Why kids need to take more risks

In the 1930s, Danish landscape architect

Carl Theodor Sørensen noticed that his neighborhood’s children

loved playing in old building sites. Watching kids swing from exposed beams, scavenge for scrap materials,

and hammer together bridges inspired him to transform

an abandoned housing estate into a dedicated junk playground. Sørensen’s site became a huge success, and soon countries throughout Europe were making playgrounds

out of derelict building yards and even former World War I bomb sites. These environments might look dangerous, especially to 21st century parents who tend to be far more anxious

about their childrens’ safety than previous generations. But research has found these

seemingly scary setups teach kids important lessons

that standard playgrounds don’t. Play is profoundly important

for childhood development. Creating games and following rules

helps teach problem solving. Moving our bodies through varied

terrain helps hone our motor control. And playing with others lets us practice

language and refine our social skills. Since play comes naturally to all of us, children are likely to develop

these skills in most environments. But researchers have identified a few

factors that can maximize these benefits. Chief among them is freedom. Play is all about experimentation, and kids need the agency to explore

and shape their surroundings without adults getting in the way. The next factor is novelty— kids are always hungry for new

and unpredictable play elements. Finally, they need time

to see their plans through. While we could all use more time to play, the best play environments offer freedom

and novelty that kids can explore as much

or as little as they like. But traditional playgrounds

don’t offer much flexibility here. Swings, slides, and climbing frames

are hardly novel structures. They also have relatively low affordance— a term used by play researchers to indicate how open-ended

an object’s design is. Items with high affordance,

like a sandbox, can be interacted with in many ways. Meanwhile, objects

with low affordance, like a slide, were designed with a single use in mind. Even when kids are creative enough to find

new uses for low affordance objects, they're still more limited playthings. To address these problems, some designers are looking back

at Europe's junk playgrounds to create modern adventure playgrounds— big, open spaces full

of high affordance structures and free play possibilities. Berlin’s Kolle 37 features scrap and

building tools for kids to manipulate. In Tokyo’s muddy Harapa Park, children shape water slides,

sink holes, and splash pools out of the natural landscape. And in London’s Glamis

Adventure Playground kids burn things in fire pits,

with the help of play worker employees. While some parents worry these

unpredictable spaces are too dangerous, play researchers like Ellen Sandseter would say this so-called risky play

is essential. Giving kids the space to experiment with

fast speeds, high heights and getting lost helps them develop better

judgment and confidence. In fact, risky play is how kids learn

to manage risk and keep themselves safe. One study even found that kids were

more likely to get seriously injured in traditional playgrounds— perhaps because adventure playgrounds

encourage them to be more aware of their surroundings. Risky play also helps develop skills

for managing mental health. Experimenting with small doses

of uncertainty gets kids used to life

being unpredictable, helping them better manage anxiety

for years to come. Adventure playgrounds aren't

the only places for risky play. Nature playgrounds encouraging kids to

explore creeks, caves, and tree climbing combine the perks of risk-taking with the health benefits

of connecting with nature. Meanwhile, other designers are working

to bring more freedom and novelty to traditional designs. This Philadelphia park features

a 30-person mega-swing, and Nebraska’s Omaha Riverfront Playground uses a ribbon of multi-layered decking

as a play spine, warping up and down to reveal

secret tunnels and rope forests. So the real key is to design

a variety of playgrounds, supporting a wide range of activities that promote fun, agency,

and a dash of uncertainty— inviting kids to fill

in the possibilities.