The Importance of Supervision
The importance of a qualified and caring playground supervisor frequently goes unnoticed by everyone except children. You need to be a compassionate adult, often lending a friendly ear, as well as an administrator, enforcing the rules.
The primary job of a playground supervisor is to be concerned about the safety and welfare of the children that are in your care. How you choose to do your job may impact not only their safety but the value of their play. Through play, children grow and develop valuable skills that will carry them into the adult world. The work of a playground supervisor is to enhance play opportunities and restrict behaviors that prevent children from productive, safer play experiences. Along with participating in this seminar, supervisors should familiarize themselves with their school or agency’s playground-related policies, be trained in first aid, and participate in ongoing learning about best practices for playground supervision.
The Value of Play
In order to enhance the value of play, you must know how to positively support play in safer and more meaningful ways. Play has innate value for all children. As a playground supervisor, how you approach the supervision of the playground may impact children’s physical safety and the opportunities they may have to develop physically, cognitively, communicatively, emotionally, and socially. With diabetes, obesity, and social adjustment issues reaching epidemic proportions, playground supervisors can have a significant role in facilitating healthy, active outdoor play and learning. Through play, children:
- Learn about the world around them
- Develop physical skills
- Strengthen their bodies
- Mature socially and emotionally
- Learn cooperation and teamwork