Gever Tulley, founder of Tinkering School, discusses ‘dangerism,’ a term he’s coined for how our perception of danger deprives our kids of crucial learning experiences and opportunities for growth.
___
In regulating and restricting the world to make it safe for children, are we making it too safe? Are we denying kids experiences that may scuff them up and even bloody them a bit but will help them learn and grow? That’s the point Gever Tulley, author of 50 Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do), makes in this thought-provoking TEDx Midwest talk. His proposition: to deliberately create opportunities for children to recognize and mitigate risk.
The most effective way to keep children safe is to give them a little taste of danger.
Here are five examples:
1. Walk to school.
2. Climb trees.
3. Burn things with a magnifying glass.
4. Make a bomb in a bag.
5. Superglue your fingers together.
Photo—TEDx Talks/YouTube