Windsor Essex County Health Unit
Risky play: balancing the benefits and safety
Think back to your favourite childhood
memories – do they include exploring the
woods, playing in giant snow piles or riding
your bicycle around the neighbourhood
with friends? Stepping outside and
spending time in nature is good for
everyone - it helps us connect to the world
around us, it reduces stress and anxiety and
it’s important for our well-being.
It’s no surprise that outdoor play has
many benefits for children and that it plays
a key role in healthy growth and
development. However, wanting to protect
children from injury and harm has resulted
in more indoor time, and outdoor time that
is limited in challenging experiences and
over-supervised by parents and caregivers.
In response to this trend, ParticipACTION
has focused their 2015 report on balancing
the risks and benefits of active outdoor play.
The report, called “The Biggest Risk is
Keeping Kids Indoors” makes it clear that
risky play is not about putting children in
dangerous environments, such as skating on
a half-frozen lake. Rather, risky play is about
experiences that are thrilling and exciting,
where kids can test their strengths and
limits.
Why is risky play important? With
some freedom and risk taking, kids play
harder and longer and have a better
learning experience. In fact, 3 to 5 year old
kids are less likely to be active on a
playground that is designed to be “safer” as
they are viewed as less challenging and
boring. Recent statistics show that only 9
per cent of 5 to 17 year olds are getting 60
minutes of heart pumping activity each day,
If you are looking for a
new place to explore,
visit one of the many
conservation areas in
Windsor-Essex County.
For directions, trail
maps and events at
conservation areas in
our region, visit
www.erca.org
For a list of parks and
trails in the City of
Windsor, visit
www.citywindsor.ca or
visit the website for
your municipality for
park maps and trail
guides.
For more information
on healthy living for
you and your family,
please visit
www.wechu.org
or call our
Family Health Hotline
at 519-258-2146
ext. 1350.
and up to 90 per cent of our day is spent
indoors.
So how do we, as parents and
caregivers, support a child’s need for active,
outdoor play that provides challenges for
our children while still managing their risk
of injury?
Parents as Role Models
When it comes to managing risk, it’s
important to recognize the difference
between real dangers versus minor risks.
Children are more curious about natural
spaces than they are about metal and plastic
play structures. Even though natural spaces
won’t have rubber surfaces to cushion a
child who stumbles, they aren’t as
dangerous as we may think. While injuries
do happen, most of them are minor cuts
and scrapes.
Studies have shown that if parents
value outdoor time, children will too.
Consider the following before turning on the
TV or tablets:
• Encourage your children to play outside in
a variety of weather conditions - and most
importantly, join them! Remember to
dress for the weather conditions.
• Show a positive attitude and resist the urge
to make negative comments about the
weather, even if it’s less than ideal.
• Put away your cell phone or tablet. Get up
and get dirty with your family!
• Seek out new natural spaces to explore in
your neighbourhood and beyond. Allow
your children to challenge themselves by
walking along logs, climbing the lower
branches of trees and picking up rocks and
boulders.
For timely updates about health issues in your community follow the WECHU on
Facebook and Twitter @theWECHU
6 The HUB -July 2015