What is the difference between a safety hazard and an appropriate risk? Explain why it is important to make this distinction when planning programs for young children

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Young children build skill and strength as they engage in activities that challenge their abilities. Learning to walk, climbing on playground structures, riding a bicycle and using scissors, knives, and other tools are skills that children can master with support from adults and with opportunities to practice. All involve a certain amount of risk. Risk is defined as exposure to the chance of injury or loss. While we want to protect children from injury, we know that children learn from challenging activities that require developmentally appropriate risk taking. Your role is to ensure that activities are well matched to children's skill and ability level.

It is also essential that you make certain that the environment is free of hazards.
A hazard–as differentiated from a risk–is a danger a child cannot anticipate or see and, therefore, cannot evaluate. A sharp table edge, a hot metal slide, a broken stair, and a balloon fragment are examples of hazards. Children do not have the experience to know that these things may be harmful. Consequently, you must protect children from hazards by promptly repairing or removing them. When this is not possible, be certain to block children's access to these dangers. As you make decisions about safety, protecting children from hazards, and which risks to allow, you will use your knowledge about children along with individual circumstances as guides for making appropriate choices.