Token boards are a great way to motivate kids to do (or not do) something. I work with kids on the autism spectrum and have used token boards for all sorts of things: complying with instructions, greeting peers, working without hitting or screaming. They are very useful as a visual reminder for what kids are working toward. Here is a way to incorporate your child’s favorite characters with a simple reusable token board.
The basic concept of a token board is to reinforce a desired response, say following a demand without hitting. For each appropriate response (each time the child complies with a demand without hitting), he or she earns a token. Once the child earns the predetermined number of tokens, the child is rewarded with some sort of reinforcer (treat, toy, activity, etc.). The idea is that since the desired behavior is reinforced, the child is more likely to do it again in the future (more likely to follow instructions without screaming). Once the child is consistently successful with predetermined number of tokens, you can increase the number of tokens needed to earn the reinforcer.
Supplies:
Scissors
Hot glue gun and glue
Used Command Strips (or Velcro if you have it laying around)
Pen/markers
Stickers or character cutouts
Sheet protector
Paper
Packing tape
1. Cut the paper to fit the sheet protector.
2. Cut cardboard into separate pieces. These will be your tokens. You can make extra tokens (more than the child would need to fill up token board) if you want, to allow the child the ability to pick which character he or she wants for completing a task.
3. You can paint them, color them, or cover them in decorative paper, if you so desire.
4. While your decorated tokens are drying, decorate the board.
5. Once the tokens are dry, put a sticker/picture on each one.
6. Complete with all tokens. Then put a piece of packing tape over them to insure the sticker/picture stays on.
Now to attach your tokens.
7. Cut the pull tab off of the used Command strips.
8. Cut strips to size so that they will fit on the back of the tokens. I cut each strip in half and they fit perfectly.
9. Using a hot glue gun, adhere a strip to the back of each token.
10. Then glue strips to the sheet protector so they fit with your design. The number of tokens will depend on the child. It is usually best to start with a few tokens (2-3) and then increase them (4-5) as the child gets better at whatever it is you are trying to get them to do.
As the child earns tokens, attach them to the front of the token board.You can use a dry-erase marker to write what the child is working for on the sheet protector.And you can store tokens in the backside of the sheet protector when not in use.
