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Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children Course
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The Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children Course explores risky play, its developmental benefits and the practical management of outdoor play risks. Learners examine different types and levels of risk, potential hazards, balanced risk management and risk assessment. It is suitable for professionals responsible for children’s play, learning or outdoor environments who need to support beneficial challenge without exposing children to avoidable harm.
Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children Course Summary
Course Name: Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children Course
Duration: 1 Hour
Delivery: Online Training Course
Certificate Included: Instant Digital Certificate
Accreditation: CPD Accredited – 1 CPD Point
Suitable For: Early years practitioners, childcare professionals, childminders, playworkers, teachers, school staff, outdoor educators, local authority professionals and health and safety staff
Assessment: Online Multiple Choice Test
Access: Instant Access
Duration
1 hour
CPD Points
1
Last Updated:
30 Sep 2025
What is Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children training?
Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children training teaches professionals how to support children’s need for exploration, challenge and physical activity while managing significant risks appropriately.
The course examines what risky play means, why risk can have developmental value and how adults can distinguish beneficial challenge from hazards requiring control. Learners explore environments that encourage appropriate risk-taking, ways to involve children in their own safety and how supportive adult relationships influence children’s confidence.
It also explains how to carry out an outdoor play risk assessment and apply a balanced approach to risk management.
This reflects Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance, which states that the objective of play provision is not to eliminate all risk. Providers should weigh risks against benefits and focus on controlling significant risks while retaining the developmental benefits of play.
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Who Is This Course For?
The Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children Course is suitable for anyone responsible for planning, supervising, managing or assessing children’s outdoor play.
This includes nursery practitioners, early years educators, nursery managers, childminders, preschool staff, teaching assistants, teachers, school support staff, playworkers, holiday club staff, outdoor learning practitioners and forest-school-related staff.
It is also relevant to health and safety coordinators, facilities staff, local authority professionals and people responsible for parks, playgrounds, recreation facilities or other environments where children play.
The training is particularly useful for professionals who need to make proportionate decisions about climbing, balancing, running, exploring natural environments, using play equipment and other activities involving an appropriate degree of challenge.
Key Benefits
✓ Balance play benefits with safety
✓ Identify significant outdoor play risks
✓ Apply proportionate risk controls
✓ Conduct effective risk assessments
✓ Support appropriate child-led risk-taking
✓ Build confidence managing outdoor play
Course Modules
- Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children – Course Introduction
- What is Risky Play?
- Characteristics of Risky Play
- Types of Risky Play
- Why is Risk Important?
- Levels of Risk
- Why is a Balanced Approach Necessary?
- Benefits of Outdoor Risky Play
- Managed Risks
- What Are the Barriers to a Balanced Approach?
- What Does a Balanced Approach Look Like?
- What Are the Legal Requirements?
- Environments that Support Risk-taking in Play
- Managing Children’s Risk-taking in Play
- Potential Risks Linked to Outdoor Play
- Encouraging Children to take Responsibility for Their Safety
- Supporting Risk and Challenge through Adult Relationships
- How to Carry Out a Risk Assessment
- Encouraging Safe Risk-Taking
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Learning Outcomes
| Learner Outcome | Covered |
|---|---|
| Define risky play and recognise its key characteristics | ✓ |
| Identify different types of risky play | ✓ |
| Explain why appropriate risk and challenge can benefit children | ✓ |
| Distinguish between different levels of risk | ✓ |
| Explain why outdoor play requires a balanced approach to risk | ✓ |
| Identify developmental benefits associated with outdoor risky play | ✓ |
| Recognise barriers that can lead to unnecessarily restrictive play | ✓ |
| Identify characteristics of environments that support appropriate risk-taking | ✓ |
| Recognise potential hazards associated with outdoor play | ✓ |
| Apply proportionate approaches to managing outdoor play risks | ✓ |
| Explain how adults can support children to take responsibility for their safety | ✓ |
| Describe how adult relationships can support appropriate challenge | ✓ |
| Explain the key stages of carrying out an outdoor play risk assessment | ✓ |
| Apply the principles of managed and safe risk-taking to outdoor activities | ✓ |
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What Our Learners Say?
“Helped me distinguish between beneficial challenge and hazards that genuinely need controlling.”
Rachel M
Nursery Practitioner
“Very practical guidance for reviewing our garden activities and outdoor risk assessments.”
Daniel P
Early Years Manager
“Useful for understanding how children can experience challenge without removing every element of risk.”
Sophie T
Teaching Assistant
5.00/5 from 4+ learners
Why Is Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children training important?
Outdoor play supports children’s physical development, confidence, exploration and wellbeing. Current Department for Education guidance emphasises opportunities for children to be active and develop skills including balance, coordination, agility and spatial awareness through indoor and outdoor play.
Good practice does not mean removing every possible risk. Excessively restrictive environments can reduce opportunities for challenge and development. Conversely, unmanaged hazards can expose children to avoidable harm.
HSE therefore promotes a balanced approach: providers should consider both the benefits and risks of play, concentrate on significant risks and use proportionate controls.
This training helps staff make better-informed decisions, recognise genuine hazards, support appropriate risk-taking and demonstrate a considered approach to children’s safety.
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Is Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children training a legal requirement in the UK?
There is no general UK law stating that employees must complete a course specifically titled Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children.
However, organisations have legal responsibilities for health and safety and risk management. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to make suitable and sufficient assessments of relevant health and safety risks.
In England, registered early years providers must also comply with the current Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework. The framework sets standards designed to ensure children are kept healthy and safe, including requirements concerning risk assessment, premises, outdoor access and outings. The current EYFS frameworks took effect on 1 September 2026.
Training can therefore help organisations demonstrate that relevant staff have the knowledge needed to implement risk-management arrangements effectively.
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Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children training FAQ?
Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children – Course Introduction
Outdoor play and risk assessment training teaches practitioners how to identify and manage hazards while preserving the developmental benefits of challenging play. It covers risky play, different levels and types of risk, potential outdoor hazards, balanced decision-making, adult support and the process of carrying out a risk assessment.
Who needs Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children training?
The course is relevant to early years practitioners, nursery staff, childminders, teachers, teaching assistants, playworkers, outdoor educators and others responsible for children’s outdoor activities. It can also benefit managers, health and safety staff and professionals responsible for playgrounds, parks and recreational environments.
Is Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children training a legal requirement?
The specific training course is not itself a statutory requirement. However, employers and childcare providers have legal responsibilities relating to health, safety and risk management. Early years providers in England must also comply with the relevant requirements of the EYFS statutory framework. Appropriate training can help staff carry out these responsibilities competently.
Should all risks be removed from children’s outdoor play?
No. HSE guidance specifically supports a balanced approach. The aim is not to eliminate every risk but to weigh risks against the benefits children gain from play. Significant and unnecessary hazards should be controlled, while appropriate challenge can remain part of well-managed play opportunities.
How do you carry out a risk assessment for outdoor play?
A proportionate assessment considers the activity or environment, identifies significant hazards, considers who could be harmed and evaluates whether existing controls are adequate. Appropriate additional measures can then be introduced where necessary. In play provision, HSE supports considering risks and benefits together rather than automatically removing activities simply because they involve some risk.
How long does the Outdoor Play and Risk Assessment for Children Course take?
The course takes approximately one hour to complete and provides 1 CPD point. As an online course, learners can access the training remotely and complete the material before taking the end-of-course assessment.
How often should outdoor play risk assessment training be refreshed?
There is no universal statutory refresher interval specifically for outdoor play risk assessment training. Employers and providers should determine refresher training according to staff competence, responsibilities, organisational policy and changes in activities or environments. Refresher training may also be appropriate following an incident, significant change or identification of gaps in staff knowledge.
What is the difference between a hazard and beneficial risk in children's play?
A hazard is a potential source of harm that may need controlling, particularly where it provides no meaningful play benefit. Beneficial risk involves challenge or uncertainty that can contribute to children’s development, such as testing physical abilities. Effective play provision distinguishes between the two rather than treating every element of uncertainty as something that must be eliminated.
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