Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Supervision Is More
Than Watching Children Play
Why is outdoor play so important for young children’s learning? What Heather Olsen,
are teachers’ supervisory responsibilities when children play and learn Donna Thompson,
outdoors? and Susan Hudson
What a perfect day to be outside! It is warm, the sun Why Outdoor Play Is Important
is shining, and there is a light breeze. A few children
are climbing on playground equipment. Some are dig-
Insights about children’s play from Montessori (1966),
ging in sand. A few laugh as they chase each other.
Four children are standing together, looking around.
Piaget (1962), Vygotsky (1978), and the Gesell Institute
of Human Development (2010) have contributed to
The two supervisors are sitting on a bench, the early childhood literature that clearly indicates that
drinking their morning coffee and planning their children learn and develop through play.
next science project. Inga, a 4-year-old, comes run-
ning and in a frightened voice says, “Pedro is hurt!” Play typically happens inside and outside the class-
room. The term recess has often been thought of as time
spent without any real purpose (Clements, 2000). The
Similar scenarios take place every day in early child- values of outdoor play are far more than giving children
hood programs around the world, and demonstrate why a break, or allowing them to run off steam or get fresh
careful supervision is so important for early childhood air. Research has shown that
professionals.
• outdoor play encourages children to
Early childhood programs strive to provide good-quality communicate, to express their feelings,
care and education as young children develop their to discover and investigate the world around
physical, emotional, social, and intellectual skills. In them (Guddemi, Jambor, & Moore, 1999),
order to provide children with positive, developmentally and that
appropriate learning opportunities, educators ensure the
safety and security of children, indoors and outdoors. • play is an important vehicle for developing
self-regulation, language, cognition, and
The outdoor learning environment is an important ele- social competence (NAEYC, 2008).
ment of the total care and education of young children.
Outdoor spaces can enhance curriculum, especially when The Alliance for Childhood (2010) is focusing its
teachers responsibly supervise children who are engaged advocacy efforts on creative play, which is disappear-
in unstructured play. Supervision is far more than just ing from childhood in the United States. Every child
assuring sufficient teacher/child ratios. The supervision deserves a chance to grow and learn in play-based early
practices explored in this article deal with two primary childhood programs. Educators are pressured by factors
issues: such as preparing children for academic tests and the
• preparation of the outdoor learning stress of meeting time limits due to the increase of shared
environment, and space and structured programming.
• watchful guidance of young children Teachers play a central role in children’s play (Wardle,
by educators 2008). Teachers spark children’s curiosity and support
healthy development so they can become lifelong
learners (Miller & Almon, 2009). as adults who are alert, are aware,
The interactions between teachers
and children are especially impor-
know the play rules, and intervene
when inappropriate behaviors occur
Three responsibilities of early
tant in “today’s media-saturated (Thompson, Hudson, & Olsen, childhood educators who supervise
world, where many children have 2007). Among the many factors that children’s outdoor play
not learned how to engage in rich constitute adequate supervision are 1. create an environment that
play of their own making and need a awareness of the children’s develop- empowers children to independently
teacher’s help creating it” (p. 53). mental stages, identifying any haz- pursue creative play
Children need to be involved ards present in the environment, and 2. enhance the quality of the play
with various kinds of play (motor/ recognition of the types of injury to experience by interacting with
which children may be susceptible children
physical play, social play, construc-
(Saluja, et al., 2004). 3. carefully observe to assure that
tive play, fantasy play, and games children play in appropriate and
with rules) because play is “the most safe ways
efficient, powerful, and productive
way to learn the information [and Children grow and
The American Academy of
skills] young children need” (Wardle,
2008).
learn in a safe, Pediatrics (AAP), the American
Because play is so important to engaging play Public Health Association (APHA),
and the National Resource Center
children’s development, teachers are
responsible for facilitating safe, ap-
environment. for Health and Safety in Child Care
(NRCHSCC) also recognize the
propriate learning experiences.
Children require the opportunity importance of supervision. In their
to grow, learn, and have enjoyable comprehensive health and safety
experiences in a safe play environ- standards they note
Questions to consider ment. Professionals who supervise Children like to test their skills and
about outdoor play children’s outdoor play have three abilities. This is particularly notice-
primary responsibilities, to able around playground equip-
• Why does supervision of young
children matter? • create an environment that ment. Even if the highest safety
• How can adults create dynamic empowers children to standards for playground layout,
outdoor learning environments to
independently pursue design, and surfacing are met, seri-
assure meaningful play experi- ous injuries can happen if children
ences? creative play,
are left unsupervised. (AAP, APHA,
• What level of supervision is needed • enhance the quality of & NRCHSCC, 2002, p. 59)
to ensure children’s safety?
the play experience by
• What adult behaviors are expected Supervision is more than having
during supervision? What adult interacting with children,
activities are not appropriate? and an adult present and making sure the
• How can adults interact with a child children are playing safely. Supervi-
• carefully observe to assure
or small group and also supervise sors in good-quality programs are
that children play in
other children? expected to enhance children’s devel-
appropriate and safe
opment by offering developmentally
ways.
appropriate materials and activities
Early childhood educators have that engage children. Educators
How Is Outdoor a legal and moral responsibility to provide a space that empowers
Play Best Supervised? keep children safe and provide them children to take ownership in their
with a good-quality learning envi- discoveries. These three factors are
The term supervision can be found ronment (National Association for necessary to implement high-quality
in any dictionary (e.g., to oversee, the Education of Young Children supervision practices:
direct) (Morehead, Morehead, & [NAEYC], 2005a). 1. Plan interesting, safe
Morehead, 1995). Supervision in the learning environments.
field of education has been defined
• swings
• climbing units
• open grass
• pretend play settings
• water/sand spaces
Outdoor play encourages children to communicate, to express their feelings, and to
• digging sites investigate the world around them. It is an important vehicle for developing
self-regulation, language, cognition, and social competence.
All staff members, especially those
who supervise children outdoors,
For instance, sand and water play instance, a large storybook cottage
should be part of the planning
are very common features in many may appear cute on the blueprint,
process to create the unstructured
programs. If sandboxes have less but may in fact be a hazardous
outdoor play environment. Obser-
than an inch of sand and a limited situation in the making for children
vant supervisors have insights into
number of tools (shovels, buckets, who can either hide in or behind
how children move and behave when
truck), children may have to wait a the structure. Thus, experienced
they explore. They understand how
long time for a turn and their explo- supervisors can bring a practical
mixing active and passive areas can
rations with the sand will be limited. perspective that focuses on safety to
create conflict and unsafe behavior.
Spaces such as sandboxes should any proposal.
Teachers’ understandings about how
have plenty of materials and equip-
children play on different pieces of
ment. Sand and water are meant Actively Supervise Children
equipment or use various manipula-
for groups of children to explore, Unstructured outdoor play areas
tive objects can be very beneficial
manipulate, and create. make it impossible to predict every
in setting up an effective outdoor
environment. Supervisors can easily point out move children will make. In this
concerns in playground design as article’s opening scenario, two super-
well, such as blind spots. For visors were present, but they were
not actively taking responsibility. supervised and will not be Program leaders may find it
Lack of supervision may well have exposed to hazardous play helpful to identify three types of
resulted in a serious injury. Three environments, yet will have supervision (van der Smissen, 1990).
practical components can result in the opportunity for free, • General supervision—
appropriate supervision in an early creative play” (p. 351). overseeing a group of young
childhood setting: children involved in play.
More detailed written supervision
1. Identify each supervisors’ guidelines are still needed to clarify For instance, there may be
responsibility the specific responsibilities of educa- several children playing in
2. Be an active supervisor tors who supervise young children. one large space with a variety
of activities. Supervisors are
3. Be prepared to respond to Most injuries to young children dispersed throughout the
emergencies are preventable (Rimsza, Schackner, area and actively watch their
Bowen, & Marshall, 2002) and assigned territory.
happen when an adult is suppos-
• Transitional supervision—
Identify precise edly supervising them. A number of
lawsuits against early childhood pro- observing and overseeing
responsibilities of grams have raised questions about
children as they move
between activities (van der
their supervision practices. This case
all supervisors. was settled out of court. Smissen, 1990). The
supervisors’ level of
Four supervisors were assigned to involvement in transitional
Identify responsibilities the play area with 18 children (age supervision will vary
The first component of appropri- range from 15 months to 3 years). depending on the ages of the
ate supervision is each supervisor’s One supervisor went inside. A sec- children and the activity.
awareness of his or her responsi- ond adult was sitting on a picnic For example, after a period
bilities. Program expectations are table. The third and fourth super- of unstructured play (using
to keep children safe and provide visors were standing together in a general supervision
enriching environments for learning, corner opposite from a playhouse. techniques), supervisors
but just exactly how is that done? Five children were inside the play- implement transitional
The American Academy of Pediat- house, all of them out of direct supervision techniques when
rics standards for health and safety sight. A child ran to the two su- they guide children to put
refer to supervision more than 20 pervisors to report that there was
away materials and
times (AAP, APHA, & NTCHSCC, something wrong with another
equipment and move to the
child. An adult found him un-
2002). These guidelines include: next activity.
derneath a plastic-ring-filled pool
• “Children shall not be in the playhouse, not breathing. • Specific supervision—
permitted to play without constant and continuous
constant supervision in Had the adults been interacting monitoring of children,
areas where there is any with the children and present in the either one-on-one or in a
body of water, including playhouse, this incident would likely small group. This type of
swimming pools, built-in have never happened. To decrease supervision is common when
wading pools, tubs, pails, the potential for accidents and the supervisor is giving
sinks or toilets, ponds, and inappropriate children’s behaviors, instructions to children, the
irrigation ditches” (p. 112). early childhood programs need to activity performed offers a
• “Children shall always be identify precise responsibilities of greater challenge, or there is
supervised when playing on staff who supervise children during a need to guide a specific
playground equipment” unstructured play. The condition of learning concept. In early
the environment and the activities childhood, this type of
(p. 222).
that are offered help determine supervision is often referred
• “Parents expect that their these responsibilities. to as play facilitation
child will be adequately
(Kontos, 1999).
Play facilitation or supervision? same thing happens in an outdoor see the children. Supervisors agree
Research on best practices shows that play environment. beforehand as to who is responsible
adults who actively facilitate play can If early childhood teachers are for what area. Again, a supervisor’s
extend the learning potential of the expected to take an active role in play position can be likened to that of
experience (Berk & Winsler 1995; facilitation, then those individuals a lifeguard. Lifeguards are spread
Trawick-Smith, 1994). This teaching need to be designated prior to going around a swimming pool with each
strategy is often called intentional outside. Thus, if three people have su- person responsible for a different
teaching (Epstein, 2007). At the pervision (lifeguard) responsibilities, area, such as the slide, deep end, and
same time, interfering with and dis- one may act as the play facilitator. shallow end.
rupting children’s play is not recom- Unstructured outdoor play is not
mended when children are positively Attentively monitor children’s play a time for supervisors to catch up on
engaged (Miller, Fernie, & Kantor, Active monitoring can ensure each other’s lives. Interactions with
1992; Pellegrini & Galda, 1993). safety and help prevent injuries. other adults and children should be
Supervisors are constantly aware brief and to the point. When super-
of the environment and continu- visors talk with another person, they
Supervision is more ally scanning the play area so they
can see more actions and behaviors.
stop being an active supervisor.
than having an Scanning also enables a supervisor In some situations, leaders must
determine appropriate times for
to give children “the eye” to prevent
adult present. or stop inappropriate behavior and adults to facilitate play. Imagine that
conflict. By being attentive when three classrooms with 15 children
children are engaged in play, supervi- each are outdoors. All three class-
In terms of a supervisor’s respon- room teachers are assigned to super-
sibility, very few people can do two sors are readily available to intervene
nonverbally or verbally. vise the children. Then one teacher
jobs at once. If a person is teaching takes three children to work in the
swimming in a pool, the teacher Unsafe situations tend to arise garden. The other 42 children are
is focused on the learners, not the when supervisors are engaged in scattered throughout the large area
environment. A lifeguard is present one-to-one adult conversations or with two teachers supervising, result-
to ensure that no participant spends otherwise distracted. Active supervi- ing in a non-compliant (and unsafe)
too much time underwater. The sors position themselves so they can teacher to child ratio (NAEYC,
2005b). Teachers and administrators
who discuss expectations and needs
for balancing unstructured and more
intentional outdoor play would
develop a better plan.
Prepare for emergencies
Unfortunately, even under the best
circumstances, injuries do occur.
Early childhood programs must be
prepared to respond appropriately
Subjects & Predicates
• Identifying and revising Program records about supervision Berk, L., & Winsler, A. (1995). Scaffolding children’s
learning: Vygotsky and early childhood education.
supervisors’ responsibilities development include information Washington, DC: National Association for the
• Reviewing the components such as the date and times, name Education of Young Children.
of active supervision and qualifications of the leader, Clements, R.C. (2000). Elementary school recess.
Selected readings, games, and activities for teachers
content covered, and names of and parents. Boston, MA: American Press.
• Practicing current emergency participants who attended (Gaskin Epstein, A. (2007). The intentional teacher: Choos-
procedures & Batista, 2007). These sessions ing the best strategies for young children’s learning.
Washington, DC: National Association for the
High-quality early childhood may qualify as continuing education Education of Young Children.
programs address supervision prepa- hours for staff in some states and Gaskin, L.P, & Batista, P.J. (2007). Supervision. In
D. Cotton & J. Wolohan (Eds.), Law for recreation
ration in order to ensure consistency therefore should also be recorded in and sport managers, 3rd ed., (pp. 138-148).
in staff interactions with children individual employee’s files. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
Gesell, A. Institute of Human Development.
and their colleagues. Supervision (2010). Our history. Retrieved from
skills should focus on account- Supervision Matters http://www.gesellinstitute.org/history.html
ability, alertness, flexibility, and Guddemi, M, Jambor, T., & Moore, R. (1999). The
child’s right to play in a changing society. In M.
attitude (Thompson, et al., 2007).
Early childhood professionals pro- Guddemi, T. Jambor, & A. Skrupskelis (Eds.), Play
For instance, sometimes a child does in a changing society (p. 78-82.) Little Rock, AR:
vide positive, enriching experiences
not want to participate in an activity Southern Early Childhood Association.
for young children. To ensure high- Hudson, S., Bruya, L., Olsen, H., Thompson, D.,
and may prefer to just watch from
quality supervision of children, & Bruya, L. (2010). S.A.F.E. supervision manual:
the side. A well-prepared supervisor School edition. Cedar Falls, IA: National Program
would suggest that the child become • supervisors plan for Playground Safety.
developmentally appropriate Kontos, S. (1999). Preschool teachers’ talk, roles,
an assistant or a scorekeeper, or en- and activity settings during free play. Early Child-
gage in a related project near where spaces, give children ample hood Research Quarterly, 14(3), 363-382.
the other children are playing. time to explore with plenty Miller, E., & Almon, J. (2000). Crisis in the kinder-
garten: Why children need to play in school. Col-
of suitable materials and lege Park, MD: Alliance for Childhood. Retrieved
equipment, and facilitate from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/
engaging play positions/PSETH05.pdf
Arizona child fatality review program experience. Susan Hudson, Ph.D., is Professor,
Pediatrics, 110, 1-7.
Saluja, G., Brenner, R., Morrongiello, B.A., Haynie, About the Authors University of Northern Iowa, Cedar
D., Rivera, M., & Cheng, T. (2004). The role of Falls. She is also a national acknowl-
supervision in child injury risk: Definition, con- edged expert in recreation management.
Heather Olsen, Ed.D., is Assistant
ceptual, and measurement issues. Injury Control Hudson has made numerous presenta-
and Safety Promotion, 11(1), 17-22. Professor, University of Northern Iowa,
tions nationally and internationally on
Thompson, D., Hudson, S., & Olsen, H. (2007). Cedar Falls. She has given presentations
S.A.F.E. play areas: Creation, maintenance, and playground design and safety, and is the
across the country and has written many
renovation. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. author and co-author of more than 100
articles about the design of quality and
Trawick-Smith, J. (1994). Interactions in the class- articles concerning playgrounds. She has
room: Facilitating play in the early years. New York: safe outdoor spaces. Olsen is also the
held numerous leadership and commit-
Macmillan. developer and coordinator of the online
tee assignments in national professional
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, training programs for the National Pro-
Head Start Bureau. (2009). Safety first: Prevent- organizations, including the American
gram for Playground Safety.
ing and managing childhood injuries (p. 93). Association for Health, Physical Educa-
Retrieved from http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/ tion, Recreation and Dance. She holds
hslc/resources/ECLKC_Bookstore/PDFs/
Safety_First.pdf Donna Thompson, Ph.D., is Profes- an endowed professorship at the Univer-
van der Smissen, B. (1990). Legal liability and risk sor, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar sity of Northern Iowa.
management for public and private entities. Cincin- Falls. Thompson is an acknowledged
nati, OH: Anderson.
national and international expert in the
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Play and its role in the men-
tal development of the child. In M. Cole (Ed.), field of playground safety. She has more
Soviet developmental psychology (pp. 76-99). White than 30 years experience teaching, writ-
Plains, NY: M.E. Sharpe. ing, and researching about playgrounds.
Wardle, F. (2008). Play as curriculum. Early Child- She has done numerous presentations
hood News. Retrieved from http://www.early-
childhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_print. on playground development, including
aspx?ArticleId=127 national television interviews.
Interested in writing an
infant/toddler booklet?