Therapy Tickets

Here is another reward system to try for successful therapy sessions.  Head on over to Your Therapy Source to get all the details and the free download of the Therapy Tickets.

Puzzle Reinforcer

Here is a quick tip to reinforce visual perceptual skills during a therapy session or anytime.  Each time the child completes a task or activity give him/her one puzzle piece.  Continue doing tasks and giving one puzzle piece each time.  When the entire activity is complete and if the puzzle is finished the child gets a prize.  Nice for group as well - the children can work together to complete a puzzle to get a reward.

This reward system encourages:

• breaking down the skill into parts making it more manageable
• visual perceptual skills
• self satisfaction of completing the entire activity

Need more reward ideas like this? Check out these previous blog posts - Fine Motor Rewards and Positive Reinforcements 

Positive Affirmation Posters and Cards for Children
Keep a positive attitude with this download of 25 positive affirmation posters and 25 small cards of the posters. Find out more.

Awards, Signs and Certificates for Pediatric Occupational and Physical Therapists
Need some inexpensive reward ideas? Just print out one of these certificates for a child! Find out more.

Fine Motor Rewards

Previously, I had written a blog post on Positive Reinforcements following therapy sessions. Basically it was some suggestions to encourage compliant behavior and active participation during therapy sessions. I wanted to add a few more suggestions to the list of my 6 previous suggestions: Carnival Party, Olympics, Playground Time, Nature Walk, Gym Time and Free Therapy Play Time. All of those suggestion were sensory motor activities.

Here are a few suggestions for fine motor positive reinforcements:

1. Button Bags - sew a felt bag that has a few button closures at the top. In order for the children to get the reward they must unbutton the bag to reveal the prize.
2. Zippered Bags - hide the prizes inside pencil pouches and they have to unzip to reveal the prize
3. Lock and Key - use a lock on a treasure box. To pick a prize you have to unlock the box.
4. Unscrew the Lid - paint the inside of a jar to hide what is inside. The children have to unscrew the lids to get the reward.
5. Shoe Untying - hide the prize inside a sneaker. The child must untie the shoe to get to the prize. Then let the child pick a prize to hide back in the shoe for the next child and tie the shoe back up.
6. Envelope Cutting - hide the prize in an envelope and the child has to use scissors or a letter opener to cut the envelope open. Good one for small stickers.

Positive Affirmation Posters and Cards for Children
Keep a positive attitude with this download of 25 positive affirmation posters and 25
small cards of the posters.

Find out more.








Awards, Signs and Certificates for Pediatric Occupational and Physical Therapists

Need some inexpensive reward ideas? Just print out one of these certificates for a child!

Find out more.

Punch Cards for OT/PT

Check out our latest freebie - Reward Punch Cards for Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy.

You can download these business cards to encourage children to achieve their goals in therapy whether it be functional or behavioral. After 10 holes are punched, the child earns a reward.

Download the punch cards here.

Positive Reinforcement

With the start of the school year, teachers, parents and therapists will face so many different children and behaviors. One way to encourage compliant behavior during therapy sessions, in the classroom and home is to establish a system of positive rewards. Based on your own criteria, children are rewarded for "good" behaviors. This can be done with various simple tools. Try a sticker chart, linking paper chains, pinning up a certain number of clothes pins, etc. to promote the desired behavior. When the goal is reached of a certain number of stickers, paper chains or clothes pins give the child or group a reward. Or try our free printable from http://www.yourtherapysource.com/ - Therapy Bingo (see below). Here are some fun, creative reward ideas for a group that are free and movement related:

1. Carnival Party: Set up different carnival stations that promote eye hand coordination skills i.e. throw bean bags at bottles, hoops over bottles, etc. The children can earn tickets as prizes. At the end of carnival, turn tickets in for coupons such as free play playground for 10 minutes.

2. Olympics: Create different stations of various Olympic act ivies. Give each participant a medal (just print one off of computer for them to string on yarn)

3. Playground Time: How about a playground party? The children can be allowed to use the playground for 30 minutes as a reward.

4. Nature Walk: Plan a nature walk as a reward. Children love the break of fresh air during the school day. Walk around the school grounds setting an example to other classes. The kids will love to show off their reward and see other children working so hard while they get a nice break outdoors.

5. Gym Time: This can be hard to organize, but if the gym is free for a short period during the day, reward the children with free play in the gym. Provide cones, balls and hoops. This activity is sure to be a hit.

6. Therapy Time: If your school does have a therapy room, how about rewarding children with some free play in the therapy room. Therapists and teachers could collaborate to provide this reward. Kids would love some free play with all the therapists unique toys.

What ideas do you have for movement related rewards?

Therapy Bingo