What power the children experienced.

They are building confidence and upper body strength. They are assessing risk, negotiating and managing it. These are necessary life skills, and what we want for our children.

Some of you are probably thinking, how dangerous! Remember we have been micromanaging children and not trusting them to figure things out! We want them to be confident problem solvers. We want them to know their limits and learn to manage risk.

Adults remain in proximity to the slide, monitoring, observing without interfering. The results of this exercise are fascinating. The children negotiate from the top and bottom of the slide. They talk, they move, they challenge themselves. There is no intention to hurt each other.

Some children are fearful since they have been in care with different “rules”. The freedom we witness is astounding.

Will you let the children climb the slide?