Are our schools TOO SAFE? Embracing risky play with Dr. Mariana Brussoni and Dr. Megan Zeni

→ What does recess look like if it is as safe as necessary but not as safe as possible? → What are the links between the decline of independent, risky play and the rise in student anxiety? → How do we distinguish between healthy 'rough-and-tumble’ play and actual aggression? Today’s Teachers on Fire are Dr. Mariana Brussoni and Dr. Megan Zeni, the authors of the recently published Embracing Risky Play at School: Getting Kids Outdoors to Explore, Learn, and Grow. Dr. Mariana Brussoni is a Professor within the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine and a scientist with British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, where she leads the Outside Play Lab. Her research reimagines how outdoor and risky play can be integrated into everyday life to help children thrive. Dr. Megan Zeni is a teacher consultant and researcher in the province of British Columbia. She has 3 decades of professional K-7 teaching experience in classrooms, outdoor classrooms, and school gardens. Megan supports just about anyone interested in building capacity for effective and sustainable implementation of risky play, school gardens, and outdoor classrooms in elementary schools. Learn more and follow her work at meganzeni.com. Timestamps from This Episode 0:00:00 - Welcoming Dr. Mariana Brussoni and Dr. Megan Zeni 2:00 - Distinguishing between RISKS and HAZARDS in the school environment 5:24 - As safe as necessary but not as safe as possible 7:14 - Surplus safety as a barrier to development 10:06 - The 17-second pause before intervening 12:42 - Links between the decline of risky play and the rise in student anxiety 18:35 - Creating 'Yes spaces' in our schools 27:02 - Healthy rough-and-tumble play vs actual aggression 30:19 - Items to add to a playground 35:22 - Going outdoors consistently beats occasional trips 38:16 - How and where to connect with the authors online Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at . Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at .

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Are our schools TOO SAFE? Embracing risky play with Dr. Mariana Brussoni and Dr. Megan Zeni is an episode from Teachers on Fire by Tim Cavey.

This episode is 00:40:14 long.

This episode was published on Mar 8, 2026.

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