NSW Department of Education advisor supports planned approaches to risky play

Early learning teacher and advisor from the New South Wales Department of Education, Nicci McDowell, has shared her advice on risky play with over 500 participants from ECEC services across NSW during a roadshow event.

Held during the first week of the September Roadshow, her session explored core elements of risky play, answering questions like: 

• What is risky play?
• What are the benefits of risky play? and;
• How services can take a planned and supportive approach to risky play.

“This is an opportunity to critically reflect on risky play, the benefits to children and how to take a planned and supported approach in your own context,” she said.

Risky play involves “thrilling, exciting and physically challenging” activities like climbing, jumping, balancing or rough-and-tumble play.

“Risky play is not about children being pushed beyond their abilities or engaging in unsafe, reckless behaviour,” Ms McDowell clarified before exploring the National Quality Standards with attendees and highlighting that there are links to implementing risky play across all areas.

“When you look at the NQS it calls out that children have an opportunity to take risks in their play, something which is particularly evident in Quality 3 – “it is an expectation educators should be providing play-based learning, including risky play, starting with Standard 3.2,” she added.