ParticipACTION gave Canadian children a “D” grade for Overall Physical Activity in 2022 and a “D-” for Active Play.1

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OVERVIEW

The idea of promoting children’s outdoor risky play may sound counter-intuitive in keeping children safe. However, research suggests that there are important benefits of outdoor risky play for children’s health, development, and well-being. Yet, children’s opportunities have decreased over time, largely due to excessive safety concerns. This trend must be reversed, and it requires a societal shift.

The target is for children and youth to engage in active play and non-organize/structured leisure activities for several hours per day. Boys tend to spend more time playing outdoors than girls, but in general, children of all ages are not meeting these targets.1

BCIRPU Scientist Dr. Mariana Brussoni and her research team have developed an online risk reframing tool to help parents and early childhood educators learn the importance of outdoor risky play and develop strategies for promoting healthy outdoor risky play for children.

To see more research on outdoor risky play, visit Dr. Brussoni's website, Outside Play.

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Children are more physically active when they are outside doing risky play.2

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RESEARCH

For the latest work on outdoor play, visit the website for Dr. Mariana Brussoni's lab.

Taking risks outdoors during play can help build risk management skills.2

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PREVENTION

If you want to learn more about what outdoor risky play is and how it can benefit children, or to effectively change your behaviour so you can provide children with a positive outdoor risky play experience, visit outsideplay.org. The tool uses a series of interactive video scenarios to help guide you through a personalized journey, where you can reflect on your own childhood, and identify the underlying reasons and motivations for fear. At the end of the tool, it will guide you in creating a personalized plan to help you make changes in your own context that makes sense to you and your child.

RESOURCES

• Injury Insight: Outdoor Schools (PDF) (May 2021)
• Injury Insight: “Kids Bounce Back” After Injury (PDF) (January 2018)
• Injury Insight: Child’s Play: Why it’s Time to Pop the Bubble Wrap (PDF) (February 2015)
• Injury Insight: Is it Safe for Children to Play in Outdoor Spaces? (PDF) (August 2013)