A comparative study of risky play in nature-based preschools in Turkey and Germany

This study aims to comparatively examine risky play in nature-based preschools in Turkey and Germany. In this scope, the purpose was to compare participants' approaches from different cultural backgrounds, identify similarities and differences in practices, and thus enhance the understanding of risky play. This research, designed as a cross-cultural study, was conducted as a multiple-case study, one of the qualitative research designs. For this purpose, one nature-based preschool from Turkey and one from Germany were selected using a purposive sampling method. The study included 14 parents, 4 educators, and 38 children from Turkey, and 11 parents, 3 educators, and 20 children from Germany as participants. Data were collected through interviews, participant and direct observations, documents, and visual materials. The data were collected in 20-day intervals during the autumn and winter seasons in Turkey and Germany and thus were completed in 40 days. During the data analysis process, within-case analyses and cross-case analyses were conducted with the MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2022 program. As a result of the research, four main themes have emerged: the play environment, children's risky play, educators' approaches, and parental approaches. Germany has been found to provide greater opportunities for risky play within its play environments. The findings suggest that visiting more spaces and implementing various arrangements within these spaces enhances the possibilities for play. Furthermore, it has been observed that German children engage in risky play more frequently and with greater variety. Play with high speed and play with great heights have been identified as the most commonly played types of risky play in both countries. The research has also concluded that ix children's engagement in risky play is influenced by the affordances of the environment, adult attitudes, and the amount of time allocated for free play. Regarding educators' approach to risky play, this study initially identified individual and environmental factors that influence play. Individual factors include the child's age, developmental level, readiness, gender, prior experiences, and personality, while the physical environment, adult attitudes, and culture were considered environmental factors. Furthermore, this research elucidated the roles of educators before, during, and after play. While the roles that German educators frequently use are organizing the environment and observing, it has been found that Turkish educators often provide materials to children and warn them during play. The examinations conducted in this study have revealed that parental approaches can create specific barriers to risky play. It has been observed that adult concerns, control, overly protective attitudes, and constraints related to space and time constitute inhibiting factors for risky play. Additionally, parents' emotional reactions and roles in risky play have been examined regarding their impact on risky play. According to the research findings, parents' anxiety is the most frequently experienced emotion during risky play. Regarding parental roles, it was observed that German parents often stopped or ended the play and provided explanations, whereas Turkish parents tend to issue warnings and withhold permission more frequently. These findings have been discussed in light of the existing literature, and recommendations have been provided accordingly.