Men in Childcare

02/06/2026

https://youtu.be/mwSq5ZspA1U?si=oeF7ycV0Q8JJmV63

We are breaking down local success and looking ahead to an incredib...

25/05/2026

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:
WINDY CITY DADS is always looking for members who would be interested in organizing meetups in your neck of the woods and helping us keep this group an active community... be it a Dads Night Out or Playgroup activity with the kids and/or Family Outing to grab a pizza, see a movie, go to zoo, etc. If interested, please contact Brian D***s via meetup messenger or by email
[email protected]

16/05/2026

16/05/2026

The Brain Benefits of Risky Play 🌿

When children climb, balance, leap, build, and test their limits, something incredible happens their brains grow right along with their confidence.

Risky play isn’t about danger. It’s about developmentally appropriate, supervised challenges that help children build the skills they need for life. These early experiences support resilience, focus, emotional regulation, and problem-solving in ways that worksheets simply can’t replicate.

Here’s what risky play builds in the early years:
🧠 Early Brain Development: When children make decisions, solve problems, and assess risk, they’re strengthening the building blocks of executive functioning.
⚡ Executive Functioning Skills: Balancing on a log, building a fort, or climbing a tree encourages planning, impulse control, flexible thinking, and working memory.
💛 Amygdala – Emotional Regulation: Feeling both fear and excitement in safe, supervised situations helps children learn to manage big emotions and build courage.
🎯 Prefrontal Cortex – Focus & Strategy: Children practise planning and recall as they navigate challenges—like choosing the safest foothold or mapping out the next move.
🌱 Physical, Social & Emotional Growth: Risky play strengthens coordination, builds core strength, nurtures independence, and supports cooperation with peers.

When we allow children to explore manageable risks, we’re not just keeping them active—we’re giving them space to grow confident, capable, and brave. Let them climb. Let them test. Let them try again.✨
Because risky play builds strong bodies and strong minds.