Risks 'should be explored in outdoor play activities'
08/06/2010 Children should be encouraged to take more risks when participating in organised outdoor play activities, new guidance suggests.
The recommendations, published by the Children's Commissioner and the Scottish Institute for Residential Childcare, said that the current culture was leading to "cotton wool kids" who are not being permitted to take appropriate risks.
This lack of outdoor play activities and risk taking is having a negative effect on child development, Tam Baillie, Scotland's commissioner for children and young people argued.
"How can a child learn to prevent or avoid accidents, and become wiser in the process, if they're not given the chance to take risks and put their learning into practice?" Mr Baillie said.
He said that risk assessment forms were the "main block to spontaneity and normality in activities".
The target audience for the new guidance is childcare professionals, such as teachers and residential carers.
However, exercising outdoors is also a great thing for families to do together.
Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis said recently that families should get the message that they need to be more active to help cut childhood obesity levels.
The recommendations, published by the Children's Commissioner and the Scottish Institute for Residential Childcare, said that the current culture was leading to "cotton wool kids" who are not being permitted to take appropriate risks.
This lack of outdoor play activities and risk taking is having a negative effect on child development, Tam Baillie, Scotland's commissioner for children and young people argued.
"How can a child learn to prevent or avoid accidents, and become wiser in the process, if they're not given the chance to take risks and put their learning into practice?" Mr Baillie said.
He said that risk assessment forms were the "main block to spontaneity and normality in activities".
The target audience for the new guidance is childcare professionals, such as teachers and residential carers.
However, exercising outdoors is also a great thing for families to do together.
Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis said recently that families should get the message that they need to be more active to help cut childhood obesity levels.
