Risky Play: The Importance of Risk and Challenge in Playground Design
Play is critical to childhood development, but not all play is equal. While traditional playgrounds with slides and swings develop opportunities for children to have fun, there is a growing recognition of the importance of risky play in playground design.
By incorporating calculated elements of risk and challenge, playgrounds can become spaces where kids learn resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills—traits they’ll carry well into adulthood.
But what exactly is risky play, and why is it essential for playground designers, educators, parents, and even local governments to consider incorporating it into public spaces? Let’s explore.
What is risky play?
Risky play refers to activities that allow children to test their physical boundaries and explore an element of danger while still in a controlled environment. Think climbing higher than usual, balancing on unstable surfaces, or taking greater leaps.
These activities aren’t random; they serve a developmental purpose. Risky play challenges kids to assess their capabilities, develop problem-solving skills, and build confidence in managing uncertainty. It’s the type of play where minor setbacks—like slipping off a climbing bar and landing on soft rubber surfaces—become valuable learning experiences.
Why do we gravitate to risky play that mirrors the "good old days"?
How we view the world is shaped by the environments we grow up in. As children, everything around us seemed like a potential playground, sparking creativity and imagination. We didn’t rely entirely on structured equipment or perfectly manicured spaces—instead, we redefined the world around us through the lens of adventure and exploration.
For example, if you grew up near a creek, chances are your ‘playground’ was made up of rocks , boulders, and logs. These natural elements weren’t just obstacles but challenges waiting to be conquered. Balancing on a fallen log or jumping from stone to stone became exciting, immersive games that connected you with the environment and sparked your sense of adventure.
Or perhaps your parents took you to work sites, construction yards, or visited farms. Stacks of hay became climbing walls. Long pieces of timber stretched across the ground became precarious balance beams. The rough, unpredictable, and imperfect spaces often became the most engaging playgrounds. They demanded creativity, bravery, and a recognition of risk—and we loved every moment.
This connection to ‘risky play’ is vital in childhood development. Children inherently seek risk in their play because it challenges their bodies and minds in new ways. When they test limits—balancing on unstable surfaces, climbing heights, or engaging in free-spirited exploration—they build confidence, resilience, and problem-solving skills. These moments are as much about physical mastery as they are about understanding boundaries and learning how to take measured risks.
Why is risk important in playground design?
Today, as adults designing playgrounds for the next generation, many find inspiration in these formative, unstructured experiences. There’s a recognition that play isn’t simply about brightly coloured plastic structures arranged in neat rows. Instead, it’s about creating opportunities for kids to engage with the world in ways that challenge, excite, and empower them—just like we did when we were growing up.
Modern playgrounds that reintroduce ‘risky play’ elements often include structures with uneven surfaces, climbing elements that require unpredictability, or open-ended spaces that invite free play with no single ‘right’ way to engage. These designs are more than just a nod to nostalgia—they’re a way to reintroduce the sense of wonder, exploration, and self-discovery that risky play brings.
But at their core, the appetite for risk remains constant. Whether navigating a creek, balancing on a plank of wood, or tackling a contemporary play structure, today’s children seek what we once sought as kids—a chance to push their limits, challenge their fears, and make joy-filled memories.
Modern design meets nostalgia
Over the years, many playgrounds have been designed with an overemphasis on safety, often to the detriment of a child’s developmental needs. While safety standards are vital to reduce the risk of serious injuries, overly sanitising play areas can rob children of growing opportunities.
Here’s why incorporating risk is necessary:
Life skills development – Risky play teaches children real-life skills like assessing danger, taking responsibility for their actions, and making decisions under pressure. These foundational skills become critical as they grow into independent adults.
Building resilience – Children who engage in play that challenges their limits learn how to handle failure, frustration, and perseverance. This builds emotional resilience and helps kids tackle problems in other parts of their lives
- Encouraging creativity and imagination – Risky playground elements—such as uneven climbing structures—foster creativity. Without highly prescribed “rules,” children can use their imagination to decide how to engage with the space.
- Physical activity and strength – Risky play often involves climbing, jumping, and balancing, encouraging children to develop strength, coordination, and balance. Active play sets the stage for a healthier lifestyle.
- Social interaction – These activities often require teamwork or negotiation, allowing kids to develop communication and social skills. For example, they might decide who will go first on a climbing wall or help each other balance on a beam.
What makes a good risky playground design?
Designing a playground that incorporates risk doesn’t mean eliminating safety measures—it’s about striking the right balance. Here are elements to consider when designing a great, risky playground:
Challenging climbing structures – Structures like rope bridges, rock walls, and suspended nets add height and unpredictability, encouraging kids to problem-solve their way to the top.
Open-ended spaces – Provide areas where kids can create their own challenges. For example, large flat surfaces or sand pit areas allow them to decide whether to jump, build, or run.
Varied heights and gradual challenges – Offering a mix of low-risk activities (like stepping stones) along with higher-risk challenges (like tall slides or climbing towers) ensures that kids of all ages and skill levels can find something beneficial in the space.
Soft landing zones – While the objective is to allow children to take risks, all activities should be surrounded by protective but forgiving materials such as soft fall mulch, rubber soft fall, or sand to minimise serious harm during falls.
Opportunities to experiment – Features that aren’t overly prescriptive—like movable logs, loose materials, or equipment that can be used in multiple ways—encourage children to manipulate their environment and decide how risky or challenging they’d like their game to be.
Risky playground design: a case in point
The Frew Park Arena Play Structure, recently featured in Contemporary Landscape Architecture: Masterpieces Around the World, is an excellent example of risky playground design. Complex in structure and monumental in scale, it towers over children’s heads, inducing a jaw-dropping, goosebump-inducing experience as they climb to new heights.
Inspired by the history of the grounds where the iconic Milton tennis stadium once stood and the architectural Deconstructivist movement, the grandstand is brought to life with large precast concrete panels of undulating heights and angles, suspended concrete slabs, angled steel struts, steel mesh tunnels and barriers, and angular folded roof canopies arranged in an arc to enclose a central lawn space.
Supplemented by tennis-themed play elements and street art, the Arena Play Structure offers players slides, climbing walls, swings, nets and ropes, hang-out spaces, and interactive spaces designed to fuel their imagination.
The challenging yet safe play environment contributes to the development of confident, resilient, and responsible young people. It creates a memorable experience with moments of excitement, humility, and critical thinking as users challenge their limits and discover their risk tolerance.
The role of educators, parents, and local governments
While playground designers can create spaces that encourage risky play, it’s the mindset of educators, parents, and local governments that ensures these spaces are used correctly.
For parents: Encourage your children to push their boundaries safely. Rather than saying, “Don’t climb too high,” try, “Make sure you’ve got a good grip.” This encourages independence and confidence while ensuring safety.
For educators: Advocate for more creative and challenging spaces in schools – and high schools as much as primary schools. Risky play complements classroom learning, allowing children to practice real-world problem-solving. It also gives young people more of an opportunity to use up that excess energy outside of the classroom to minimise disruptions and distractions in the classroom.
For local governments: Invest in playgrounds that prioritise developmental benefits. Risky play is not just about fun; it improves public health and builds communities where children can freely explore and grow.
The future of playground design includes risk.
Risky play isn’t just a trend; it’s a vital part of childhood development that deserves serious attention when designing playgrounds. By creating thoughtful spaces that incorporate controlled risk, playground designers, parents, educators, and governments can contribute to raising resilient, confident, and capable children.
The next time you visit a playground, don’t just see the swings—see a climbing wall, a secret fort, or a pirate ship waiting to be explored. Look for the moments when a child dares to try something new and walks away braver, stronger, and happier than before.
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