Here are some specific strategies to ensure active supervision is occurring:

Setting up the environment
The environments where children play, must be safe. If there is equipment or areas that are unsafe, these should be inaccessible to children.

Educators should also be alert to any hazards. This can be achieved by conducting the daily hazard checklist and ensuring each item on the checklist is attended to carefully, i.e. don’t just tick off the checklist!

Positioning
Educators are required to ensure that children are in sight and/or hearing at all times, this includes toileting, sleep, rest, nappy changing, transitions and routines. Educators may have to move themselves around, rather than just remaining in the one place. Educators should always position themselves where they can see as much of the children’s play space as possible. Educators should never have their back to a group of children.

Understanding children
Educators may need to ‘pre-empt’ behaviours at certain times and move closer to children as required. For example, an Educator may know that 2 of the children in their group are known to fight over a certain bike. If the Educator observes both children moving towards the bike, the Educator may move closer too, just in case conflict arises.

Scanning / counting
Whilst an Educator may be positioned closer to a specific activity or group of children, he/she must also regularly scan the entire play area. This means looking at each area of the play space, accounting for each child, noting the activities happening in each area and ensuring ratios are accurate. Educators should continuously scan for any potential hazards and remove as required.

Listening
Knowing where each child is and listening for happy, engaged play is always the goal of active supervision. Educators should not only observe, scan, count; but they should also be listening. Listening for cries, angry voices, conflict and also silence. Educators should move closer to noises of concern so they can step in and support if necessary.