What Is a Junk Playground?
Child Development Experts Share How to Re-Create an Adventure Playground in Your Home
Are adventure playgrounds safe?
At first glance, you may look at an adventure playground and think, "Yeah, right! I'm not letting my kid anywhere near that junk pile," but the experts we spoke with pointed out just how important it is to expose children to these seemingly risky situations. Dr. Hadani shared that there is quite a bit of research proving the benefits of risky play, some of which even show that "engaging in risky play can actually reduce the risk of injury because children push their physical, cognitive, and social boundaries, but in the context of a relatively safe space."
On the opposite side of this coin are the dangers that can arise when we don't expose our children to risky play. According to Rolph, "When everything is padded and all risks are removed from a play environment, children get incorrect messages about what safety is (like for instance, that falling on the ground doesn't hurt) and their learning process isn't respected. Babies, toddlers, and children of all ages are capable of so much if we meet them at their developmental stage."
Of course, these activities are still done under your supervision and guidance while children learn, explore, and master new skills.
