Hazards are dangerous things that a child cannot identify, make a judgement about, or see during their play. These are dangerous items such as broken glass, play equipment with broken or unstable design, or things such as loose nails sticking out. Because of the nature of these items, a child can not reasonably risk assess them, so it is up to adults to remove these before allowing a child to play in a particular space.

If a hazard exists in a play space that can’t be removed, then there needs to be measures in place to combat this. In areas such as adventure playgrounds, this is the job of the play workers. In these places the workers are required by law to make informed judgements about the hazards that children could be exposed to.

 

Risky play is a way to stimulate and challenge children when they are engaging with their environment and allow them to strengthen their abilities. Taking risks gives the opportunity to assess their own abilities and match them to the conditions of their environment.  For example, Are the branches strong enough so that I can climb higher? Can I jump from the swing into the sand pit? 

 

This kind of play leads to cognitive development and the enhancement of executive functioning. It also serves as a way to get children into outdoor spaces and to really analyze their environment. 

Vigilant care is also important for supporting risky play, and it is broken down into 3 stages: 

 Losing the exposure to risk has long lasting effects. There are many students in today's world who struggle when they aren't given specific directions and assignments, because they haven't properly mastered the skill of coping. This is dangerous and could lead to many problems. Life is full of risks, and learning how to deal with them at a young age is the best way to gain life-long coping skills.