Balancing "rough play" and safety in the Early Years

Talk of risky play invites consideration of the extent to which students' involvement in such play may lead into unnecessary roughness. Safety is an unalienable principle in the teaching profession (OCT, 2013); however, ensuring that children are able to play but in such manner that no threat is posed to their health and wellbeing becomes an unrealistic endeavour. Danger, risk, and temptation to rough-house is a normal part of development, but how can educators construct a balance between the desire for rough play and the need for safety in the Early Years?

The concept of "rough play" is one that has emerged in the educational literature (Carlson, 2011). Distinct from fighting and other forms of physical aggression where one actor dominates another and thus is projected a power imbalance in the relationship, rough play is an appropriate developmental act that features fair and balanced communicate exchanges between and among actors. These exchanges include turn-taking, negotiating, compromising, adapting, and problem-solving, all in the name of forging deeper and more lasting friendships.

The long-term benefits of rough play include empathy among peers, insight into complex adult roles, increased muscular coordination, enhanced cognition, quicker decision-making abilities, and social discernment. Accordingly, rough-and-tumble play provides an adaptive, evolutionary function and serves to prepare children for future self-defense as they become informed about norms, protocols, and other implicit rules of social behaviour.

But rough-play is not an act limited to the interests of children, says psychiatrist Dr. Stuart Brown. Historically, such play has been a public good, a universal pledge held in trust among all sectors of society and arranged in common spaces, such as courtyards, parks, and lakes. The diminished exercise of play among and between all sectors of society is a worrisome trend as it heightens the likelihood of mental health issues and poorer abilities to respond to forms of distress.

Although the research provides evidence of the need for rough play, encouraging it and supporting children to develop corresponding friendship, coordination, and resiliency skills in the school environment requires some pedagogical planning, classroom management, and ongoing assessment practice. Some suggestions for this endeavour include:

a) Provide some explicit instruction on the performativity of rough play: show students what it is like to play-wrestle on the carpet in the comfort of pillows, cushions, or soft matting; provide reflection on what can occur through different types of rough play - the occurrence of "small problems," like being left out or having to wait a turn and how to resolve these and the development of "big problems," such as bruising, cuts, or fighting and how to avoid these and be proactive in their communication and decision-making; and give examples of how to safely play tag, crawl, jump, and bounce balls, for example, so that students are aware of the dangers and benefits of such play and what to do to effecitvely resolve an emergency should one arrive.

b) Designate areas of the indoor and outdoor environment (e.g., outdoor education) where children can pursue rough play: ensure that sharp corners, points, and fixings on furniture and equipment are sealed or warn away; furnish the area with thick matting, enabling students to land on soft cushioning and lessen the impact of the body hitting the floor, wall, or fixture; place clear and familiar signage with appropriate iconography designating rules or codes of conduct in the area; and ensure the area is well lit and maintained with clear lines of sight, so that all children are safely monitored and can follow their own movement without hindrance.

c) Check with school administration in advance and communicate with families about the role rough play can serve in advancing the curriculum and development of their children: co-build policies (e.g., rules for guiding behaviour) in the class and school to ensure that all educational stakeholders are in understanding about expressed goals, procedures, and consequences regarding rough play; document the evidence of rough-play and share its benefits with families through pictures, student expressions, and videos.