Read to find out 8 tips for Leading a Small Group of Children, 5 Questions to Ask Before You Leave, and the Top 10 Tips for Successful Chaperoning.
8 Tips for Leading a Small Group
- You are in charge of someone’s precious child! Treat them like gold!
- Your job at the beginning of the day is to know how you’re going to get them to the end of the day.
- Assign students partners. They feel a sense of responsibility too.
- Always count them, every step of the way. If you start with 5 kids, you want to end the day with them!
- Learn your students names. For safety reasons, students should not wear name tags with their names on them. They may wear tags that have the school’s phone number on them.
- Always – Safety First!
- Never leave your students unattended. Find another chaperone to partner with for the day.
- Bring an empty backpack – you may end up carrying all of the lunches.
5 Questions to Ask Before You Leave
- Schedule for the day (stick to it and make sure you meet the bus on time).
- Teacher’s Cell Phone Number
- Plan for taking opposite sex children to the bathroom.
- What to do if someone misbehaves or there is a medical emergency.
- Will the teacher be walking around or stay in one central location?
Top 10 Tips for Successful Chaperoning
- Take 2 Tylenol before you begin.
- Drive separately if you can or want to.
- Do not ask about or plan on bringing a sibling.
- Talk to your own child about appropriate behavior (sometimes they’re the worst – sorry to say!)
- Treat your small group like a team. Say: Sticking together + great behavior = a great day! Set high expectations for them!
- Adhere to cell phone guidelines. Only use the phone to contact the teacher or other chaperons, do not use it for personal calls during the day.
- Avoid the gift shop! Do not purchase things just for kids in your group, your child, or any food related items.
- If you've never been to the location, do some prep ahead of time. Look at a map on-line or get a book from the library.
- Check their photography rules. Some children are not allowed to have pictures taken of them.
- Watch the clock!
You can do it! Do not be afraid to ask for help!
