POLICY CONTENT

‘Being adventurous is about creating opportunities for children (and adults) to explore and test their own capacities, to manage risk and to grow as capable, resourceful and resilient children and adults.’ National Quality Standard, Professional Learning Program, 2013).

                                                    
We acknowledge that it is sometimes difficult to find the right balance between allowing children to engage in adventurous play in our physical environment whilst preventing serious injuries.  

Our School is committed to supporting families to understand the importance and benefits of risk-taking through adventurous play for their children. We believe that for children to learn effectively and prepare for life-long skills, it’s important for them to experience challenging situations in our physical environment that is managed effectively to minimise negative outcomes, not eliminate risk.  

NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS) 

QUALITY AREA 2: Children's Health and Safety

2.1.2	Health practices and procedures	Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
2.1.3	Healthy Lifestyle	Healthy eating and physical activity are promoted and appropriate for each child.
2.2	Safety	Each child is protected.
2.2.1	Supervision	At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.

QUALITY AREA 3: Physical Environment

3.1.2	Upkeep	Furniture and equipment are safe, clean and well maintained.
3.2	Use	The school environment is inclusive, promotes competence and supports exploration and play-based learning.
3.2.1	Inclusive environment	Outdoor and indoor spaces are organised and adapted support every child’s participation and to engage every child in quality experiences in both built and natural environments.
3.2.2	Resources support play-based learning	Resources, materials and equipment allow for multiple uses, are sufficient in number, and enable every child to engage in play-based learning.

PURPOSE

 We acknowledge the important developmental benefits of adventurous and risky play such as psychological, perceptual, physical/motor skills and social development. (Sandseter, 2010). We encourage educators to support children’s curiosity by providing them with opportunities to access risks and manage situations appropriately. We aim to support and respond to children’s physical development by offering an environment that provides open-ended, dynamic, stimulating and challenging learning opportunities for all children.  

SCOPE

This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of the School. 

WHAT IS ADVENTUROUS PLAY?

Adventurous play, sometimes referred to as ‘risky play’ is a natural part of children’s play and can often be described as a thrilling and exciting activity, involving a risk of physical injury and play that provides opportunities for challenge, testing limits, exploring boundaries and learning about injury risk (Sandseter (2007); Little & Wyver, 2008).  Involvement in adventurous play provides children with opportunities to explore and test their own capacity, access risks and manage situations, master new skills, extend their limits and learn life skills. Research shows that success and failure of adventurous play motivates children to try again and work out different ways of doing things, increases their physical and motor skills and teachers them about their own limits. (Sandseter, 2011; Tovey, 2010).  

In our endeavour to create a physical environment that is safe for all children at all times, we may be creating a physical environment that inadvertently limits adventure and risk-taking. The National Quality Standard (2.1.3) aims to encourage “the educational leader and educators to foster physical and psychological development in children by encouraging physical activity that is challenging, extends thinking and offers opportunities to take manageable risks.” (2018, p: 68).  

Adventurous play encourages children to:

• Problem-solve  
• Develop skills in negotiating (including risks)  
• Build resilience, perseverance and persistence 
• Extend their balance, orientation skills and coordination  
• Become aware of their own capabilities and limits  
• Make appropriate risk decisions  
• Develop self-regulation 
• Take acceptable risks 
• Make decisions  
• Learn about the consequences (positive and negative) of risk taking  
• Gain confidence and independence  
• Become creative and curious  
• Learn how to use equipment safely  

Our School will continually determine whether a learning environment is dangerous or a potential learning opportunity may actually encourage risk taking. 
 
Children are faced with risks every day. Rather than trying to eliminate all risks from children’s play, our School will identify the possible risks and make informed decisions about whether the benefit for children’s development and learning outweighs the risks, protecting children from any potential harm.

We will ensure that every reasonable precaution is taken to protect children from harm and from any hazard likely to cause injury (Section 167 National Law).

 In addition, educators will conduct daily safety checks to identify potential risks and hazards. According to Curtis (2010), a "hazard" is something that is inherently dangerous and needs to be immediately remedied. For example, a climbing structure with sharp edges or a broken fence or gate.  
 
Educators will use positive language to support and encourage children to engage in adventurous and risky play, modify activities to ensure all experiences are inclusive, and promote competence and exploration.  

Management, Nominated Supervisor / Responsible Person/Educators will ensure: 

• risk assessments are conducted to identify potential hazards, assess the risks and minimise any risks that could potentially cause harm or injury to children 
• to engage in critical reflection as a team and with the children about the risks and benefits of a new activity or process 
• daily inspection of the outdoor learning environment will be undertaken to identify any potential risk of harm to children as per our Health and Safety Policy 
• educators employ ‘active’ supervision techniques at all times  
• educators provide direct, constant and proximal monitoring of children undertaking activities that involve some risk and recognising when the ratio of educators to children needs to be increased (e.g.: carpentry, water activities, climbing) 
• management will notify the Regulatory Authorities of any serious incident within 24 hours of the incident 
• parents are notified as soon as practicable but within 24 hours if their child is involved in a serious incident/situation at the school. Details of the incident/situation are to be recorded on the Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record. 
• to actively encourage and acknowledge children’s competence to assess risks and possible consequences (It is important to involve children in the risk assessment process, as this provides added benefits of being able to talk through hazards, learn about assessing and managing appropriate risks for themselves). 
• children of all ages and abilities are provided with authentic learning experiences aimed to challenge children’s capabilities, manage risk and grow as capable resourceful and resilient children (and adults) 
• children are encouraged to take risks through the use of positive language, guidance and enthusiasm 
• children are not pushed or forced to do something they are not sure about 
• to provide a challenging and adventurous learning environment that supports children’s curiosity, adventure and motivation 
• to respect children’s growth mindset, acknowledging them as competent and capable learners 
• to trust in children’s abilities and judgement whilst scaffolding their learning 
• children learn new skills in a safe environment through supervision and adherence to the correct educator to child ratios 
• to mentor and support families’ knowledge about the benefits of providing children with adventurous play experiences 
• children are not denied the value of an experience because it may appear to be dangerous 
• their duty of care is upheld and taken seriously  
• they continue to meet their legal obligations and responsibilities as documented in the NQS and Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations. 

SOURCES

Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2014).  
Australian Government. Department of Education, Skills and Employment. Belonging, Being and Becoming- The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). (2009). My Time Our Place- Framework for School Age Care in Australia. (2011).  
Australian Government. Department of Education, Skills and Employment.  
Coster, D. & Gleeve, J. (2008) Give us a go! Children and young people’s views on play and risk-taking. Play Day. Retrieved 29th July 2019 from playday.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gi... 
Curtis, D. (2010, March-April). What’s the risk of no risk? Exchange Magazine, 52-56. 
Greenland, P. (2010). Physical development. In T. Bruce (ed.), Early Childhood. A guide for Students (188-192). London: Sage. 
Guide to the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services National Regulations. (2017).  
Guide to the National Quality Framework. (2017). (Amended 2020). 
Harper, N (2017). Outdoor risky play and healthy child development in the shadow of the “risk society”: A forest and nature school perspective.  
Kids Safe (2012). Challenging Play – Risky! Retrieved 28th July 2019 kidsafensw.org/safety/playground-safety/chal... 
National Quality Standard Professional Learning Program: NQS PLP e-Newsletter No.58 (2013). Talking about practice: Adventurous play – Developing a culture of risky play. 
Rethinking childhood- Tim Gill. rethinkingchildhood.com 
Sandseter, E. B. H. (2007). Categorizing risky play – How can we identify risk-taking in children’s play? European Early Child Education Research Journal, 15(2), 237-252. Retrieved 26th July 2019 from tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/135029307013.... 
Sandseter, Ellen Beate Hansen. (2011). Children’s risky play in early childhood education and care. Childlinks. 3. 
Tovey, H. (2010). Playing on the Edge: Perceptions of Risk and Danger in Outdoor Play. In P. Broadhead, J. Howard & E. Wood (eds), Play and Learning in the Early Years (79-94). London: Sage.