Swinging into summer: 7 tips for having a positive impact on nature

This is part three of a three-part series on risk and risky play. Part one of this series touches on the basics of risky play in early childhood. Part two discusses how to seek out appropriate but challenging play opportunities in public play spaces, including playgrounds and museums. I recently sat down with Cheryl Strayed, the ultimate adventure mama and author of the book Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. I may have fangirled a little, but I also got to ask her how she has been able to foster a sense of adventure, calculated risk, and independence in her two children, now 14 and 15. Strayed related how her children convinced her to let them go paragliding during a family trip to France when they were only eight and nine years old. The clincher was when her son said: "I don't want to be the kind of person who doesn't do things just because they scare me." As a mother, she was blown away by his wisdom, and she came to realize that this was a lesson she had taught her children, bit by bit, since they were tiny. Proactive Communication as a Teaching Tool When I asked Strayed how she managed to impart a sense of bravery and adventure in her children, she emphasized not only parental example but also communication. For instance, when young kids want to learn to ride a skateboard or a scooter, that's the time to talk to them about taking precautions, such as always wearing a helmet. She also said that she thinks ahead and makes a point to initiate discussions that don't necessarily come up organically. Melissa Gula, manager of family and children's programs at Denver Botanic Gardens, agrees. For young children, she gives the example of throwing rocks. When no one is in the line of fire, it's probably OK for a kid to throw small rocks into a stream. Another day, when the sun comes out and all of a sudden every kid in the neighborhood is wading in the stream, it's a different story. Collaborative Boundary-setting to Teach Situational Awareness Instead of abruptly changing the rules ("No throwing rocks today"), try asking the child whether it would be a good idea to throw rocks today, and why or why not. Bonus points if you remember to have this conversation before the rock-throwing starts. Even very young children can quickly see that the circumstances have changed and that now, people might get hurt. What's immediately apparent to you may not be obvious someone with so little life experience, though, which is why it's good for parents to initiate the discussion ahead of time. The goal of this type of conversation is to get kids thinking about what could happen as well as what steps they can take to protect themselves and other people. This helps children develop good judgment and learn to assess risk in various situations. From there, they will (eventually) be able to identify when it's a good time to "be brave" and push out of their comfort zones and when it's a good time to pass on an activity. When your communication about risky situations stops at "be careful" or "get down before you hurt yourself," you're missing an opportunity. This kind of absolute limit (when there's no immediate danger) doesn't help children flex their good judgment muscles. Healthy Risk-taking in Middle Childhood and Beyond So, what's the long-term outcome of all of this risky play guiding and communicating in early childhood? Researchers tell us that appropriate opportunities for play give children space to develop "physical competence and enjoyment of the outdoors, understand and make sense of their world, [and] interact with others," among other benefits. But what does that look like in the real world? For Strayed's children, now in their teens, growing up with room to take risks has translated into knowing themselves better and having more confidence to pursue their interests and passions. She told me that her son, who was in 9th grade at the time, jumped at the chance to go across the country for a week-long creative writing intensive on a college campus he had never visited before. What struck her was the immediacy of his decision and that, unlike a lot of kids his age, he didn't say, "I'll go if I can find a friend to go with me." She's convinced that his choice wasn't impulsive, either. He wanted to go because he knows himself and his interests, and he doesn't hesitate to try new things just because they're new and unknown. ******************* Raising brave, adventurous children is easier in the company of other families on the same path. Connect with local families and caregivers who are also navigating the outdoors with young children. Learn more about Hike it Baby membership options and join our supportive community today! About The Author Sarita Li Johnson believes in unstructured play, inquiry-based learning, and road tripping as much as possible. You will often find her and her two roadschooling children somewhere between Denver, Colorado, and Morro Bay, California. Follow along on Instagram @thelandlockedmama.             The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and not necessarily the opinions, thoughts, or recommendations of Hike it Baby. Image courtesy of Jessica Human. About Hike it Baby Hike it Baby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to getting families outdoors and on trails across the U.S. and internationally, supporting, educating and inspiring families through their more than 300 communities across North America. Since its grassroots inception in 2013 in Portland, Oregon, Hike it Baby is now a growing community of 270,000 families and 500 volunteer branch ambassadors hosting more than 1,600 hikes per month. More information, as well as daily hike schedules, can be found at HikeitBaby.com, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.   Editors Note:   We hope you enjoyed reading this article from Hike it Baby. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you.   But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.

This is part two of a three-part series on risk-taking and risky play. Part one of this series touches on the basics of risky play in early childhood. Part three will discuss the long-term benefits of letting young children push their own boundaries. When you feel like you're the only parent on the playground who isn't hovering over a child, it's easy to feel self-conscious and worry about what the other parents think. "Do I look like a bad parent?" "Is anyone else's kid climbing up things or leaping off of things?" "Are people giving me the stink eye?" How Early Childhood Teachers Prepare Children To Take Healthy Risks I spoke with Kelsey Elizabeth Carlson, who has a master's degree in education with a Montessori emphasis, about how to help your children choose adventures even in situations where doing so seems like an unpopular choice. Although Montessori education emphasizes "following the child," that is, the child's interests and intrinsic motivations, the resulting atmosphere is not a free-for-all. Instead, Carlson underscores the need for clear boundaries. When children have boundaries and know what to expect, they feel safe. She says that parents and caregivers should establish boundaries before play begins. For example: "You can play by the creek, but you can't go beyond these two trees." "You can play anywhere in the playground, but you have to stay inside the playground (no going into the parking lot or into the woods)."   Leverage Communication To Keep Children Safe on the Playground and Elsewhere The communication piece also comes into play when a child is in the middle of a challenging activity. For example, if a young child wants to climb a tree for the first time, it may be helpful to say, "When you go up, you'll have to come down." You can also ask children what the plan is for getting back down to encourage them to consider the risks for themselves. Avital Schrieber Levy, also known as The Parenting Junkie, puts it very well when she asks adults to imagine driving a car. Just as you are about to merge into traffic, change lanes, or make a turn, the person in your passenger seat yells: "BE CAREFUL!" Would that be helpful? Probably not, although it does happen sometimes. Instead of doing something similar to your children when they're focusing on a challenging bit of play, Schrieber Levy suggests giving them helpful information. Back to the driving example: What if your passenger in that situation simply said: "There's a vehicle coming up in your blind spot"? That would be helpful to you as a driver. Similarly, giving your child helpful information, such as "that grass is wet" or "that boulder is wobbly," may help them continue playing in a safe way. Other public play spaces, like those at children's museums and zoos, can be full of adult peer pressure just like playgrounds. You may realize that these spaces are designed with exploration in mind. Still, you may be unsure about the specific rules and behavior expectations in a given space. A big part of designing early childhood spaces is preparing the environment, and a children's garden is no different. It is a play space, not a "keep off the grass" space. People who design outdoor play spaces for children have to prevent hazardous conditions, but they don't try to remove all risk in the space. As the organization Play England explains in its position statement on managing risk in play, these spaces are designed to be as safe as necessary for children to freely play there, but not necessarily as safe as possible. One way designers accomplish this is by ensuring that inherent risks, such as falling from a modest height, are easy for a child to notice and recognize. On the other hand, play space designers work to eliminate invisible hazards, such as opportunities for little fingers to get pinched. Learn To Read Environmental Cues to Guide Risk-Taking Activity Look for cues in the environment to help you guide your children. For example, inside the children's garden at Denver Botanic Gardens in Colorado, there is a small, seasonal creek. Beside the creek are several boulders that children love to climb. The tallest one peaks at least six feet off the ground. You won't see any signs saying not to climb these boulders. However, a rock wall further down the path does have an obvious sign that says both "Do not climb" and "Steep cliff." Take a cue from signs like this one and initiate a discussion about situational awareness, and why it might be OK to climb one set of rocks but not another. In all play situations, a big part of keeping children safe is trusting them to know their own limits and to explore within given boundaries. As long as the environment is not too hazardous, try giving your little ones more room to explore and take some healthy risks. ******************* Getting your children outside on a regular basis is easier when you have like-minded people to go with you. Connect with a group of local parents and caregivers who get it. Learn more about Hike it Baby's mission and how you can get involved. About the Author Sarita Li Johnson believes in unstructured play, inquiry-based learning, and road tripping as much as possible. You will often find her and her two roadschooling children somewhere between Denver, Colorado, and Morro Bay, California. Follow along on Instagram @thelandlockedmama.           The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and not necessarily the opinions, thoughts, or recommendations of Hike it Baby. Image courtesy of Jessica Campbell. About Hike it Baby Hike it Baby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to getting families outdoors and on trails across the U.S. and internationally, supporting, educating and inspiring families through their more than 300 communities across North America. Since its grassroots inception in 2013 in Portland, Oregon, Hike it Baby is now a growing community of 270,000 families and 500 volunteer branch ambassadors hosting more than 1,600 hikes per month. More information, as well as daily hike schedules, can be found at HikeitBaby.com, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.     Editors Note: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from Hike it Baby. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you.   But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.