This manual, provided to Playground Supervisors in 1967, provides general instructions on running the playground, a sample weekly programme to be used as a reference, and a summary of safety procedures. Unlike in some other years, the supervisors are warned against allowing children to leave the playground site, or providing treats and prizes for competitions.
Civic Recreation Committee Summer 1967
Board members:
- Mr H. Lovelady, Chairman
- Mr F. Metcalf, Member
- Mr R.P. Tafe, Member
- Ald. H.J. Cook, Member
- Mr H.D. Klomp, Member
- Ald. A. Anderson, Member
- Dr. J.M. Spence, Member
- Mr. E.G. Rollason, Member
- Mayor E.H. Reed, Member
- Mr H.C. Murphy, Member
- Mr. H.R. Carroll, Member
Director of Recreation:
- Mr Rob B. McCormack
- Miss D. Gilhooly - Programme Supervisor
- Mr. D. Sherlock - Special Events Supervisor
Recreation Staff:
- Mr R. Charlebois
- Marnie Orser
- Heather McKay
- Cynthia Bradley
Maintenance Supervisor:
- Gene Britton
Parks & Recreation
General Instructions to Playground Supervisors
- Playgrounds are open from 9 am to 9 pm Monday through Friday and from 9 am to 6 pm on Saturdays during July and August.
- Report to your playground 15 minutes before scheduled opening time each day and make a careful survey of building facilities and equipment reporting any breakages and effects on report sheet. When inspecting swings be sure to look for rusted swing hooks, loosened bolts, or frayed ropes.
- Supervisors are required to wear red slacks or bermuda shorts with a white, short sleeved tailored blouse.
- You are expected to be at your Playground during the hours of duty. If, however, you are forced to leave the ground for any reason, notify the office.
- In case of illness please notify the office at MA 21821 or the Head Supervisor at MA [several numbers hand-written] immediately.
- When weather conditions make it impossible to open the Ground, utilize this time for your indoor program. You may also avail yourself of such opportunities to make contacts in your district.
- Keep your building and grounds clean. Institute regular periodic clean-up days.
- Keep your equipment in good repair at all times. Irreparable equipment must be returned when requisitioning for replacements.
- Keep your areas and courts accurately and well marked at all times.
- Keep your First-Aid Kit well stocked.
- Hand out all supplies personally. Do not delegate this duty to the children.
- Keep your Bulletin Boards neat, attractive, and up-to-date.
- Plan future events very carefully, to the minutest detail.
- Announce future events well in advance.
- Do not permit profanity or smoking by the children on your playground.
16. Promote activities in which all can participate.
17. Supervisors are responsible for putting up and taking down all equipment. All equipment should be in place and ready for use by 9 am each morning. All damaged equipment should be put out of use immediately and the Head Supervisor notified.
18. If any changes in working hours or duties are to be made, such requests are to be referred to Head Supervisor.
19. No children are allowed in the shacks. The supervisor is the only one entitled to go in. This is to be strictly enforced due to damages caused in the buildings in previous years.
20. Promote activities that are safe. Civic Recreation is not responsible for accidents, but is responsible if negligence can be proved. Good supervision will reduce accidents to a minimum. If a child is hurt, give the necessary First-Aid and transfer the responsibility to the parent as soon as possible.
21. Do not permit balls or any other objects to be thrown in the vicinity of slides or swings.
22. Do not leave swings up when you are not on the ground. Accidents are serious enough when the ground is supervised, but it is a case of gross negligence to leave an open ground unsupervised.
23. Do not hesitate to enlist the services and support of anyone who can be of assistance to you in helping to promote activities and programs. Be prepared to give these volunteers aid, advice and guidance.
24. Co-operation with Recreation is essential.
25. Remember: the supervisor is a figure of district importance and is looked up to with a great deal of respect and admiration by the children. Live up to your position; set an example in efficiency, deportment, and ability to supply correct information on all phases of the playground program.
26. The season is short - every day counts. Make the most of it. Plan your activities and projects well in advance.
27. Guard your health. You owe it to yourself, the children, and the Civic Recreation.
28. Read carefully the Organization Booklet and use our Recreation Library and the Public Library for additional [cont'd]
[cont'd from previous]
help regarding program, rules of games, etc.
29. Be prompt at all times; in opening your Playgrounds and in conducting your events.
30. After the Playground is closed and buildings locked, the Supervisor should remain 15 minutes to see that no groups of senior or junior children congregate.
31. Complete reports as instructed and send them to the Office on time.
32. The Civic Recreation is keenly interested that you personally have a successful and happy summer and is ready at all times to help you with your problems.
33. Do not Smoke while on duty.
34. Do not transport children from playground except by special permission.
35. Do not transport children in automobiles.
36. Do not offer children awards or treats for participation on playground events.
37. Sale of tickets, merchandise or any other articles is forbidden; nor may admission fees be charged for any activity on the playgrounds except by special permission.
38. Corporal punishment is forbidden!
Weekly Program [sample]
Monday:
- 9:00-10:00 - Clean up
- 10:00-11:00 - Games: Brothers, Flying Dutchman
- 11:00-12:00 - Drama: Red Riding Hood & Story Time
- 1:00-2:00 - Crafts: Decorations for Australian Christmas
- 2:00-3:00 - Games: Kim's Games, Farmer Plants His Corn
- 7:00-8:00 Project Kakabeka
Tuesday:
- 9:00-10:00 Safety Check Equipment
- 10:00-11:00 Project Kakabeka
- 11:00-12:00 - Games: From Where I Sit, London Bridge
- 1:00-2:00: Crafts: Stencils
- 2:00-3:00 - Teach Indian Songs
- 7:00-8:00 - Volleyball Game
Wednesday:
- 9:00-10:00 Safety Check Equipment 10:00-11:00 Games: Around the Row, Relay, Find the Leader
- 11:00-12:00 - Drama & Story Time
- 1:00-2:00: Crafts: Drawing pictures of Australia
- 2:00-3:00 - Volleyball for Juniors
- 7:00-8:00 - Project Kakabeka
Thursday:
- 9:00-10:00 Put Out Equipment
- 10:00-11:00 Games: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, the Farmer in the Dell
- 11:00-12:00 - Project Kakabeka
- 1:00-2:00: Crafts: Signatures, Blots
- 2:00-3:00 - Teach Indian Songs
- 7:00-8:00 - Drama Stories, Kindergarten Age
Friday:
- 9:00-10:00 Pool Filled
- 10:00-11:00 Games: Good Morning, Duck Duck Goose, Simon Says
- 11:00-12:00 - Project Kakabeka
- 1:00-2:00: Crafts, Presents for parents, Special Events
- 2:00-3:00 - Australian Christmas
- 7:00-8:00 - Volleyball Game
Saturday:
- 9:00-10:00
- 10:00-11:00 Games: Kindergarten Age Story
- 11:00-12:00 Indian Songs & Games, Wrestling
- 1:00-2:00: Crafts: Planters
- 2:00-3:00 - Games: Flying Dutchman, Good Morning
- 7:00-8:00 - Rest
Planning the Playground Programme
Any programme you plan and conduct should follow some basic objectives. These objectives should be general but they should state what you hope to accomplish by means of your programme.
Some of the objectives one should consider in planning a playground programme are:
1. To give joy and happiness to all individuals who participate in the programme.
2. To encourage as many people as possible to participate in the recreation activities.
3. To try and assist in providing a good life for everyone.
4. To interpret the meaning and value of recreation to all with whom we come in contact.
5. To try and keep children and adults busy.
6. To provide entertainment and amusement for all who come to the playground.
7. To keep the children off the streets and out of trouble.
8. To help individuals develop skills.
9. To provide people with the opportunity to make new friends.
10. To teach people to play together in health and happiness.
How do we accomplish all or most of these objectives?
1. We must have a variety of activities. Everyone who comes to the playground is an individual and therefore has different likes and dislikes from his neighbour or friend. Usually they come to the playground for a specific activity. A good leader should encourage them to participate in other activities. A programme soon falls by the wayside when it is built on only one activity. Since the majority of our youth are in a hurry: they flit from one activity to another. Youth was never meant to be still too long at any one time.
2. The programme should not be regimented but it should be set up or a definite pattern and timetabled so the participants and the office staff will know what to expect at what time. In setting up the timetable make sure that you schedule activities which require a maximum of supervision during hours when the playground is the least busy.
3. Include in the programme opportunities for teaching skills. By teaching skills we provide people with an opportunity to gain confidence in as many skills as possible. No one wants to participate in an activity in which he is not too proficient. Remember before the age of thirteen, the majority of youngsters are not self conscious so we must start teaching skills long before they reach the stage of self consciousness.
4. We must include activities for all age groups. Since evening is about the only time adults can participate, plan the programme so the youngsters can have the benefit of your instruction during the day and turn your attention to the teenagers and adults at night. But don't concentrate on the teenagers if there are children on the playground.
5. Plan your programme around the wants and needs of the people who come to the playground. Too often we gear the programme to our own likes and dislikes. When people complain about the programme, remember if it has merit, O.K., if not then you should have a good answer ready.
6. Be on the look out for good leaders to help you. However, don't use a leader for an activity if he is not proficient at that activity or you will find your programme is a flop and you have lost your leader.
In planning any programme we must ask ourselves the following questions:
1. Is there need for this programme?
2. Do the objectives for this activity meet the objectives of the overall programme?
3. Does the programme coincide with the practices and policies of the recreation division of the Board of Parks and Recreation?
4. Is the programme acceptable to the community?
5. Is the programme already being conducted by some other agency in the community?
6. Can we do a good job of this programme or should we leave it to another agency?
7. Is adequate trained leadership available to carry out this programme?
8. Are adequate facilities available for this programme?
9. Does the programme justify the expense?
Playground Accidents
Even under the best of conditions, playground accidents will happen now and then. Falls and collisions around the playground apparatus account for the majority of accidents.
Other accidents will occur. Here is a list of common ones:
1. Crowding activities.
2. Unsupervised play before or after playground hours.
3. Fruit skins, papers lying around.
4. Broken glass, tin cans, protruding nails
5. Dogs or other pets on playground
6. Pea shooters, water guns, toy air crafts on playground
7. Throwing stones.
Action to take in case of accidents:
1. No scratch should be considered too small for attention
2. All accidents must be reported on accident report forms
3. Your first-aid kit should be well stocked and handy.
In case of serious accidents:
1. Do not move the patient
2. Call police and ask for assistance
3. Keep the patient warm
4. Disperse crowd and keep the programme going
5. Complete accident report form and give it to the Head Supervisor
6. Visit the home of victim and ask about the child.
Instructions re Accident Report Forms
Special Accident Report Forms are provided so that all particulars with reference to accidents will be available for the Office Files.
Besides such particulars as: playground location, date of accident, time of accident, name of address (of the victim), telephone number, age, it is necessary to give as full particulars as possible, regarding the nature of the accident for instance, if it was a broken arm, state whether it was upper or lower arm, left or right.
Safety on the Playground
A good safety programme on the playground is essential. Accidents are likely to occur the more crowded and active a playground is and therefore safety rules must be strictly enforced.
Safety is a matter of habits and attitudes. Everyone must work at it every day.
Title: General Instructions to Playground Supervisors
Date: 1967
Creator: Fort William Parks and Recreation Department
Series: 121, Fort William Parks & Recreation Files
Location: TBA 4802-11
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