VMC

[Bill Greenwood]

It may be too fine a point, but if the clouds are scattered then it is vfr, scattered clouds don't constitute a ceiling. No matter how high or low the bases of the clouds are, it they are only scattered, its not a ceiling for imc purposes, its vmc and to be ifr or imc it has to be broken clouds at least.
Of course, especially if flying kids you don't want to take any chances on any kind of chance with weather. Id guess it might be officerly reported as scattered, but a little more clouds in one area.
So broken clouds, bases at 900 ft agl is an ifr ceiling since its below 1000, while scattered clouds at 500 ft are not a ceiling and not ifr. You can see through or around scattered clouds.
You could have fog or smoke from a fire as a visual limit, but it wouldn't be scattered clouds.

By the way if a pilot is dealing with low clouds, trying to fly under them and remain vmc, hopefully not with kids, here are two points, first there is a min elevation figure on the sectionals ( remember what a sectional is?) and it means the how low you can fly, plus 200 ft and clear every object in that box. So if its 1300 ft and you can hold 1500 you aren't going to hit a building or tower.
Next there is the visibility part, need 3 miles to be vmc,but that's pretty slim. And it depends what you are flying, it may be ok in a 50 mph J3 Cub but nerve racking in a 200 mph P-51., and harder to navigate visually.