a place for childhood

A barrier to risky play is the fear that it is unsafe, and it can be if the children are not guided through the process: given an introduction and time to explore the tools, guided through safety measures when working with them and provided (and reminded) of the expectations when they are in use. 

But the most important part of the process is establishing confidence in the child's ability to do hard things, and we do this by  trusting the child to meet the expectations even when they are high.

We don't have a daily schedule. It isn't a requirement because  children are masters of the 'now time' and aren't concerned with what they are doing 3 hours down the line.  What children do require is a routine. This gives them a sense of security, and when it's built upon their interests. It also gives them a sense of agency over what is done with their very valuable now time and crew buy-in that follows is a natural result. 

Just because childhood is short doesn't mean we are obligated to rush through it. We can be deliberate about our pace, following the pace of the child. We can be intentional with our presence in order to find the richness and magic hiding in plain sight. And we can be thoughtful in carving out time for creativity, tinkering, and the other innovations that boredom brings.  Slow is the pace of a reflective practice.