular way. Be specific Safety procedures and have basic first aid as part of
about safety rules before the children engage in a their responsibilities. Recording incidents is
new activity. necessary as is a reliable system for ensuring
communication with individual parents of a child
● Tell the children what you are going to do.
● Let children watch you as you explain the safety that has been hurt, or has been affected by an
aspects. accident that happened to someone else. Keeping
● Answer questions and show pictures or written parents informed will help strengthen your
instructions for the activity, sharing tips such as relationship with them and can help a particularly
how to move around with tools and how to care protective parent to trust that their child will be safe
for and store them. in your care.
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4. P L AY N O T E S
Turn negatives into positives ● Keep calm if an accident happens or nearly
happens, don’t add to a drama!
Is your outdoor area a negative or a positive ● Take enough time- a measured response considers
experience for children? Have a look around to see the real level of risk.
what the children are able to do outdoors. What do ● Use a ‘no blame’ approach – treat incidents as
your children see as a risk? Do they have any worries mistakes that children can learn by.
about risks other children or adults take? Respect and
● Comfort a child if they are upset and listen to them
listen to their views and take the time to talk about
if they want to talk.
activities that have caused them to worry.
● Reflect on any accidents in future planning where
Think about what stages of development your appropriate.
children are at, their interests and preferences. Offer
opportunities that are Unfortunate as accidents are, they do provide
appropriate to their children with opportunities for positive life lessons.
stage of development. Use a problem solving approach whenever possible
A toddler may want to so children learn from their experiences. Pose
climb independently questions to get the children to think carefully about
while an older child a challenge and how it can be met safely. Discuss
likes to swing above solutions using a plan, do, review approach.
the ground. Watch Adults need to take
your children and time with children who
what they are now for instance happily
able to do. Praise them and confidently try
and allow them to stacking crates too
practice their new high or jumping onto
skills, offering new cluttered surfaces.
stimuli for them to test Listening to children’s
these skills in other ways. When a child behaves reasoning and
inappropriately look at what skill they may be trying explaining what else
to achieve. Are they doing this for fun, or are they needs to be considered
trying to test their strength or wit? will ensure real
progress for the child,
Keeping calm who will learn far more
Accidents will happen and the way that you deal through respect than through banning behaviour.
with them can provide positive lessons to children. Very young children need things explained in
Be careful about forecasting accidents as it can put context as they cannot yet apply these concepts in
some children off a task and undermine your other situations. Be prepared to clarify each safety
credibility with more confident ones if the accident issue calmly and simply as often as it arises. These
does not occur. Getting the children to think for children are not being naughty, they just need to
themselves by asking questions will help them to feel learn from a patient teacher.
that their ideas count and that their views are
respected. A ‘too safe’ environment may be the cause of
accidents if a child has no awareness of risk or has
● Point out dangers in simple terms as appropriate not developed the ability to rise to challenges.
and show how they can be avoided. The role of the practitioner is to enable them to do
● State non-negotiable issues clearly, explaining this safely, not to stop them, by providing
adult responsibilities simply. appropriate activities.
Further resources Books and other publications Websites
Too safe for their own good, Jennie Lindon, Royal Society for the Prevention of
Early Years Outdoors Accidents
publications National Children’s Bureau,
ISBN 1 900990 97 0. This excellent book www.rospa.com
Groundnotes: Security and Safety, offers greater depth on this topic.
November 2006. More advice on DVD
The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT).
achieving a safe environment. The Rising Sun Woodland Pre School
A range of booklets and fact sheets about
Project. A DVD recounting the
Advice sheet:Risk assessment. staying safe and coping with the
experiences of nursery children
Available to download from the consequences of incidents.www.capt.org.uk
exploring their local woodland.
Member Services pages of our Managing risk in play provision, a position Available from Sightlines Initiative
website at www.ltl.org.uk or call statement from Play Safety Forum. Available www.sightlines-initiative.com
the Advice line on 01962 845811. to download from www.ncb.org.uk
Learning through Landscapes would like to thank the following settings for sharing their ideas and supplying images for publication:
The New Ark Playgroup, Peterborough; The Coombes School, Arborfield; Bilston Nursery, West Midlands; Glebe House, Kent;
Ethelred, London; Wingate Early Years Nursery and Mill Hill Nursery.
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