Don’t be antsy about letting your kids get dirty and take risks in nature

Decades on from the invention of the term “cotton wool kids”, parents are again being urged to let even very young children push boundaries in nature.

Children need time in nature to explore and assess risks themselves, and should be allowed to fail, says Australian Institute of Family Studies research fellow Jasmine MacDonald, who also recommends parents avoid expressing anxiety or jumpiness about it.

Teddy, 3, plays among the plants with his mum Ash Smith at Little Farmers playgroup in Boneo.

Risk-averse language such as “slow down”, “be careful” and “not so high” can unintentionally instil fear in children, who need nature play for physical development and problem-solving, MacDonald says. Such warnings are used more often with girls than boys.

Ironically, given the importance of nature play, fear of not being a good parent is a factor holding adults back from giving young children freedom to take small risks outside.

“Most of the research is showing a key factor impacting whether kids are getting outside is pressure on parents to be a good parent who provides supervision of their child,” MacDonald said.

“Parents are really influenced by other parents; who they’re hanging out with, and what’s considered OK to let little children do.”

They are also cautious due to fears around accidents and injuries, exposure to allergens or diseases, sun exposure and insect bites.

“One of the things that keeps coming out in Australia is parents using climate as a reason not to have kids outside,” said MacDonald, who has produced an evidence-based practice guide for nature play, though the institute.

In February, national research by Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital found less than half of Australian children, 45 per cent, play outdoors most days, but 80 per cent of parents would like children to spend more time outdoors.

Time, safety concerns and weather are barriers, and one-third of parents say it is not good for play to involve risk and 61 per cent “often find playing with their child hard or boring”.

Young children directing their own play at Little Farmers playgroup.

MacDonald’s research noted one study showed parents struggle to know how to balance keeping children safe while letting them explore, and not hovering or “helicopter parenting”.

Nature play is defined as play that is freely chosen, child-led and includes interaction with natural elements such as trees, rocks, plants, dirt and water. MacDonald said large open spaces are not necessary to get its developmental benefits.

“It could be in a park, balancing and climbing on rocks, creating an obstacle course, or it could be in a backyard or even on a balcony and include natural materials – a box of sand, water, pot plants, sticks and leaves,” MacDonald said.

It was important to let children lead the play, though not to be completely hands-off: parents should think of themselves as “co-adventurers, and co-explorers: when you might usually give a direction or influence the way little ones are playing, take a beat and see what happens; you’re there for back-up and support”.

Danny Schwarz, chief executive of Playgroups Victoria, said not being in environments that are designed or able to be controlled by parents or carers promotes early-childhood development by forging neural pathways.

As well as being a building-block for learning, self-guided nature play has benefits for fine and gross motor skills. Lack of time was the main thing preventing parents doing more of it with children, he said.

Shelley Jones, who runs Little Farmers playgroups for children aged zero to four on her property at Boneo, on the Mornington Peninsula, said children enjoy being allowed to play in the earth and run their own adventure.

“We get dirty, we are gardening and have our hands in the soil, everything’s done with just us [adults and parents] watching,” said Jones. “We try to let our kids figure out what they want to do themselves.

Parents tell her that being able to explore nature has enhanced the curiosity of even their very young children. “One said to me, ‘this is the most I’ve seen my kid come out of his shell and connect with others’, and I think that’s because it’s so relaxed and we’re outside.”

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Key points

Language such as ‘slow down’ or ‘not too high’ can inadvertently instil fear in children.

Parental concerns about accidents and injuries, exposure to allergens or diseases, sun exposure and insect bites are reducing kids’ opportunities for nature play.

One third of parents think it is not good for play to involve risk, and just under two-thirds of parents often find playing with children hard or boring.