Child tries to climb on the obstacle course.
Children need proper encouragement, interaction, guidance and communication to develop fully. It is also important to allow children to have space, for example, when two children are having a conflict, or when a young child is trying to crawl down stairs by himself/herself. We see a potential risk here, therefore, it is common for adults to step in and offer some support. We should however, encourage adults to observe first and intervene only when necessary, allowing the children to resolve the issue themselves first.
Children learn to compromise, negotiate and sympathize with each other instead of only relying on adults to resolve any issue. Only by conquering the challenge by themselves will children learn how to control and balance their bodies, figuring out how to climb down safely, for instance. This independence will improve their problem solving skills and increase their confidence. At times, children might miss their opportunity to learn if adults provide assistance too soon. That’s why I propose that risk taking is beneficial for child development.
However, risk taking is very individual: every child and every situation are different, some children may need extra support, while some children prefer doing things alone. We take different actions based on reality.
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