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Playing and exploring outdoors brings risk, and that's good for children

We are currently in the midst of a youth . In 2023 in England, a fifth of children aged 8 to 16 had a .

One way to address children's well-being is through letting them take part in outdoor risky play.

When climbing trees, building dens, riding a bike fast, constructing rafts to float on water, or exploring a woodland, children make their own decisions on which risks to take and which to avoid. This to be decisive and independent in other situations, such as in their transition to secondary school, rather than relying on adult prompting or direction.

to uncertainty and risk builds resilience and enhances overall well-being in young people. In with 622 teenagers, we used questionnaires to measure their resilience and well-being before and after taking part in an outdoor adventure education residential trip. We found that their scores for well-being increased by 23%, their resilience by 36%.

supports experimentation and exploration. It helps children develop social skills such as turn-taking and cooperation, and so gives them tools to . It nurtures their curiosity. Children can be revitalized by being in nature, and by the adventurous uncertainty of playing without rules and restrictions.

Forest school and residential trips

One way children can play in this risky way with the support to build a with nature and risk is through regular attendance at a .

The forest school is a form of outdoor education where hands-on learning takes place in a woodland environment. It offers the chance for children to connect with nature, experience risk, build social skills and be active in their learning. This may such as cooking on a campfire, doing nature-based arts and crafts, or building a den. It can be a weekly activity that children take part in for a few hours.

Longer residential trips offer an extended opportunity to experience aspects of learning outdoors. These might be organized by a school or club, and include a variety of activities, such as orienteering, rock climbing, abseiling, and land and sea expeditions. These are aimed at developing leadership skills, resilience, . Children are challenged by exploring .

However, in , risky outdoor play needs to be frequent, progressive and to take place throughout a child's education. The benefits it provides cannot be achieved with a one-time forest school or residential experience.

One option would be to make forest school and outdoor play a regular part of children's school education.

But the current schooling system in the UK and—in England—the do not support the holistic development of children. A school's worth is primarily measured by attendance and attainment in a limited number of core subjects. Few opportunities exist for schools to implement a range of activities that purposefully boost and sustain learners' well-being and encourage risky play.

A shift in thinking is required for schools to recognize the worth of outdoor risky play, and for teachers to be empowered to embed the culture of educated risk-taking within and beyond their school gates.

There have been calls in the and governments for a universal entitlement to a weeklong residential trip. Campaigns in England have called for all children to be . But actual progress towards a goal of broadening opportunities for accessing outdoor activities and experiencing risky play is glacial.

At a point in time when children have faced unprecedented upheaval and threats to their well-being, it has never been more important to create daily opportunities for them to build their ability to deal with uncertainties. Experiencing the outdoors and positive risk-taking are fundamental to the everyday lives of all young people.