A GoPro look on how children aged 17–25 months assess and manage risk during free exploration in a varied natural environment

The purpose of the study is to generate more knowledge about how the youngest children assess and manage risk in play, as well as how they manage obstacles and uncertainty in a natural kindergarten environment. The study also looks at how adult intervention can affect the process. The research question is: How do seven children aged 17-25 months assess and manage risk during free exploration in a diverse and natural kindergarten environment?

The results show that children aged as young as 17-25 months are capable of assessing risks and navigating challenging terrain in a conscious manner. The children developed their own strategies to master risk, such as slowing down, observing the environment and adjusting their actions accordingly. The study also identified cases where adults took over the risk assessment, which inhibited the children’s learning process. The results support the importance of allowing children to explore challenging environments in order to develop their risk management capability.

The study used GoPro cameras mounted on the heads of seven toddlers in two kindergartens in Norway. The children explored a diverse natural area without adults instructing them. The data material was collected through the recordings and transcribed for analysis. In total, approximately 14 hours of video observations were collected, where the focus was on the children’s own initiatives and interaction with the environment. The method emphasised minimal adult intervention to allow the children to explore freely.

Tangen, S., Olsen, A., & Sandseter, E. B. H. (2022). A GoPro look on how children aged 17–25 months assess and manage risk during free exploration in a varied natural environment. Education Sciences, 12(5), 361.