Are adults’ perceptions of danger linked to children’s outdoor play experiences?

Details

Against a backdrop of generational declines in outdoor play and research showing geo-cultural differences in adults’ perceptions of outdoor play risks, the study explored how parents’ and practitioners’ perceptions of danger and benefit in risky outdoor play related to the outdoor play experiences of children aged 2–5 in Scotland. It also examined whether the relationship differed between parents and practitioners.

A contextually relevant picture-based survey asked 205 parents and 151 practitioners to rate six risky outdoor play scenarios for danger and benefits. The outcome was the number of outdoor play scenarios the children experienced. Ordinal logistic regression analyses included respondent age, respondents’ childhood experiences, child age, perceptions of road traffic, and the urbanicity of the home or practitioner setting.

Perceiving more dangers was generally associated with lower odds of children having play experiences, and this effect was consistent for parents and practitioners. When perceived benefits were included in the model, the effects of perceived danger were no longer statistically significant. The authors say this Scottish evidence supports context-specific interventions that promote the benefits of outdoor risky play.