Of course parents want to keep tweens and teens safe. Here’s why you should also encourage them to take risks

Parents may have heard of the dangers of being a “ helicopter parent ”.

Of hovering so close to their kids that they never get a chance to develop independence and resilience.

But avoiding this is easier said than done, especially when most parents would agree their first job is to keep their kids safe.

As children grow older, into late primary and early high school years, this managing risks becomes even more difficult, as children want to push boundaries and develop their independence.

Our new report looks specifically at play and the 9-15 years group to explain what healthy risks are and how to encourage your child to take them.

Why do kids need risk in their lives Young people need opportunities to experience healthy risks as they grow and develop.

Children and young adolescents naturally seek out risk taking as a way of developing and defining themselves.

Adolescence marks a sharp neurobiological shift , during which sensitivity to rewards peaks, sensation-seeking intensifies, but impulse control remains immature.

Research tell us adventure and positive risk-taking help cultivate executive function (which includes planning and working memory), emotional regulation, confidence, resilience and social competence.

This is achieved by focusing on challenging activities that both test and stretch a young person’s comfort zones, developing tenacity, inner strength and different pathways in the brain.

If adolescents don’t get healthy opportunities to experience uncertainty and challenge, research suggests they can seek other outlets for risk taking .

This can be in in harmful, reckless, or antisocial behaviours .

So what is ‘risky play’? Risky play is not unsafe play – despite what some people might think.

Researchers understand “risky play” to be adventurous, challenging and uncertainty-based activities that offer developmental benefits .