What does a playground supervisor do?
Playground supervisor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real playground supervisor resumes:
- Manage security and access policies base upon operational need-to-know and DOD regulations and requirements
- Be prepare to provide first aid and CPR if necessary.
- Work with students on math and reading and supervise students at lunch.
- Engage students in reading comprehension, fluency, writing, and math activities.
- Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
- Ensure all patients are scheduled and caseloads are appropriately and equally distribute among staff in accordance with policy.
- Provide functional subject matter expertise daily technical operational and guidance on DOD and DA standard logistical systems.
Playground supervisor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Playground Supervisors are proficient in Math, Safety Procedures, and CPR. They’re also known for soft skills such as Instructional skills, Interpersonal skills, and Patience.
We break down the percentage of Playground Supervisors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Math, 16%
Worked as an assistant in the Learning Center, assisting students with Reading and Computer Math.
- Safety Procedures, 10%
Communicated safety procedures and enforced them to ensure health and safety of children.
- CPR, 10%
Trained first aid provider and CPR certified Daily attendance, computer work and daily bulletin.
- Safety Rules, 8%
Assure all safety rules and guidelines are being followed and keep the campus safe.
- Lunch Periods, 8%
Provide safe playground supervision of students during recess and lunch periods.
- K-5, 8%
Assisted children from grades K-5 with lunchtime activities and with any other help needed.
Common skills that a playground supervisor uses to do their job include "math," "safety procedures," and "cpr." You can find details on the most important playground supervisor responsibilities below.
Communication skills. Another common skill required for playground supervisor responsibilities is "communication skills." This skill comes up in the duties of playground supervisors all the time, as "recreation workers must be able to communicate well." An excerpt from a real playground supervisor resume shows how this skill is central to what a playground supervisor does: "establish open communication with parents, school administration and supportive staff to ensure safety of the children. "
Leadership skills. Another skill commonly found on playground supervisor job descriptions is "leadership skills." It can come up quite often in playground supervisor duties, since "recreation workers should be able to lead both large and small groups." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day playground supervisor responsibilities: "developed leadership skills while coordinating and instructing after school educational activities for students of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. "
The three companies that hire the most playground supervisors are:
- DUNLAP CO/THE4 playground supervisors jobs
- Rock Island Senior High School4 playground supervisors jobs
- Joliet Schools 861 playground supervisors jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable playground supervisor resume templates
Build a professional playground supervisor resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your playground supervisor resume.Compare different playground supervisors
Playground supervisor vs. Banquet captain
Banquet captains are responsible for directing each banquet staff in the entire meal service and assign tasks to them as required. Their duties include teaching new staff members how to execute their designated tasks in the banquet. Also, they organize meetings to give updates on service or policy changes as well as administering any staff issues and resolving them in a timely manner. Additionally, they guide the setup of the banquet, preserve stock room supply, and ensure all sanitary regulations and company policies on appropriate and safe food handling are followed by every staff member.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between playground supervisors and banquet captain. For instance, playground supervisor responsibilities require skills such as "math," "safety procedures," "cpr," and "safety rules." Whereas a banquet captain is skilled in "customer service," "cleanliness," "food service," and "beverage service." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Banquet captains really shine in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $34,190. Comparatively, playground supervisors tend to make the most money in the education industry with an average salary of $35,355.The education levels that banquet captains earn slightly differ from playground supervisors. In particular, banquet captains are 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a playground supervisor. Additionally, they're 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Playground supervisor vs. Kitchen assistant manager
An assistant kitchen manager is in charge of a large establishment or restaurant when the manager is not around. They supervise all operations in the kitchen, monitor the performance of the staff, train the newly hired crew, and create an inventory report of all supplies. They must also ensure that clients expectations are met by providing them the best service. An assistant kitchen manager needs to be customer-oriented and detail-oriented, and they must also have management skills, critical thinking skills, and organizational skills.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that playground supervisor responsibilities requires skills like "math," "cpr," "safety rules," and "lunch periods." But a kitchen assistant manager might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer service," "cleanliness," "food service," and "kitchen equipment."
On average, kitchen assistant managers earn a higher salary than playground supervisors. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, kitchen assistant managers earn the most pay in the education industry with an average salary of $41,915. Whereas playground supervisors have higher pay in the education industry, with an average salary of $35,355.In general, kitchen assistant managers achieve similar levels of education than playground supervisors. They're 1.9% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Playground supervisor vs. Chef/kitchen manager
A kitchen manager or chef is someone who oversees the overall operations in the kitchen as well as the food operations. Kitchen managers make certain that food and related products are well prepared, cooked, and served to customers. They maintain a fully-stocked kitchen inventory and comply with the cleanliness and safety standards. It is their responsibility to manage the kitchen staff and aid them in delivering quality food at the right time. They need to possess management skills, leadership skills, and attention to detail.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a playground supervisor is likely to be skilled in "math," "safety procedures," "cpr," and "safety rules," while a typical chef/kitchen manager is skilled in "kitchen operations," "culinary," "wine," and "quality standards."
Chef/kitchen managers earn the best pay in the hospitality industry, where they command an average salary of $44,258. Playground supervisors earn the highest pay from the education industry, with an average salary of $35,355.chef/kitchen managers typically earn similar educational levels compared to playground supervisors. Specifically, they're 1.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Playground supervisor vs. Bakery manager
Bakery managers are responsible for the staff's training, schedules, and assignment of tasks. Suggesting changes in the inventory, prices, and products to make based on reports are also part of a manager's job aside from purchasing supplies for the bakery when needed. Being able to communicate with one's subordinates is an important skill to have as a manager to be able to come up with better ideas in decreasing the amount of wasted and unsold products while increasing the sales. A candidate should also have leadership skills as they will be overseeing the sales and operations part of the bakery.
Types of playground supervisor
Updated January 8, 2025











