Table 3 Risky play children wish for in schools
Risky Play (RP) Type | Risk element | Play affordances | Example activities in schools | RP children enjoyed or desired | RP observed in school playgrounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.GREAT HEIGHTS | Danger of injury from falling | Climbing, jumping, balancing, swinging, hanging | Tree climbing Climbing equipment (e.g. monkey bars, climbing walls, low/high ropes course), Climbing non-play structures (e.g. fences, stairs) Stilts | ||
2.HIGH SPEED | Uncontrolled speed and pace that can lead to a collision with something (or someone) | Running, swinging, sliding, sledding, cycling, skating, kicking, throwing, catching | Tag, British bulldogs, and other chasing games Scooters, skates, skateboards, bikes Swings, slides, slippery dip, flying fox, spinner Fast ball games like football, soccer, basketball (where child-led with rules adapted by children to play environment) | ||
3.ROUGH AND TUMBLE | Children may harm themselves or each other | Play-fighting e.g. wrestling, fencing, Running and throwing (e.g. tagging with balls) Running and catching/ holding | Play-fighting, super-hero play, sword-fighting (with sticks), conkers Snow fights Ball-tag games (dodgeball, brandi, skobolti) Catch and contain games (fire-catch) | ||
4.DISAPPEAR OR GET LOST | Children are unsupervised, alone | Hiding, getting lost and found again | Hide and seek and other play in unsupervised or ‘out of bounds’ areas Playing in tree houses, bushes, trees, dens Mazes, tunnels | [88] | |
5.DANGEROUS TOOLS | Potential for injuries or wounds | Cutting, whittling, sawing, drilling, tying | Building dens with tools like hammers and saws Playing with (skipping) ropes in ways other than intended e.g. to make swings or tie children up in chase and catch games | ||
6.DANGEROUS ELEMENTS | Risk of injury from falling into or from something | Sledding, sliding, skating | Playing near fire, deep water, frozen water, steep hills Sliding down snowbanks or on ice | ||
7.PLAY WITH IMPACT | Risk of injury through impact | Running, pushing, pulling | Games that involve crashing and colliding Pushing and shoving in play (e.g., games like ‘hill’) | ||
8.LOOSE PARTS | Danger of injury from sharp or heavy objects. Use of dirty objects | Lifting, carrying, pulling, balancing, climbing | Den building in natural environments Loose parts play with re-purposed materials such as tyres, timber, milk crates, tarps | ||
9.MESSY PLAY | Danger of illness from unsanitary or cold environments | Digging, jumping, splashing, throwing, running, sliding | Sand pit, foam pit Water play, muddy puddle play, digging in dirt and gardens, snow and ice play | ||
10.BODY PLAY | Children may harm themselves or each other by falling or colliding | Body inversion, tumbling, balancing, bouncing, pulling | Gymnastics-like activities e.g. cartwheels, somersaults, handstands Dance Trampolines, tumble bars Tug of war |