Risky play is not a dirty word: A tool to measure benefit-risk in outdoor playgrounds and educational settings
Tracks
Wild Card
| Thursday, June 26, 2025 |
| 9:15 AM - 9:45 AM |
Details
Challenge, adventure and risky play have repeatedly been found to be learning environments that positively shape childhood wellbeing and development. Extant evidence-based research conveys the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional growth associated with risky play provision. However, understanding the interplay of risky play, injury and safety is more nuanced and complex. The goal of this presentation is to introduce a tool which allows educators, parents, health practitioners, urban planners playground designers and manufacturers to estimate both the benefit and risk of outdoor play and learning settings, such as playgrounds, adventure parks or risk-taking activities. One of the key challenges associated with societal risk appetite or risk tolerance, has been the inability to quantify the inherent benefits of risk-taking in playgrounds and educational settings. Historically, the assessment of ‘benefit-risk’ has been dominated by a zero tolerance of incidents either in the workplace and road safety settings. Against this backdrop, if playgrounds and outdoor learning settings are boring, children will go elsewhere to seek thrills and adventure; often manifested in antisocial behaviour. In 2023, ‘Benefit-risk’ was formally recognised in sport and recreation by the International Organisation for Standardisation, when it published ISO 4980:2023 Benefit-risk assessment for sport and recreational facilities, activities and equipment. ISO 4980:2023 is a departure from the traditional view of risk management, in that it presents a perspective of risk which is not limited to framing risk as negative—but rather—balances the calculation of positive benefits as well as the risks associated with the activity. Correspondingly, hazardous situations which have zero benefit should be eliminated or mitigated. The tool introduced in this presentation offers playground inspectors and educators the ability to measure and assess both the benefit and risk of outdoor playgrounds and educational settings where children play, learn and flourish.
Presenting on behalf of Professor David Eager, Fiona Robbe and Dr Lisa Sharwood.
Speaker
Tonia Gray
Senior Researcher, Centre for Educational Research
Western Sydney University
Risky play is not a dirty word: A tool to measure benefit-risk in outdoor playgrounds and educational settings
Biography
Professor Tonia Gray is a Senior Researcher in the Centre for Educational Research and School of Education (SoE), and a member of the World Leisure Centre for Excellence (WLCE), Western Sydney University, Australia. Tonia has been an educator for four decades and her multidisciplinary scholarship includes risk taking and nature-based learning for health and wellbeing. She also has a keen interest in the intersectional examination of gender leadership and climate justice. Tonia is the executive editor of the Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education and has a forthcoming book Gray. T., Sturges, M. & Barnes, J. (Eds). (2025). Risk and Outdoor Play: Listening and Responding to International Voices Part 1, Springer Nature. ISBN 978-981-96-5454-3. In 2014 Tonia received the prestigious Australian Award for University Teaching for excellence in outdoor experiential education and in 2019 received the Association of Experiential Education’s Distinguished Researcher of the Year. Tonia also was selected on the 2019 Homeward Bound Project a female-only expedition to Antarctica to investigate Climate Change.
Dr Helen Little
Senior Lecturer
Macquarie University
Risky play is not a dirty word: A tool to measure benefit-risk in outdoor playgrounds and educational settings
Biography
Dr Helen Little is a Senior Lecturer in early childhood education in the School of Education, Macquarie University where she teaches outdoor learning and child development. Prior to entering academia, she was an early childhood teacher with experience teaching in preschools and primary schools. Her research on risky play spans 20 years and has examined individual and contextual factors that influence children's experience of risky play and EC teachers' attitudes and pedagogy. Her current research interest is risky play for children under 3 years of age. Helen is currently on the editorial board for PlayRights, the publication of the International Play Association (IPA). She is an active member of both IPA and Play Australia promoting children's right to play. Helen has previously served as the Early Childhood Australia representative on the Standards Australia Committee for Playgrounds and Play Equipment.
