STICKS AND STONES DON'T BREAK MY BONES

 

Understanding Terra Viva's Risky Play philosophy

by Andrea Lopez

Growing up in a small city in Colombia, my grandmother's house, surrounded by trees and mountains, until the age of 6, was my kindergarten.

I cannot recall any stringing rules. On the contrary, I was encouraged to go play and return for lunch, and then go back into the Forest for the afternoon. I used to come back filthy and stinky after a day of exciting adventures.

Since the age of 4, I was allowed to climb trees, build forts, make fire, be loud, and explore who I really was! 

Was I at risk? perhaps. However, I was privileged enough to live in a safe neighborhood that provided me and other children of my age with the opportunity to be "free and wild "

My experience cannot speak for other children who have grown up in different conditions or were a part of marginalized populations, where safety was simply not there.

My introduction provides an overview of who I was as a child and how my experiences positively impacted my later embrace of risky play in the choices I made as a teenager, adult, a mom and definitely as an Early Childhood Educator. 

It also gave me a solid foundation and inspiration for what I wanted to pursue in life, starting with my graduation thesis from Law school back in my home country. Focusing on war-displaced children and families, assisting them through recreational activities that included nature exploration and ecological education.  

Followed by pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies with an emphasis on Education.  In addition, the completion of my Montessori Diploma in Early Childhood Education and the development of a passion to teach about the natural world through the creation of my own Montessori and Forest school.

Terra Viva School was born from my dream to educate all children of the Niagara Region through an innovative and progressive method of education that blends the beauty of the Montessori principles with the fine balance of the Forest School experimental learning philosophy. 

How is risky play connected to nature and the Forest perspective?

Risks and injuries have always been considered a part of life. Until the turn of the mid-century, when primarily western societies grew concerned about making a safer society, especially the children, by minimizing or avoiding risks. 

There was a lot of effort to make safe policies that prevented children from moving, exploring, and discovering their surroundings.

Parents were afraid. For instance, the fear of children being kidnapped or taken away by a stranger, and the fear of waking from school to home alone or with friends due to safety concerns, made parents restrict the freedom of children.

Fear-based policies were implemented in all sectors, and children were no longer allowed to roam freely without the proper supervision or assistance of an adult.

Sadly, this younger generation has been robbed of their liberty to explore, climb, adventure, and dream. 

And they spend less time outdoors than their parents did (Susuki, The Nature of Things)

FEAR IS IN THE WAY!

The likelihood of a child getting kidnapped is 1 in 14 million-similar odds to winning a lottery. And according to later statistics, children would need to play "3 hours per day for 10 years before they were likely to get an injury that needed to be treated" (Susiki, The nature of Things)

Research shows that in our society, the chances of getting kidnapped by a stranger are minimal compared to the chances of getting severely injured in a regular performance of a sport such as soccer, baseball, gymnastics, etc.

And yet, we as parents are quick to sign up our children into these programs, but unable to allow them to walk around the neighbourhood, bike with friends, or go to the park and play independently, fearing they could get hurt or taken away.

Terra Viva's Risky Play 

Allowing children to take risks while playing will only help them to get the skills needed to be brave, strong, capable, independent and confident individuals.

Terra Viva Schools provide spaces, activities and time for Risky Play to happen.

Terra Viva's Nature play allows these youngsters to explore with their own senses and strengthen their decision-making in risky situations, such as climbing a tree, for example. 

This does not mean that risky play is unsupervised. It means we facilitate and provide guidance on how children want to play rather than being in the way, preventing them from making their own discoveries and realizations.

We allow children to hold sticks in their hands, providing the necessary guidance and instruction to swing them around.

In nature play, we allow rocks and stones. Children understand that rocks are never thrown at people or friends or animals or life in general.

We allow children to climb, and while we teach them how to fall! 

At Risky Play, we let them climb structures and get to know their boundaries.

We play near the fire, learn fire safety, and how to roast a perfect marshmallow!

We play near the water, a lake, or a creek.

We let them be filthy and dirty. 

We support rough and tumble play while we teach the difference between this childhood urge and violence!

Playing with and among logs, mud, boulders, crates, sticks, ropes, hills, trees, and water opens a world of possibilities for our students enrolled in our programs.

Let them be little!

With positive guidance and reinforcement, children learn to trust in their own intuition and bodies.

Risky play empowers children. 

Instead of saying "no" to risk, take 10 steps back and breathe and trust. Your child will realise his or her own limits and powers before you intervene.

How do I support risky play philosophy?

By getting out of the way! Embrace and trust!

Depending on age, encourage your child to play and explore with other children in the forest or any natural setting, and to walk or bike to school, a friend's house, or the convenience store. 

Support your children in climbing, running, jumping, and exploring in their surroundings

Risky play is fundamental to the well-being of the child.

Risky Play makes competent children, sure of themselves, and prepares them to be the "game changers" of the world.

My generation might have been called " The last children in the woods generation". 

But is it really?  

I am confident and determined; this generation shall not be the last.

And that is my promise as we continue to bring children to the natural way of life, as we expand this ideal. 

An ideal that flies with the wings of freedom in the clear sky of a new, better age!