Adventurous playground for children. Is that all justified!?

Compared to a few decades ago, children today play outside less often, less often without adult supervision, and the way children play is more often 'stripped of risks', so that the 'adventure' element disappears.

This is worrying because studies highlight the importance of adventure play – including the risks associated with it – for children's physical, social and socio-emotional development. The change in play behavior has several causes, including changes in the time period within which children can play, spatial changes and changes in the cultural normative climate regarding children's education.

Parents play a key role in this. In many European countries, organizations that promote the interests of the (playing) child are trying to 'turn the tide', put the theme on the agenda and create a change in thinking. In Flanders, the play coalition 'Goe Gespeeld!' is taking the lead. However, this network of organizations needs tools to communicate more specifically and effectively with parents (but also policymakers and other stakeholders) about the importance of adventurous play.

Our project responds to this question and (i) investigates how parents (of children between 6 and 12 years) generally view the risk-benefit ratio of adventurous play and (ii) develops tools that primarily support the network' Goe Gespeeld' and secondarily to help other stakeholders (local authorities, pedagogical training courses, etc.) better communicate about the importance of adventurous play.