Somewhere along the way, a scraped knee stopped being Tuesday and became a liability. We lowered the climbers, rubberized the ground, moved the children indoors when it drizzled — and told ourselves this was love.
Canada's own researchers checked. Their national position statement says the quiet part in formal language: access to outdoor play with its risks is essential to healthy development. Children who never meet a climbable height never learn to read one. The skill that prevents the broken arm at nine is built on the wobbly log at three.
The principle the evidence landed on is the one your grandmother already knew: as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible. Remove the broken glass. Keep the height. The bruise is the tuition.
Read the research behind this take →Canada's own researchers checked. Their national position statement says the quiet part in formal language: access to outdoor play with its risks is essential to healthy development. Children who never meet a climbable height never learn to read one. The skill that prevents the broken arm at nine is built on the wobbly log at three.
The principle the evidence landed on is the one your grandmother already knew: as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible. Remove the broken glass. Keep the height. The bruise is the tuition.
Sources
- Tremblay et al., Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play (2015) — www.mdpi.com
Every claim above is drawn from the linked sources. This article is general information, not medical or legal advice — for concerns about an individual child, talk to your paediatrician or family doctor.
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