Research now shows that the increased friction of safety surfaces mayreduce cuts and bruises but increases the chance of long-bonefractures.
The "safe but boring" syndrome is also responsible for children lookingelsewhere for more exciting play opportunities - such as along railwaylines and river banks or on roads - but without understanding the realrisks.
It's in this context that there have been calls recently for play areasto be made as safe as necessary but not as safe as possible.
Parents and practitioners need to accept that children may injurethemselves.
The key is to minimise the seriousness of potential injuries. This canonly be achieved by enabling children to learn to manage, rather thancompletely avoid, physical risk.
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