SAFETY FIRST: Outdoor Education is as safe as necessary. Please read the Canadian Paediatric Society's post here: Position Statement on Outdoor Risky Play
RISK & GEAR
Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.
Edward Abby, author
A tree-tastic lesson including risk management.
Born to be Wild Why Teens take Risks, and How we can Keep them Safe by Jess P. Shatkin, MD, MPH
A colleague recommended this book. The author is an acclaimed adolescent psychiatrist and educator. The book brings more than two decades' worth of research and clinical experience to the subject.
Risk management is an important part of outdoor education. Many teachers shy away form teaching outdoors due to perceived risks. Please remember a hazard is not a risk, a hazard is a broken stair rail and that must be fixed. A risk is climbing a tree. However, anything involves a risk (even teaching indoors), but with a bit of pre planning outdoor education adds such growth for your students and you! I hope you will try this exciting pedagogy!
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Please click above to read the importance of including risky play in the development of children from the position statement on
Outdoor Risky Play from the Canadian Paediatric Society. From this statement risky play is not:
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Ignoring evidence-based and mandated safety measures (e.g., the use of helmets, car seats, life jackets, stair safety gates)
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Leaving children unsupervised in potentially hazardous situations (e.g., street play in traffic areas)
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Pushing children to take risks beyond their own comfort level.
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Letting children do whatever they want
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Ignoring children
The benefits from this position statement found the influence of nature and outdoor play on children’s health created positive relationships with physical activity, well-being, and lowering perceived stress.. Click the tree for a lesson I prepared to show how to write a lesson you could give to your administration to explain the risks have been considered and a plan is in place. ​
Outdoor Play Canada developed: Risk Benefit Assessment Outdoor Play: A Canadian tool kit. This document I often have referred to for reference and reassurance. It provides communication prompts you can use to guide your student when involved with risky play. Pormpts inlcude:
Stay focused on what you're doing.
What is your next move?
Do you feel safe there?
Does that branch feel strong and stable?
I'm here if you need me
What's your plan with that big stick?​​
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​Ellen Sandseter's 6 Categories of Risky Play
Sandseter is referred to as one of the world’s leading experts on the value of playground risk-taking. She is a professor at Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education in Norway. Please click on her name for her bio including more links to articles on risky play and a 2024 paper titled Children’s dynamic risk management – a comprehensive approach to children’s risk willingness, risk assessment, and risk handling.
The article, What is the Relationship between Risky Outdoor Play and Health in Children: A Systematic Review by Brussoni et al echoes Sandseter's categories of Risky Play. The Resources tab of this site cite's this article.
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​These categories are of interest to me for this website: Education: Outdoors because this is NOT what I am proposing for this site. I am proposing a school teacher taking students outside on the school grounds for a read aloud or an academic lesson. Keeping these categories in mind and the purpose of this site I hope that the categories showcase an element of reality of the amount of risk teaching a lesson on geometry outside (for example) can be. There is no great height, speed, dangerous tools or elements, etc. when using a protractor outside. Importantly even if you and your students were involved with risky play in any of these categories the systematic review concludes the health benefits to youth engaging in risky play outweigh the risks.
Gear List
To help with safety concerns here is a gear list I bring with me while teaching outdoors.
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Bandages
Baby wipes
Antiseptic spray (so I can clean any minor cut or scrap and put a bandage on until we are inside)
Tissue
Cel phone - administration and most teachers have my phone number and I have them
Advanced notice - administration has my schedule and knows where on the school property I will be
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Extra:
Bucket containers from a hardware store can be used to store items for the lesson. Students could each carry a bucket to the outdoor learning space then once emptied the bucket can be used as a seat for the student. One bucket per student is not necessary as some will not want a seat and others can have a turn with the bucket seat in the next lesson. I do not use the buckets because the school I work at has benches in the outdoor learning space. I use large shopping bags to hold any items for the lesson. Student enjoy carrying a bag to the outdoor classroom space.
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Materials List
I have learned to have some certain staples with me to help assist with a lesson or explore play.
Class set of pencils and markers or coloured pencil
A note pad for any assessment observations or impromptu group thoughts or poems
Magnifying glasses
Folkmanis puppets - I like when students just play organically with nature, but these puppets have been such a hit with the students I continue to bring them out. Note: I had to apply for a grant to have these puppets and they are not necessary for outdoor education.
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