Nature- the perfect environment for developing character-building risk-management skills

1. Children who are able to navigate their environment with ease, build a sense of self-confidence and self-awareness that will help them for the rest of their lives.

If you have or supervise children between the ages of 0-8 you can see a developing sense of self-preservation as they move around their environment and calculate how they will interact. This awareness of safety and hazards ranges from non-existent to overly- cautious; every child is different. Whether it's rolling in the direction of a dandelion or jumping off a fallen log, children need to be provided with opportunities to try things they want to in a safe environment in order to learn best.

2. When children have access to natural spaces they have access to a magical ever-changing world, perfect for testing their ideas and beginning to practice a super important skill- risk management.

Most outdoor areas have animals around so there is always the chance that children will get to interact with some sort of animal. In addition to this, the seasons determine the type of weather and gear needed to interact outdoors comfortably and brings more self-awareness development. These aspects make it so that you can never really have the same experience twice! The sooner your child has access to spaces where they need to pay attention the sooner they'll begin gauging their own safety and abilities.

3. Finding a balance between safety and risk for each child is the key.

The most important thing to remember when you're providing opportunities in an outdoor environment (or any environment really) is that each child has their own skills, abilities, and willingness to try new things, Our job as their teacher, parent, or guide is the help keep them safe while they explore and test their ideas. Get to know their individual skills and plan accordingly to help build one skill upon another until they've mastered what they need to.

4. "Pay Attention".

The phrase I think is most impactful and appropriate when helping children navigate and notice potential hazards in nature is "Pay attention". This statement reminds people to focus on what they're doing without giving too specific of directions. It allows the person to determine what they feel is most important to focus on. It's also important for a caregiver to evaluate the environment for safety concerns before and while children are in the area. Ultimately children should always be encouraged to pay attention to what they're doing when their behavior is risky. If you eliminate all risks or opportunities for risk-management management, children will never learn to deal with these types of situations throughout their lives.

Take calculated risks, pay attention, and the forest is the best place to play.