A study has shown that encouraging children to take risks, be competitive and engage in rough and tumble play can help prevent childhood anxiety disorders. But, unfortunately, this type of play is more commonly experienced by young boys than girls.

The study, which was undertaken by the Macquarie University’s Centre for Emotional Health, the University of Amsterdam and the University of Reading, took place amongst parents of pre-school aged children in the Netherlands and Australia.

The report noted that fathers typically showed more competition with their sons, than their daughters.

Professor Jennie Hudson, a co-author of the study, said that “by gently encouraging their kids in a reasonable way to push their limits, parents could be helping to reduce their child’s risk of developing an anxiety disorder.”

Rough and tumble play is commonly understood as high energy play that can happen in collaboration or individually.

Previous research has shown, the rough nature of the play can mean that it is interpreted by parents as aggressive, and therefore “more likely to be discouraged in girls than boys”.

In a separate study undertaken by University of Newcastle it was found that rough play was something the girls also enjoyed. According to Professor Richard Fletcher, a co-author of the study, upon learning that daughters “liked rough-and-tumble play as much as their sons” the “dads were often pleasantly surprised”.

– Kate Bettes

Read more: Link Between Dads Who Treat Daughters Like Princesses and Anxiety

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