# Childcare Centre Allows Kids To Play Near Fire And Use Power Tools For Safety Awareness

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/family/kids/childcare-centre-allows-kids-to-play-near-fire-and-use-power-tools-for-safety-awareness/
- Published: 2017-07-26T15:00:29+10:00
- Author: Clare Whitfield

## _A childcare centre in NSW has allowed toddlers to play with fire and power tools to increase their safety awareness._

Most parents may not agree that letting your two-year-old play next to an open fire
or use power tools to build a play house could be the best way to learn about safety,
but the�Adamstown�Community Early Learning and Preschool believe that for children
to learn how to be safe, they must be exposed to�a kind of “risky play.”

Researchers at the University of Newcastle (UON) say that this kind of “risky play”
actually increases kids’�safety awareness�and nurtures their aversion to risk.

Associate Professor Linda Newman explained that allowing children to play with dangerous
things can actually help them learn how to protect themselves.

> “These days there’s a tendency for parents and guardians to�shelter children from
> risks�that past generations were readily exposed to,”�she said.�”Things like playing
> out in the street or climbing trees are often avoided, but these activities can
> be vital in shaping a child’s perception of the world and how they approach risk,
> ultimately building resilience in adulthood.”he said.

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A�nine-month study was done by�the Adamstown childcare centre and UON, which involved
60 children,�aged six months to five years, who were allowed to play near fire at
a safe distance, with their shoes on.�They�were introduced to tools, starting with
hammers and screwdrivers and then moving on to hacksaws and power tools, all under
supervision.

Girls and boys were encouraged equally to engage in the same risky play, doing things
like climbing and building. At the end of the program, the older children built 
a cubbyhouse themselves.

After the study, researchers saw interesting results for girls. They said that risky
play challenged gender stereotypes, which resulted in a more balanced curriculum
for boys and girls.

Associate Professor Newman explained that although the childcare centre encourages
risky play, it was always under appropriate supervision and with the correct teachings
in place.

> “By implementing risky play in a secure environment as part of early learning,
> we can ensure young children feel confident to engage with risk safely under supervision
> rather than on their own,” she�said.

Adamstown�Community Early Learning and Preschool�Centre Director�Kate Higginbottom
told�[Fairfax](http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/early-childhood-education-with-a-difference-teaches-toddlers-how-to-play-with-fire-20170719-gxeh4g.html)
�that�the centre’s philosophy was based on six principles researched by Norwegian
�Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter. They encourage children to play at great height; 
play at high speeds; play with dangerous tools; play near dangerous elements like
fire and water; engage in rough and tumble play; and experience getting lost and
not being watched by adults.

Source:�[Kidspot.com.au](http://www.kidspot.com.au/school/primary/learning-and-behaviour/nsw-childcare-centre-lets-toddlers-play-with-fire-and-power-tools)

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 Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

 Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical
home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney,
she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school 
age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience
in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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