Hi, my name is Deborah, and I’m a behavior therapist here at Achieve Beyond. Sometimes children need some motivation to work. Children need motivation for transitioning from a highly-preferred activity to not so much a preferred activity. These can include cleaning up after they’re playing, responding to questions. These things can be extremely difficult for children to follow. We can use token boards to motivate your child and finish their task.
Token board is a reward system to help your child show that they are demonstrating appropriate behaviors. These can include cleaning up, responding to questions, sitting at the table nicely, asking for an item appropriately. The child earns one token, demonstrating that they are demonstrating appropriate behavior. Then after they earn all their tokens, they can earn a huge reward. Rewards can include iPad time, cell phone time, break, or treats such as cookies, ice creams, or candy. This will motivate your child to follow directions, as they’re earning something big.
Tips for using a token board: First, have at least two different token boards, but here we have four. So we have CoComelon, we have Paw Patrol, we have PJ Masks, and we have Cars. So let’s say the child chooses Cars. Then you and your child can determine which activity that they would like to do or what they want to earn after they earn all the tokens. For instance, if they want to earn iPad time, you can write iPad time or have a picture of an iPad. And then we can Velcro everything, so that they can attach each token. So for instance, let’s say the child wants iPad time. You can put it right here, and once they start showing appropriate behaviors, such as cleaning up: “Wow, I liked how you picked up that ball. Here is a token.” And have the child place it so it’s more visual for them.
And then once they answer another question: “Wow, I love how you answered my question; here’s another token. I liked how you asked for that Oreo nicely; here’s a token. I love how you’re sitting at the table nicely; here is a token.” So we keep going, and you remind him how many tokens you have left. So now that we have five: “Wow, we have five tokens; we have five more to go.” And you keep filling it up. “We have one more left,” and then once they pick up a toy: “Wow, I loved how you picked up that ball nicely; here’s a token. Wow, we have 10 tokens. What do we get? iPad time.” And then the child has access to the iPad.
If you don’t have these kind of boards, you can also make your own, so all you need is 10 boxes and 10 Velcros, and just have the child Velcro one token at a time, once they show appropriate behaviors. And that’s how you use a token board to help motivate your child.
