Play is considered an integral part of every child's childhood. In the modern world, society is becoming more aware of the neglect of the importance of children's outdoor play because nowadays children spend most of their time playing indoors. In accordance with the environments and contexts in which children play, there is a simultaneous development of social, emotional, physical and cognitive abilities and a sense of freedom. Risky games are also considered an indispensable part of the adequate development of a child through which different experiences are gained. Educators play an important role in encouraging outdoor play in kindergartens. They provide stimulating environments that enable children to explore and progress in interactions with the environment. In addition, educators provide numerous natural materials, contents and carry out various outdoor activities. Playing outdoors increases the chances of children getting hurt, but through play that has elements of risk, children learn to overcome and avoid danger. In addition, there is the development of independence and the ability to make different decisions, which is considered extremely important for the overall development of children. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of how important outdoor play is and how it affects the overall development of children, and the emphasis in this paper is on the importance of the modern role of educators in outdoor play. The paper also presents examples of good practice of outdoor play and risky play based on the model of Scandinavian countries. The current state of kindergartens focused on outdoor education in the Republic of Croatia is also described.