The Give us a go! campaign research explored the benefits and challenges of enabling children to manage their own risks whilst playing.

In-depth research was carried out with children and young people. For the first time, play providers were consulted.

The opinion poll findings showed that children were facing serious restrictions to their opportunities for adventurous play. Half of children (51%) aged 7-12 years reported they were not allowed to climb a tree without adult supervision and half (49%) also reported that they had been stopped from climbing trees because it was considered to be too dangerous.

The research also found a change in the places where children and young people experienced adventurous and challenging play. As children, 70% of adults enjoyed most of their adventures in natural outdoor environments. This compared with only 29% of children today as both the space and the freedom to roam has dramatically declined in recent years. Today, children’s experiences of adventure are confined to designated areas such as playgrounds (56%), their homes (48%) or theme parks (44%).

A literature review collating published research relating to the theme is also available, and national opinion polls of both children and adults conducted by ICM.

Playday 2008 opinion poll summary [36KB]

Risk and play – a literature review – summary [20KB]

Risk and play – a literature review [432KB]

Give us a go – children and young people’s views on play and risk-taking [465KB]

Risk and play – play providers’ experience and views on adventurous play [1.8MB]