LARA says....
Staff must maintain active supervision of children at all times, including during transitions and less-structured activities.
TRUE
What are the three big things you should continuously be doing when actively supervising children?
Answer: Scan, listen, and move/position yourself so you can see and hear all children and respond when needed.
According to Michigan licensing guidance, approximately how much unscented chlorine bleach should be added to one gallon of water for a sanitizing solution?
Answer: 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per gallon of water.
What does “family-style meal service” mean?
Answer: Children are given the opportunity to serve themselves from shared food containers, with appropriate adult support and supervision.
You walk into a classroom and notice the cots are NOT 18 inches apart. You point it out to your coworker.
Why is this important?
he 18-inch spacing helps maintain safe walking space and a free/direct means of egress so staff can safely move around the room and children can be safely evacuated if needed.
Which of the following is an example of appropriate active supervision?
A. Standing in one spot and watching the group
B. Talking with another staff member while children play
C. Positioning yourself so you can see and hear all children, continuously scanning and moving as needed
D. Checking on children every few minutes
C. Positioning yourself so you can see and hear all children, continuously scanning and moving as needed
You are supervising children and notice that part of the playground is blocked from your view by the play structure. What should you do?
Answer: Reposition yourself so you have a clear line of sight to the children. Don't rely on another staff member to cover your blind spot.
You just made a fresh bottle of bleach water. Can you assume it's the right strength because you used the "right" amount of bleach?
Answer: NO!
Test strips must be used to check the concentration of the bleach/water solution
At KECLC, where should children get their drinking water from when using the building's Filter First system?
Answer: From the filtered drinking fountains/water bottle filling stations, not an ordinary classroom sink.
A parent hands you medication at drop-off and says, “Just give this to him after lunch.” They haven't provided any additional paperwork or instructions.
Answer: Do not administer it based solely on the verbal request! Need to fill out the med form AND medication needs to be in original packaging!
A child care center must have a designated ________ in charge whenever the center is open and the administrator is not present.
Staff member/person in charge
During a transition from the classroom to the playground, when should you be counting children?
Answer: Before leaving, during the transition, and once you arrive—and continue monitoring/counting as appropriate throughout the activity.
You test your bleach water and the strip reads 100 ppm. Is that a good reading?
Answer: YES! 🎉
Michigan licensing guidance specifies a concentration of 50–200 ppm, so 100 ppm is right in the acceptable range.
A child arrives with a special snack from home because they don't like today's CACFP snack. Can the child eat their special snack at the table with everyone else?
Answer: No—not as a routine substitute. KECLC follows CACFP meal/snack requirements, and outside/special foods should not be brought in as individual substitutions unless there is an approved accommodation or other applicable requirement.
A teacher shares some great STEM and art activities using shaving cream! Will you use these activities?
Answer: 🚨 No—not as planned. Shaving cream cannot be used by children for play because it is labeled toxic
A staff member can leave a group of children briefly to grab something from another room as long as another staff member is somewhere in the building.
Children must remain appropriately supervised; simply having another staff member elsewhere in the building does not meet the requirement
YOU'RE OUTSIDE! 🌳
Your group has 8 three-year-olds + 12 four-year-olds.
A. 12:1
B. 10:1
C. 8:1
D. It depends on how many staff are outside
Answer: B — 10:1!
A child with a documented food allergy is accidentally served a food containing their allergen. The child hasn't eaten it yet. What should staff do
Answer: Immediately remove the food, ensure the child does not consume it, follow the child's documented allergy/emergency plan as applicable, and notify the appropriate staff/family according to your procedures.
Why do we complete meal and snack attendance/tally documentation?
Answer: To document which children were served meals/snacks and support required CACFP meal-service records and reimbursement documentation.
You are supervising a group of children on the playground. One child tells you they urgently need to use the bathroom. The bathroom is inside the building.
See if you are within ratio. If you are, take the child potty. If you are not, radio!
LARA Says you need to keep the hallway clear. You notice a stack of boxes, a rolling cart, and several bags sitting along the hallway outside your classroom. What should you do?
Answer: Remove or relocate the items so they do not create an obstruction or safety hazard. Bonus point! Don't just walk past it because "it's not my stuff."
You're outside supervising and another staff member starts telling you a funny story. Meanwhile, several children are playing across the playground. What's the problem?
Answer: Your attention has shifted away from active supervision. Staff conversations shouldn't interfere with scanning, listening, positioning, and responding to children.
A child is injured and staff determine the injury requires medical attention. After the child is cared for, what is the next important step?
Answer: Notify the parent/guardian and alert admin to complete the online Incident Report on the Child Care Hub Information Records Portal (CCHIRP). Admin only has 24 hours to make this report.
Your classroom served snack, but you realize afterward that you forgot to complete the required snack attendance/tally sheet. What should you do?
Complete the documentation as soon as possible — Accurate meal-service records are part of CACFP compliance.
It’s January, and you check your professional development record. You realize you do not have enough PD hours to meet your annual licensing requirement.
What should you do?
Answer: Consult your ECS! Your ECS can help you identify training opportunities. Northwest Education Services and MiRegistry both offer trainings that may help you get the PD hours you need. Don’t wait until the end of the year—keep an eye on your PD hours throughout the year!