Governors Island Playground Promotes Risky Play
A New York City nonprofit teaches children and parents the value of independent play through tool-based construction.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Child Care
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The Yard, a 20,000-square-foot playground on Governors Island, encourages children to build structures and develop self-trust through supervised risk-based play. Since 2016, the facility has provided a unique space for kids to experiment with tools and build forts.
Why it matters
The organization aims to foster resilience in children by allowing them to navigate their own physical environment with minimal intervention. This approach is now expanding into local classrooms to change how educators and parents perceive childhood risks.
The Yard occupies a 20,000-square-foot footprint on Governors Island and has served over 100,000 children. The program currently partners with six public elementary schools across New York City.
The players
play:groundNYC
This nonprofit organization operates recreational spaces and educational programs focused on child-led play.
Steph Skaff
She serves as the executive director of play:groundNYC and manages the organization's efforts to implement risk-based play.
The details
Playworkers at The Yard supervise activities while allowing children to build structures like 8-foot-tall forts using real tools. Through new family workshops, parents are guided to reflect on their own childhood memories of unsupervised play to better support their children's independence.
Timeline
The Yard playground opened on Governors Island in 2016.
The nonprofit introduced family workshops for parents in 2025.
Culture Shift
This initiative mirrors the growing risk-based play movement in urban education, which advocates for reducing adult intervention during recess. It marks a departure from traditional, heavily structured playground environments by prioritizing self-trust over standardized supervision.
New York City families can access the Governors Island space to allow children to build structures and engage in free play. Parents can also participate in workshops that help them adjust their own levels of supervision at home.
The takeaway
Parents can help children build resilience by occasionally stepping back to let them navigate challenges independently. Encouraging children to manage small risks during play fosters the self-trust needed for personal growth.
Further reading
For more on local initiatives for families, visit the Child Care section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Christian Science Monitor.
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Should schools and playgrounds allow children more freedom to take physical risks during play?
