Abstract
Parents act as significant agents in determining whether or not their children are able to take risks. However, there has been little literature which explores the role of parental variables that predict parents’ decisions as well as which types of risky play they are willing to tolerate relative to their parenting styles. Therefore, the aim of this study was twofold. First, to examine the association of children’s risky play with the parental variables of gender, employment status, education level, place of residence (i.e., urban/rural), and age of children. Second, to examine the types of risky play parents tolerate relative to their individual parenting styles. Through convenience sampling, 302 parents were selected to complete two questionnaires, including the Risky Play Attitude Scale and the Scale of Parenting Styles. This study found that the employment status and educational level of parents as well as ages of their children positively influenced parents’ attitudes towards risky play. Parents who worked outside the home, and those with a university degree expressed a more positive attitude towards children engaging in risky play. Additionally, overprotective parenting was a critical predictor of risky play, particularly for both low-risk and high-risk play. Furthermore, there remains a need for further understanding of what triggers parental fears along with better equipping parents with the necessary knowledge and skills regarding risky play.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Code availability
Not applicable.
References
Akcinar, B., & Baydar, N. (2011, July). Parental control and its behavioral consequences for Preschool Children in Turkey and in USA [Paper presentation]. 19th IACCP Regional Conference: Istanbul, Turkey.
Alat, Z., Akgümüs, O., & Cavali, D. (2012). Outdoor activities: Early childhood teachers’ beliefs and practices. Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 8(3), 47–62 https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/mersinefd/issue/17381/181484
Allin, L., West, A., & Curry, S. (2014). Mother and child constructions of risk in outdoor play. Leisure Studies, 33(6), 644–657. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2013.841746
Alparone, F. R., & Giuseppina-Pacilli, M. (2012). On children's independent mobility: The interplay of demographic, environmental, and psychosocial factors. Children's Geographies, 10(1), 109–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2011.638173
Ata-Doğan, S., & Boz, M. (2019). An investigation of pre-school teachers’ views and practices about pre-school outdoor play. İlköğretim Online, 18(2), 681–697. https://doi.org/10.17051/ilkonline.2019.562033
Bauer, M. E. E., Brussoni, M., & Giles, A. R. (2021). Rural mothers’ perspectives on keeping their children safe during outdoor play: ‘It’s hard to raise a child in a small community. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 22(3), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2021.1902827
Brussoni, M., Olsen, L. L., Creighton, G., & Oliffe, J. L. (2013). Heterosexual gender relations in and around childhood risk and safety. Qualitative Health Research, 23(10), 1388–1398. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732313505916
Brussoni, M., Gibbons, R., Gray, C., Ishikawa, T., Sandseter, E. B., Bienenstock, A., Chabot, G., Fuselli, P., Herrington, S., Janssen, I., Pickett, W., Power, M., Stanger, N., Sampson, M., & Tremblay, M. S. (2015). What is the relationship between risky outdoor play and health in children? A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(6), 6423–6454. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606423
Brussoni, M., Ishikawa, T., Han, C., Pike, I., Bundy, A., Faulkner, G., & Mâsse, L. C. (2018). Go play outside! Effects of a risk-reframing tool on mothers’ tolerance for, and parenting practices associated with, children’s risky play: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 19, 173. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-018-2552-4
Cevher-Kalburan, N. (2014). Preschool children’s opportunities and parents’ opinions regarding outdoor play. Journal of Studies on Social Policy, 32, 113–135. https://doi.org/10.21560/spcd.21616
Cevher-Kalburan, N., & Ivrendi, A. (2016). Risky play and parenting styles. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25, 355–356. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-015-0236-1
Christensen, P., & Mikkelsen, M. (2008). Jumping off and being careful: Children's strategies of risk management in everyday life. Sociology of Health & Illness, 30(1), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9566.2007.01046.x
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis behavioral analysis (2nd. Ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Di Norcia, A., Bombi, A. S., Cannoni, E., & Marano, G. (2018). Physical risk taking in preschoolers: A comparison between children’s and mothers’ perceptions. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(9), 3027–3036. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1115-3
Dodd, H. F., & Lester, K. J. (2021). Adventurous play as a mechanism for reducing risk for childhood anxiety: A conceptual model. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 24, 164–181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-020-00338-w
Erbay, F., & Durmuşoğlu Saltalı, N. (2012). The place of play in six-year-olds’ daily life and mothers’ play perception. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 13(2), 249–264.
Gill, T. (2007). No fear: Growing up in a risk averse society. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
Greenfield, C. (2004). Transcript: ‘Can run, play on bikes, jump the zoom slide, and play on the swings’: Exploring the value of outdoor play. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 29(2), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1177/183693910402900202
Güler, B. İ., & Demir, E. (2016). Opinions and perceptions of preschool teachers towards risky play. Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Özel Eğitim Dergisi, 17(02), 97–118. https://doi.org/10.21565/ozelegitimdergisi.246484
IBM Corp. (2015). SPSS for windows, version 23.0. IBM Corp.
Janssen, I. (2015). Hyper-parenting is negatively associated with physical activity among 7-12-year-olds. Preventive Medicine, 73, 55–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.01.015
Jayasuriya, A., Williams, M., Edwards, T., & Tandon, P. (2016). Parents’ perceptions of preschool activities: Exploring outdoor play. Early Education and Development, 27(7), 1004–1017. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2016.1156989
Jelleyman, C., McPhee, J., Brussoni, M., Bundy, A., & Duncan, S. (2019). A cross-sectional description of parental perceptions and practices related to risky play and independent mobility in children: The New Zealand state of play survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(2), 262. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16020262
Johnson, J. E., Christie, J. F., & Wardle, F. (2004). Play, development, and early education. Pearson.
Kagitcibasi, C. (2007). Family, self, and human development across cultures: Theory and applications (2nd ed.).
Karaca, N. H., & Aral, N. (2020). Investigation of the factors affecting parents' views on risky play of children. International Journal of Early Childhood Education Studies, 5(2), 86–92 http://ijeces.hku.edu.tr/tr/pub/issue/57016/775458
Kılınç, F. E., & Aral, N. (2016). Development of child rearing attitude scale: A validity and reliability study. Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 16(1), 199–222. https://doi.org/10.11616/basbed.vi.455800
Larson, L. R., Green, G. T., & Cordell, H. K. (2011). Children’s time outdoors: Results and implications of the national kids survey. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 29(2), 1–20.
Lavrysen, A., Bertrands, E., Leyssen, L., Smets, L., Vanderspikken, A., & Graef, P. D. (2015). Risky-play at school: Facilitating risk perception and competence in young children. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 25, 89–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2015.1102412
Little, H. (2010). Relationship between parents’ beliefs and their responses to children’s risk-taking behaviour during outdoor play. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 8(3), 315–330. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X10368587
Little, H. (2015). Mothers’ beliefs about risk and risk-taking in children’s outdoor play. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 15(1), 24–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2013.842178
Little, H., Sandseter, E. B. H., & Wyver, S. (2012). Early childhood teachers’ beliefs about children’s risky play in Australia and Norway. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 13(4), 300–316. https://doi.org/10.2304/ciec.2012.13.4.300
Little, H., & Wyver, S. (2008). Outdoor play: Does avoiding the risks reduce the benefits? Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 33(2), 33–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/183693910803300206
Mammen, G., Faulkner, G., Buliung, R., & Lay, J. (2012). Understanding the drive to escort: A cross-sectional analysis examining parental attitudes towards children’s school travel and independent mobility. BMC Public Health, 12(862). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-862
Marano, H. E., & Skenazy, L. (2011). Why parents should stop overprotecting kids and let them play: An interview with Hara Estroff Marano and Lenore Skenazy. American Journal of Play, 3(4), 423–442.
Mart, M. (2021). Parental perceptions of outdoor activities. International Journal of Progressive Education, 17(4), 358–372. https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2021.366.22
McFarland, L., & Laird, S. G. (2018). Parents’ and early childhood educators’ attitudes and practices in relation to children’s outdoor risky play. Early Childhood Education Journal, 46(2), 159–168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-017-0856-8
Morrongiello, B. A., Walpole, B., & McArthur, B. A. (2009). Brief report: Young children’s risk of unintentional injury: A comparison of mothers’ and fathers’ supervision beliefs and reported practices. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 34(10), 1063–1068. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsp011
Morrongiello, B. A., Zdzieborski, D., & Normand, J. (2010). Understanding gender differences in children's risk taking and injury: A comparison of mothers' and fathers' reactions to sons and daughters misbehaving in ways that lead to injury. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 31(4), 322–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2010.05.004
Muñoz-Galiano, I. M., Connor, J. D., Gómez-Ruano, M. A., & Torres-Luque, G. (2020). Influence of the parental educational level on physical activity in school children. Sustainability, 12(3920). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093920
Nacak, M., Yağmurlu, B., Dürgel, E., & Vijver, F. V. D. (2011). Parenting in metropole and Anatolia samples: The role of residence and education in beliefs and behaviors. Turkish Journal of Psychology, 26(67), 85–100 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/2785383
Niehues, A. N., Bundy, A., Broom, A., & Tranter, P. (2013a). Parents’ perceptions of risk and the influence on children’s everyday activities. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(3), 809–820. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9891-2
Niehues, A. N., Bundy, A., Broom, A., Tranter, P., Ragen, J., & Engelen, L. (2013b). Everyday uncertainties: Reframing perceptions of risk in outdoor free play. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 3(13), 223–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2013.798588
Obee, P., Sandseter, E. B. H., Gerlach, A., & Harper, N. J. (2021). Lessons learned from Norway on risky play in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Early Childhood Education Journal, 49(1), 99–109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-020-01044-6
Oliver, B. E., Nesbit, R. J., McCloy, R., Harvey, K., & Dodd, H. F. (2022). Parent perceived barriers and facilitators of children’s adventurous play in Britain: A framework analysis. BMC Public Health, 22(636). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13019-w
Page, A. S., Cooper, A. R., Griew, P., Davis, L., & Hillsdon, M. (2009). Independent mobility in relation to weekday and weekend physical activity in children aged 10-11 years: The PEACH project. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 6(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-6-2
Sando, O. J., Kleppe, R., & Sandseter, E. B. H. (2021). Risky play and children’s well-being, involvement and physical activity. Child Indicators Research, 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-021-09804-5
Sandseter, E. B. H. (2007). Categorizing risky play—How can we identify risk-taking in children's play? European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 15(2), 237–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/13502930701321733
Sandseter, E. B. H. (2009). Characteristics of risky play. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 9(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729670802702762
Sandseter, E. B. H., & Kennair, L. E. O. (2011). Children's risky play from an evolutionary perspective: The anti-phobic effects of thrilling experiences. Evolutionary Psychology, 9(2), 257–284. https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491100900212
Sandseter, E. B. H., Kleppe, R., & Sando, O. J. (2021). The prevalence of risky play in young children’s indoor and outdoor free play. Early Childhood Education Journal, 49, 303–312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-020-01074-0
Sicim-Sevim, B., & Bapoğlu-Dümenci, S. S. (2020). Exploring relationship between children’s perception of risky play and parents’ attitudes. Uluslararası Erken Çocukluk Eğitimi Çalışmaları Dergisi, 5(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.37754/652841.2020.511
Soori, H., & Bhopal, R. S. (2002). Parental permission for children’s independent outdoor activities: Implications for injury prevention. European Journal of Public Health, 12, 104–109. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/12.2.104
Susan, A. M., & Benedict, J. O. (1994). The effects of playground design on pretend play and divergent thinking. Environment and Behavior, 26(4), 560–579. https://doi.org/10.1177/001391659402600405
Sutton-Smith, B. (1997). The ambiguity of play. Harvard University Press.
Tandoğan, O. (2022). Risky play and adventure playground. Megaron, 17(2), 398–408. https://doi.org/10.14744/megaron.2022.63496
Tandon, P. S., Saelens, B. E., & Copeland, K. (2017). A comparison of parent and childcare provider’s attitudes and perceptions about preschoolers’ physical activity and outdoor time. Child: Care, Health and Development, 43(5), 679–686. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12429
Ünüvar, P., & Kanyılmaz, E. (2017). Developing risky game allowance scale for 4-6 years children. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 9(22), 510–523. https://doi.org/10.20875/makusobed.318028
Waddington, K. C., & Pearson, E. S. (2022). Parental perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to risky-play in preschool children. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research at Trent, 3(1), 104–123.
Wood, E. E., Kennison, S. M., & Jackson, G. C. (2019). The role of parenting style of single parents in young children’s risk-taking. Current Psychology: A Journal for Diverse Perspectives on Diverse Psychological Issues, 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00178-0
Yılmaz, H. (2020a). Helicopter parenting tendency and demographics of helicopter parents in Turkey. Sosyal Politika Çalışmaları Dergisi, 20(46), 133–160. https://doi.org/10.21560/spcd.v20i54504.540233
Yılmaz, S. (2020b). Preschool children’s preferences to take risks in outdoor play: Turkish sample. International Journal of Education Technology and Scientific Researches, 5(11), 580–595.
Yılmaz-Uysal, S., & Çıg, O. (2022). Adaptation of the tolerance of risk in play scale into Turkish: The study of validity and reliability. Marmara Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 55(55), 198–218. https://doi.org/10.15285/maruaebd.992823
Yagmurlu, B., & Altan, O. (2010). Maternal socialization and child temperament as predictors of emotion regulation in Turkish preschoolers. Infant and Child Development, 19, 275–296. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.646
Yalçın, F., & Tantekin Erden, F. (2018). Risky play in early childhood education: A risk worth taking. İlköğretim Online, 17(4), 1847–1860. https://doi.org/10.17051/ilkonline.2019.506862
Yurt, Ö., & Keleş, S. (2019). How about a risky play? Investigation of risk levels desired by children and perceived mother monitoring. Early Child Development and Care, 191(5), 749–759. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2019.1646740
Funding
The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Kadriye Akdemir and Çagla Banko-Bal collected the data, conducted the statistical analysis, wrote the manuscript draft and supervised data collection, wrote the first manuscript draft, and made a critical analysis of the final version of the manuscript. Serap Sevimli-Celik conceived the manuscript, approved the statistical analysis, revised the manuscript draft, and approved the final version of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.
Consent to participate
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Consent to publication
Informed consent of the participants was obtained for the publication of their data for academic purposes.
Conflict of interest
No potential competing interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Akdemir, K., Banko-Bal, Ç. & Sevimli-Celik, S. Giving Children permission for risky play: parental variables and parenting styles. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education 26, 289–306 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-023-00122-8
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-023-00122-8