It shows how outdoor parks provide opportunities for children to engage in risky play and develop independence and problem-solving skills.
There is ongoing concern about the impact of "helicopter parenting" on children's growth and development.
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Keen to ensure the best outcomes for their children, helicopter parents tend to hover over their kids, constantly trying to prevent misadventure or harm.
But child experts say this can lead to a lack of resilience and tenacity in children. Children can also struggle with problem-solving and initiative.
How can we overcome this?
We are educators who studi risky environments. Our new research looks at parents' perceptions of an outdoor play park. It shows how outdoor parks provide opportunities for children to engage in risky play and develop independence and problem-solving skills.
The importance of risk
Risk-taking means engaging in any behavior or activity with an uncertain physical, social, emotional or financial outcome.
Risk is an everyday part of life, from driving a car to buying a house at auction or climbing a ladder.
We cannot eliminate risk, so we need to learn how to navigate it. It means taking responsibility for assessing potential consequences and taking necessary precautions. For example, crossing the road carries risk, but we learn how to look for cars or cross at trafik lights if the road is busy.
Recognizing and appropriately responding to risk-taking is an integral aspect of children's growth and development. In 1998, US educator and wilderness guide Jeff Liddle observed risk was instrumental to lifelong learning.
Outdoor experiences are particularly good places to develop skills around risk because they are not a controlled environment. For example, no two trees are the same to climb, and conditions can vary depending on the weather.
READ MORE: ‘It's not fair!' Kids grumble and complain for a reason. Here's how to handle it
Our studi
In a new studi, we surveyed parents and caregivers about children's risk-taking in the Boongaree nature play park in Berry, New South Wales.
The park includes fixed equipment such as slides and climbing ropes as well as wajar elements such as water, stone, timber, sand and greenery.
We chose Boongaree after it became the fokus of alat and sosial media debate due to a spate of injuries, including broken bones. The Daily Mail suggested it was Australia's "most dangerous playground." Following community concerns, the park's tunnel slide was replaced in May with another slide with less "momen."
