Positive Reinforcers - Improve Your Child's Behavior with Positive Reinforcement:
Positive reinforcers are used to increase behaviors that you want your child to perform. Any type of reward or incentive you give your child that results in increasing the behavior you want your child to perform is a positive reinforcer.
Positive Reinforcers - Activities can be Internally Rewarding:
As a rule, reinforcers are only positive when they increase a desired behavior. Some reinforcers typically having positive effects include:
- Choice of activities;
- Time or lunch with someone special;
- Increased recess time;
- Compliments and recognition;
- Public praise, positive notes to parents;
- Pats on the back, smiles, hand-shakes, and high-fives;
- Being the teacher's helper or choice of classroom chores;
- Reading, making crafts, playing sports, or other preferred activity with someone special;
- Extra credit or bonus points on school work;
- Posting work in a place of honor; and
- A homework-free night.
Tangible Reinforcers - Physical Rewards that may Increase Positive Behaviors:
Tangible rewards are objects that can be touched. These are examples of tangibles that help increase the behaviors you want your child to perform.
- Healthy snacks;
- Gum, candy (if parents approve and in small amounts);
- Age-appropriate toys chosen from a reward box;
- Special stickers such as scratch and sniff, flashy, cute, sporty, or other unique stickers;
- Small items that are currently popular, such as Live Strong bracelets or other items;
- Student chosen items;
- Cool pencils; and
- Tickets to be saved to trade in for larger rewards.
