Risk-taking in the Growing Years: Promoting Healthy Development

Whether it's deciding to join a group of friends for a game of UNO or overcoming the fear of heights to climb a rock wall, managing our fears and emotions is crucial. We must make decisions that involve intuition and protect ourselves from potential dangers. As parents, it's instinctual to ensure our children's safety and well-being. But where do we draw the line between letting them explore and holding them back? How can we keep them safe while encouraging them to take risks and learn about the world and themselves?

The Importance of Taking Risks

Are we becoming overly risk-averse and overprotective as parents? Teaching children to identify and manage risks is vital for their personal growth. By taking calculated risks, they learn to seize opportunities, express themselves confidently, and develop greater self-esteem (1). The potential rewards of well-considered risks often outweigh the potential consequences. Instead of preventing our children from taking risks, let's create opportunities for them to do so. This way, they can improve their risk assessment skills, learn safety management, grow in resilience, and become creative problem solvers. Encouraging healthy risk-taking supports their physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development, allowing them to test boundaries as they explore and learn.

Supporting Healthy Risk-Taking

Parents may have children who are overly cautious or those who fearlessly explore their surroundings. As influential role models, we can transmit both confidence and fear to our children when they engage in activities that appear challenging or dangerous. It is essential to evaluate safety hazards by considering the likelihood of serious injury, but also to focus on the benefits your children will gain from participating in the activity (2).

Acknowledging their Feelings and Plans

Acknowledge your child's feelings and plans related to taking risks in a particular setting:

"I can see that you're planning to walk into the river to retrieve your special rock that fell in..."

"It's normal to feel a little nervous about climbing the rope course after the last fall..."

Providing Advice and Guidance

Teach, suggest, or strategize a safe approach for taking the risk and achieving their goal together:

"We're not sure how deep the river is. How can we retrieve your special rock without getting into the water?"

"Would you like to try...?"

"Shall we start by navigating this rope course before attempting to climb it?"

"I always make sure to have both hands firmly gripping the rope before taking the next step up."

Encouraging and Celebrating

Cheer them on and encourage them to take that leap of faith! Your reassurance, companionship, and support will boost their confidence:

"You're doing great! I believe in you!"

"Look at how brave you are, trying something new!"

"You're becoming stronger and more confident. Look at how far you've climbed!"

Risk-taking in Play

Children need to take risks in the context of play to promote their learning and development (3). Camp Beaumont's multi-activity day camp programs provide a safe and supportive environment for children to enhance their skills, step out of their comfort zones, and reach new potentials. With experienced staff and carefully planned age-appropriate activities such as the Catwalk Challenge, Minute to Win It, Challenge the Circuit, Beat the Instructor, and various competitive sports and games, your children will learn new skills and grow in confidence. In this positive and safe community, where safeguarding and holistic wellness are prioritized, watch your children become resilient, independent, and confident risk-takers—a valuable lifelong skill.

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Additional Information and References 

1. https://www.psy-ed.com/wpblog/risk-taking-children/
2. https://early-education.org.uk/taking-risks-in-play/
3. https://theeducationhub.org.nz/promoting-childrens-risky-play-in-outdoor-learning-environments/
4. https://www.parenttoday.org/encouraging-risk-taking-in-your-kids/
5. https://www.brighthorizons.com/resources/Article/risk-taking-benefits-children