When children have the freedom to roam and explore, and when they have a sense of self-agency to fuel their own learning process, they will naturally engage in risk. Children inherently want to explore their environment, test their limits, and negotiate their comfort zone between thrilling possibilities and the potential for harm. This is very exciting, arguably it’s where learning, growth, and happiness resides, and yet it can feel very scary for adults who may feel ill-equipped to navigate, manage and support children in that exploration.

This workshop will explore the dance adults do internally, and the dance we do with children when risk shows up in children’s outdoor play. We will explore the evidence-base behind risk, (including the developmental benefits for children), how the experts define risky play, strategies for co-managing risk with children, and an exploration into the “Risk Benefit Assessment for Outdoor Play- A Canadian Toolkit” that was published in 2019.