Supervision means watching over someone's work or activities to make sure things are done correctly and safely. When your teacher provides supervision during recess, she's keeping an eye on everyone to prevent accidents and handle problems. When a lifeguard supervises swimmers at the pool, he's watching carefully to keep people safe.

A person who provides supervision is called a supervisor.

Supervision involves watching, guiding, teaching, and helping people improve. When a coach supervises basketball practice, she makes sure nobody gets hurt while also teaching skills, correcting mistakes, and helping players get better. When a parent supervises homework time, he might answer questions, check for understanding, and make sure the work gets done.

Some activities require adult supervision because they involve risk or responsibility beyond what kids should handle alone. Swimming, using power tools, or conducting science experiments may need supervision. As you get older and prove you can handle responsibility, you'll need less supervision and gain more independence.