What is Risky Play and Why Does It Matter?

Parents often wonder how much freedom to give their child when it comes to climbing, running, and jumping. While it is natural to worry about safety, shielding children from all risk can actually hinder their development.

Risky play—activities that involve an element of challenge or uncertainty—helps children build physical strength, coordination, problem-solving skills, and emotional resilience. Research suggests that avoiding these experiences can lead to increased anxiety, reduced physical confidence, and lower resilience later in life. Instead of eliminating risk, parents can provide developmentally appropriate challenges that allow children to test their limits safely.

Risky Play by Age: What’s Developmentally Appropriate?

Each stage of early childhood presents new opportunities for risk-taking in safe, manageable ways.

Infants (0–12 months): Early Movement and Coordination

Babies begin taking small risks the moment they start exploring their environment—pulling up to stand, reaching for objects just out of grasp, or crawling over uneven surfaces. These activities strengthen muscles and improve balance.

How to support:

• Let babies crawl on different surfaces like grass, carpet, or sand to enhance sensory and motor development.

• Allow them to pull up on furniture and practice cruising rather than always offering a hand.

• Expect minor slips and stumbles—these build essential reflexes.

Toddlers (1–3 years): Testing Physical Limits

Toddlers naturally seek out new challenges, whether climbing onto furniture, walking up and down stairs, or jumping off low surfaces. These experiences teach them body awareness and self-confidence.

How to support:

• Provide sturdy, low structures for climbing, such as small steps or play equipment.

• Let them walk on different surfaces—ramps, pebbles, grass—rather than always sticking to flat ground.

• Encourage them to evaluate their own limits: “Does that feel steady?” or “How will you get down?”

Preschoolers (3–5 years): Mastering Skills and Managing Fear

Preschoolers actively seek bigger challenges, such as climbing higher, balancing on narrow beams, or engaging in rough-and-tumble play. These experiences help develop risk assessment skills, resilience, and social awareness.

How to support:

• Encourage climbing on age-appropriate playground structures and allow them to figure out their own routes.

• Let them jump off slightly higher surfaces, such as a low bench, to develop safe landing skills.

• Support supervised rough-and-tumble play, which builds coordination and emotional regulation (Sandseter, 2007).

The Long-Term Benefits of Risky Play

By allowing children to engage in safe risk-taking, parents help them build confidence, problem-solving abilities, and resilience. These skills extend far beyond the playground, shaping their ability to navigate challenges throughout life.