99 Free (or almost free) Rewards For Elementary Students Based on Function
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Are Rewards Really Worth It?
Classroom rewards, whether we like them or not, work. Research shows that rewarding students for prosocial behavior does in fact lead to decreased discipline, better participation, more prosocial interactions, and better academic achievement. And, despite what many people believe, there’s not actually any research showing that external rewards decrease a student’s natural motivation to work hard or behave in class.
We want to believe that they know how to behave already. And maybe they do, but a lot of the skills that go into behaving, like self-regulation and holding still, are skills our students are still building. And it’s hard to use new skills when the old ones work better.
Think of self-control as a muscle. It’s hard work to build muscles. They get worn out. This is why they need a little extra motivation to keep practicing even when it’s a challenge. But every time they practice, the muscle grows. Once their muscles are strong, they don’t need the rewards anymore to use them for the whole school day.
Take potty training for an example. Most kids are potty trained with some kind of reinforcement system (M&Ms, I’m looking at you!). When kids are first learning, it’s hard to stop playing and go to the bathroom. But, they’re willing to practice for a little something extra. And once they’ve mastered the skill, we stop having to reinforce them altogether.
Why Use Function-Based Rewards?
Every behavior has a function. Meaning everything we do is either getting us something we want or helping us avoid something we don’t want. For students with consistent unexpected classroom behaviors, we must identify the function of the behavior so that whatever we offer as a reward will serve the same function.
For example, let’s say a student gets up and starts singing in the middle of class. Some students might do this because they love to have all of their peers staring at them (function: peer attention). Others, because they know the teacher will remove them from class and they won’t have to do the work (function: work avoidance). And, some will do it because when they’re sent to the office, they get to see their favorite person in the world- the office secretary (function: adult attention)
Now, let’s say we want to reinforce this student staying quiet during class. If we offer them a sticker for every ten minutes that they stay in their seats and use a quiet voice, it’s pretty likely that it will fail. Instead, we need to offer a reward that matches the function of their behavior.
If they want to avoid work, we can allow them to cross off one math problem for every ten minutes they remain quiet.
If they want peer attention, we can allow them the final three minutes of class to perform in front of the class if they meet the expectations.
And, if they want to see the amazing office secretary, maybe she’s willing to stop by the classroom after he’s been quietly participating for half the class.
All of these structures can be adjusted based on both the student’s needs and what’s reasonable in your classroom. But, the idea is to match the reward for the replacement behavior to what the student is getting out of the unwanted behavior.
Making Rewards Work in Your Classroom
Rewards work best when you’ve thought through a few things. Before reviewing the list below, consider the following:
- Not every reward will work for you as a teacher. Consider how things will play out in your classroom and with your teaching style. Only offer rewards that you can get behind. If you’re not willing to sacrifice the tiny bit of quiet time you get at lunch, then don’t offer lunch with the teacher. Your ability to recharge and function for the rest of the day is vital! Remember to prioritize yourself!
- Consider a Preference Assessment or Reinforcement Inventory. These might sound like an extra step, but trust me, they can be so simple and bring so much clarity to what you should offer. Here are some great ones: Praise Preference Assessments, Open-Ended Reinforcement Surveys, Forced Choice, and Ranked Preference Assessments. They’re easy to administer, kids think they’re fun, and they give great data. And you can get them all at a discount with a bundle! I’d highly recommend not skipping this step if you’re working on an FBA!
- Sometimes, students earn things in the middle of class or at inconvenient times. For example, you might have a structure where the student ends up earning a dance party right in the middle of a lecture. You could honor the reward right then, but it could interrupt your teaching flow. Instead, you could consider giving them a physical coupon that says what they’ve earned. It’s hard to wait to get your prize after you’ve worked really hard. Having a physical representation of it can be the next best thing. Here’s a free resource you can use to create custom coupons based on what your students want to earn! Just make sure they write their name on the back!
Function-Based Rewards
11 Tangible Reinforcers and Rewards
We all know we could keep stocking our class treasure box. But honestly, that adds up quickly! And those cheap toys don’t last. They just contribute to the landfill after a day.
So, here are some free or low-cost creative ideas for students who want to earn tangible rewards without us constantly having to seek out new toys in the dollar section of Target.
Instead of doling out tiny toys, students can “rent” items from a class library of things. This could be for a day or a class period, considering the student and behavior.
You can also use the Free Customizable Reward Coupons to allow students to bring in a preferred item from home the next day. This is great for comfort items, fidgets, or an extra snack.
Most importantly, if students are bringing or earning tangible items like toys and fidgets to class, make sure that you set your expectations for how they use these items! If you’re not clear from the start how you expect students to handle the tangibles, they can very quickly backfire.
Here are some ideas for what students can earn to rent or keep:
Use a Fancy Pen For the Day
Because writing is just more fun when you can do it in color!
A Fluffy Friend
Students can bring a stuffed animal from home or borrow one from a collection to sit on their desk for the day. My students (even in fifth grade!) loved to have their animals “watch them work.” If you want to create a little library of friends for students to earn to sit on their desks, I recommend these little erasers. Something about getting to pick one out and being in charge of it for the day is just fun!
Rent a Fidget
Again, make sure students know the expectations for using the fidget appropriately. This is also a great way to have students try out different types of fidgets and see which one works best for them. Because not every fidget will work for every kid, I like variety packs like this one.
Rent a Comfy Chair
This could be a rolly chair or a cushion to sit on. Who doesn’t like to be comfy?
Candy or a Snack
There’s a lot of debate over the use of food as a reward, so tread carefully if you choose to do so. It can be helpful to get parents’ permission, and many parents are willing to send in food for their child or the class to earn. A great way to keep costs down!
Hat for the Day
You can allow students to bring a hat from home, or you can collect some hats from Dollar Tree or home to allow students to choose from for the day. Honestly, the sillier the better, like these! For a good deal, check out your local thrift store after Halloween!
Stickers and a Scene
Stickers are classic. And for a good reason. They’re super cheap and kids love them. To really get kids excited, you can print off a scene for them to put their stickers on. For example, I had a student who loved earning cute animal stickers. I printed off a background of a nice meadow for her to collect her stickers on. She loved it! Try googling “nature background drawing” for an easy scenery page. Or, you could “race track background” for kids who like car stickers.
Official Stationery
We all love good personalized stationery, even our students! The good news is that it doesn’t have to cost much to personalize writing papers for kids. Just print off some lined paper with the student’s monogram or “From the Desk of Kristen W.” at the top and boom! Custom stationery!
Coloring Page
We all have kids who love to color! Probably the number one reward my students chose was to print off a coloring page of something very specific to their interests. I remember googling “dirt bike doing wheelie coloring pages” and actually finding a variety!
Bring a Toy to Recess
Many schools have rules about what kids can bring out to recess. But for the right behavior in class, it can be worth it to allow students to earn this privilege. Just make sure you clearly set the expectation ahead of time as to how they can play with the toy.
School Supplies
I personally have way too much fun shopping for fun erasers. They’re actually pretty affordable on Amazon and of course, you can find seasonal options in the Target Dollar Section. You can get these 150 erasers for just $8. That’s just under 20 cents per reward!
13 Rewards for Students Seeking Adult Attention
Students who are motivated by adult attention will often work hard to get it any way they can- positive or negative, they just want your attention. So, it can be hard to withhold attention for challenging behaviors, but putting reinforcers in place for positive attention can really motivate students to use positive replacement behaviors.
Keep in mind that when students are motivated by adult attention, it’s important to give them positive attention along the way, not just when they’ve made it to the big reward at the end. It can be hard to hold out on the promise of a big payoff later. If you find that students aren’t able to meet the expectation long enough to earn the reward, try increasing the praise you give and your physical proximity to the student while they are working on the positive replacement behavior. Remember to reinforce anything you want to see them do again, and withhold that attention as much as safely possible when they aren’t meeting the expectations.
Errand Runner
Many students love being a teacher’s helper, especially when they get to leave the classroom! This gets them even more adult attention. You can even make up an errand for them to see their top favorite staff in the school.
Walk of Fame
For students who love adult praise, this is a great one. Students get to take a walk around the school at a busy hallway time (or maybe whenever they’re transitioning in the hallway already) with a sign that says “Tell me I’m Great! I’m a star student!” This way, teachers are encouraged to talk to them and give them additional praise for their hard work. This is a particularly awesome strategy for students who like to elope and are used to getting adult attention for being in the hallway at the wrong time.
Sit at the Teacher’s Desk
Teacher attention, plus a little feeling of being responsible and grown up.
Lunch with a Preferred Adult
This could be the teacher, principal, janitor, para, or anyone whom the student has a relationship with that they find reinforcing. Heck, maybe the school has a mascot to have lunch with?
Phone Answering Duty
What kid didn’t love answering the phone in class? Make sure to give them instructions on how to answer the phone appropriately. It’s a good idea to have them practice “Hello Mrs/Mr’s _____ classroom. This is ____ speaking. How can I help you?” You could even make a script for them to read so they’re super official.
The teacher has to clean out your desk (WA)
Phone call home
Adult attention doesn’t just have to come from school staff. Enlist parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, soccer coaches, etc. You can send an info sheet home for parents to fill out with people in the child’s life who would love to hear about them succeeding at school.
Phone Call to the Principal
This one flips the script. So often, students associate the principal with getting into trouble. Instead, have the student make a phone call to the principal’s office to let them know about the positive things the student did to earn the phone call.
Positive Note Home
If parents can’t pick up during the day, or students want something tangible to hand over or hang on the fridge, send a positive note home. Be explicit about what the student did that was great, so parents can reinforce that behavior.
Play a Game with the Teacher
A little one-on-one time with your teacher always felt so special! This could be something short, like tic-tac-toe or a game of Go fish. It could even be changing out an academic task that the student needed to do with a game-based learning activity.
Teacher’s Helper
This is kinda a two-for since they will also get peer attention when they’re leading an activity. Pick something that you’re already planning on doing in class, and allow the student to “lead” in some way. Some ideas are holding the book during read-aloud, calling on students to line up one at a time or to answer a question, passing out or picking up papers, keeping time, and being the “clicker” on the computer. Bonus, you get to take some small tasks off your plate!
Teacher on Your TikTok
Now, you don’t actually have to post anything on TikTok for this to be a fun activity. But if you’re willing to act a little silly, you could spend time learning a TikTok dance and videotape yourself performing it with the student. This would be a very high ticket reward for a lot of kids!
Front Office Assistant
For kiddos who love to help and love the attention in the front office (front office workers are the best!), this one is perfect! Work with the front office staff to find a time when the student could help with small tasks in the front office and get a little attention from people coming and going.
16 Rewards for Students Seeking Peer Attention
Whether they’re the class clown or like to be the top student, peer attention is one of the strongest reinforcers we have for many students. The vast majority of behavior in K-12th grade is socially maintained. This means students repeat or stop behaviors based on the responses of their peers. Kids want to be accepted and feel like they have a place in their peer group.
These rewards can be particularly helpful for students who aren’t always seen in a positive light by their class. Kids who are generally disruptive or have been physically or verbally aggressive in the past can find it hard to integrate back into the social structure of the group. Having them earn positive attention from their peers, and even earn rewards for their peers, is a great way to help them build back up their social standing.
Read to the Class
For students who love to read or excel at reading, this is a great chance to show their strengths. Allow them to be the “designated reader for the day” or pick a short story to read to their class. Students love to play teacher!
Stand-Up Comedian
Have a class clown? Redirect that energy into earning the privilege of some “stand-up comedy” time. Get a kid’s joke book from the library and allow the students to pick a few of their favorite jokes to share with the class. It can also help peers see them in a more positive light.
Show and Tell
Allow the student to bring in something from home and spend a few minutes telling their class about it. This could be a fun toy they have or maybe something that’s important to their heritage. Make sure to inform their grownups, so they can have support picking something appropriate.
Hang Work on the Wall
Reserve some space on a bulletin board or “class refrigerator” to post the student’s work. This is great when the behavior you want to increase is work completion! You can even make a class announcement that if anyone wants to see some stellar work, they can check out this student’s on the wall!
School-Wide Shoutout
Have whoever gives the morning or afternoon announcements give a one-sentence shout-out to the student for doing a great job. It’s so quick, but since everyone in the school will hear it, it’s super reinforcing for students who love attention.
Share with the Class
If you have students who consistently struggle, it can really impact how their peers view them. Allowing them to earn a treat for the whole class with positive behavior can really help to re-frame what their peers think of the student. And, it can encourage the rest of the class to encourage the student to do their best. This can be something tangible like a candy or sticker, or they can “share their reward” of a GoNoodle or YouTube dance break with everyone.
Class High Five
This is fun for everyone. Announce to the class that the student has earned a “class high five” and have everyone stand up. The student gets to walk briskly around the room and high-five everyone on the way! As a fun bonus, you could even have them lead “the wave” like they’re at a sports game- but everyone is cheering for them!
Standing Ovation
Like the class high five, everyone gets to cheer on the student. Have the student stand in front of the class and take a bow or curtsy while the rest of the class gives a standing ovation for their hard work.
Talk on the Announcements
Going beyond just having their name on the announcements, students can help make the announcements. This doesn’t have to be the entire announcement, but announcing the bus numbers or doing the pledge can be enough to feel like the whole school hears your voice!
Read to a Younger Class
Work with a teacher in a lower grade to find a time for the student to come in and read a book. This could be to the whole class or just a few hand-picked students. For younger students, you could flip this! Have them go into a higher grade class for a “big kid story.”
Draw on the Board
For students who like to draw, allow them time during a transition to draw something (appropriate) on the board and leave it up there for the rest of the day. Let them sign their name in large letters so everyone knows it’s their work.
“Star Student” Sign on their Desk
Print or draw a sign on a sheet of paper that says “Star Student” and place it on the student’s desk for the rest of the day. You could also allow them to decorate it with stickers or drawings and take it home at the end of the day.
Wear a Medal or Crown for a Day
Like the star student sign, but they get to be a star everywhere they go. You can get a cheap crown or hat and write “Star Student” for everyone to admire.
Greeter
For students who really like that face time with their peers, have them be first to the door during a transition into the classroom and greet each of their peers individually with a high five or fist bump. Bonus, everyone feels welcomed coming into the room. If you anticipate any issues with specific peers, make sure to discuss that the greeter must greet everyone with a smile, even if they don’t get it back from everyone.
YouTube Tutorial
For students who are crafty, have them teach the class a small skill. You could have them practice origami or a drawing tutorial on YouTube and then pretend they’re the YouTube star teaching the rest of the class! Click here for a great example!
Math Star
This is a fun way to spice up math class- for the full math class, every math problem with a name has to be the student’s name! You can make these problems up, or just say the student’s name instead of the one on the paper. To make it even sillier, make the math problems outrageous. Like buying 500 watermelons!
17 Rewards for Students Who Want To Engage in Activities with Peers
A little different from just peer attention, these go above recognition of the student and are more about the social activity and relationship building that they provide. These activities also make great class-wide rewards for when you need to motivate the whole class!
When you have an individual student working for activities with peers, keep in mind that some of these activities will work better for the whole class and some will work better for a small group. You can offer options for either depending on student preference.
Earn it for the Whole Class:
Dance Party
So easy to do with YouTube or GoNoodle and a great movement break for everyone! Allow the student who earned it to pick the song and give them lots of credit for sharing their reward with the whole class!
Extra Recess
A classic. And so easy to add to your day. An extra five minutes goes a long way! Take advantage of the extra time and enjoy the sunshine yourself as well!
Lunch and a Show
Allow the class to bring their lunch back to the classroom and play an episode of a favorite show! You can also find Pixar Shorts on YouTube if a whole episode isn’t an option.
Science Experiment
Depending on your curriculum, you may or may not have a lot of science experiments going on already. But, some extra hands-on activities can really motivate students. I used to bring in bubbly water made with a SodaStream every day to drink, and my kids were fascinated by the idea that a machine put bubbles in my water. One of them was itching to see it in action. So, he worked extra hard for me to bring in the Soda Stream and watch it make some bubbles! The class LOVED it, but they all HATED the bubbly water!
Wordle
If you’re teaching upper elementary, playing the Wordle as a class can be tons of fun! You might need to help guide students through how to play the first few times, but this is a great whole-class game!
Pajama day
Students will be so thankful for a break from the everyday!
Hat day
Another classic that is super easy to pull off! I recommend having a few extra hats on hand in case some students forget or don’t have access to something they can wear to school.
Teacher Hot Seat
Kids are naturally curious about their teachers! This game is a fun way for them to learn more about you, and it’s super simple. You set a number of questions that students can ask, and they’re allowed to ask you about whatever they want. You may want to set some ground rules if you’re worried students might veer off in the wrong direction, such as suggesting topics they can ask about, like your family, your favorite things, questions about the world, etc. Allow the student who earned it to ask the first question.
Outside Class
This one is fun for you too! Hold part or all of a class outside. It’s helpful to do it right before recess if possible to decrease transition time. You can opt to do just silent reading or just independent work outside to make it a little more manageable.
Trivia Game
There are tons of free trivia games online for kids. You can even get three free trivia games AND practice filling out scantrons with this free resource from Little Victories! Each trivia quiz has 8 questions, great for younger students with trivia categories of sports, animals, TV, and movies.
Earn it for you and a friend
These options are better for just a few students, rather than the whole class.
Lunch Bunch
Have the student select just a few peers to bring back for lunch. This is a great time to also practice social skills and help the student work on positive peer interactions! You might even be able to move the lunch outside when the weather is nice.
Art project
If you have a more complex art project the student wants to work on, it might be easier to have just them and a peer work on it together.
Board Games
Another great way to work on social skills. You can have the student choose a board game to play with a peer from whatever you already have in your classroom! You might have to set the expectation that if they don’t finish the whole game, then that’s okay.
Freetime in the Gym
If your gym has any time during the day when it’s open, this is a great reward. Sometimes you can allow the student to go before class starts, and you get the extra benefit of them getting out some extra energy before class!
Design the Bulletin Board
If you have a class or hallway bulletin board that could use a makeover, this is a great way to both amplify student voice and reward a student! Have them pick a friend or two to help them select the background and border. They can pick a theme and put up text and pictures based on the theme. Some examples could be a club at school, a holiday coming up, an event in history or the community, great books they’ve read, or anything else they think other students should know about.
Flag Duty
Most schools have a flag pole and at least one flag that is raised and lowered each day. Find out who is in charge of the flag and see if they’re open to some student helpers who have earned the privilege.
12 Rewards for Students Who Want Independent Free Time (Escape social demands)
For many students, the social demands of the classroom can be a strain. Often, these are students who we might see trying to escape from social demands and the classroom setting. They may avoid group work or be introverted. But, even our social butterflies like some time to themselves sometimes!
Computer or iPad Time
This one is a bit of a no-brainer. Kids love it, and it’s just easy.
“I’m on Break” Card
With an “I’m on a Break” Card, your students can take a short break with no questions asked. Students just hold onto it until they feel like they need a break and then they can put it on their desk or turn it in to you when they need it. The key to using these successfully is to set parameters around what a break is and how long it lasts. For a break that was earned as a reward, it’s nice to allow a little broader scope for what they can do during the break. Whatever you allow them to do, make sure it’s clear. Think about making a list on the back of the card of options. You will also want to specify how long the break will last. Usually, 3-5 minutes is good. Let them set a timer if they can manage their own break time and set the expectation that when the break timer ends, they return to their desk and work.
Art Project
Great for artsy kids. They can color, draw, do origami, etc. One great way to support this so it’s still independent is to allow them to watch a YouTube video, like this one, and follow along with the steps.
Walk by Myself
For students who want peace and quiet during their independent time, a walk around the school can be a good option. As long as there aren’t a lot of classes transitioning, students can walk a designated path and return to the classroom. Make sure the expectation is clear that they return immediately and that they know the route back to class. You can always notify another adult that they’re on a walk so they can quietly keep an eye out.
Reading Fort
Reading is a great independent activity- one of my personal favorites! And many students love it too! If you have a blanket or towel, drape it over the student’s desk for them to make a little reading fort! You can leave one side open so they’re light and you can still supervise them.
Puzzles
Another personal favorite of mine! You could get an assortment of puzzles for students to choose from for pretty cheap at the dollar store or thrift store. It’s also fun to have a class puzzle for students to work on collectively and students can earn time to work on it in chunks.
Paint a Rock
Very cheap artsy reward here! Pick up some rocks from outside the school or your home. Small rocks are fine and it’s good to have a variety. Allow the student to choose one of the rocks to paint a single color. Once it’s dry, they can write a phrase on it with a permanent marker and add it to a rock garden in the class or playground.
Explore the Classroom
Give students a magnifying glass and allow them to explore the classroom or playground. Many of my students like drawing things very close up- like scientists! Seems simple, but my kids loved it!
Crossword & Word Searches
For students who like word puzzles, crosswords are a great independent activity! To make them more reinforcing, you can allow them to choose a topic for their crossword and find it on the internet to print out. For example “dog word searches for kids” brings up quite a few options on Google.
Solitaire
Nothing says independent like solitaire. This one might take time to teach students, but once they learn the rules, it’s a fun activity that many kids enjoy!
- Time with Toys- Depending on what you have available in your classroom, you can allow students extra time to play with preferred toys or centers. Legos, blocks, magnets, all of those fun building toys make great independent free-time options!
Time on Google Maps
This one is something that I personally use all the time. My kids loved to jump on Google Maps and search around the school and their neighborhood to see different locations around town. They like to challenge themselves to get from their house to school or drop into the middle of Tokyo or the G
Listen to Music
Allow the student to take some alone time to listen to preferred music. Using headphones can help the student drown out the noises around them and relax for a bit.
12 Rewards for Students Who are Work Avoidant
Work avoidance behavior is very difficult to break, and along with academic support, incentives are a major tool we can leverage to help students build stamina to complete work. It can be a hard pill to swallow, but allowing students to get out of work to do something is how we build their skills over time.
Plus, a little work is better than no work. And if we can get them to comply enough to get themselves out of work later, we can avoid an escalation and a major class disruption. Which is still a win! Here are some ideas for ways students can work for less work.
Homework Pass
If your school still issues homework, allow the student to get out of it by completing the class work. This way, for the work that they do complete, you’ll at least know that they’re the ones doing it, and you can give them direct and timely feedback on the work.
Teacher Does Half Your Worksheet
Kids love this one because you have to do the work. The best part: they think they’re getting out of learning, but really you can use this as an opportunity to model how to solve problems! Use the think-aloud strategy and have them make sure that you’re getting the answers correct! They’ll still be engaged in learning.
Rip up Your Worksheet
This can be done in a few ways. You can have them complete part or all of the worksheet first, and then tear it up. This is great if there’s a back page. Or, you can tell them they have two worksheets to do for classwork, but if they do the first one, they can rip up the second.
Pick Your Problems
Have the student look over the work, and then give them a number of problems they can cross off. For example, you can tell them for each problem they do, they can cross off one problem they don’t want to do. Or, you can have them circle the five problems they want to do off the page. This also increases the choice students feel they have over their work, which is a research-based strategy to increase work completion.
Skip the Rest
Have students complete the first half of a worksheet, and then tell them they can skip the rest. This works when you feel like students have hit their limit and are getting frustrated. You can pull it out in the moment and say, “I’m so proud of you working hard on this. Let’s skip the rest since you stayed focused!”
Break Card
Students can work to earn break cards for later. Give them a card that says “5 Minute Break” or however long you feel is appropriate. They can use this later when they want to avoid work in a prosocial way.
Work with a Partner
Allow the student to complete their work with a partner. This takes some of the burden off them and if they choose a good partner, they may learn a lot more than doing it alone.
Pick a Different Worksheet-
Allow the student to pick between two worksheets or tasks to complete. Choice is a big deal when it comes to increasing work completion and compliance.
Extra Credit Points
For students who are behind in work and whose grades are suffering, allow them to work for some extra credit on assignments that you weren’t planning to grade. Some kids won’t care about the extra credit. Others will be willing to put in more work when it gets close to report card time.
Teacher Writes Your Answers
Writing is one of the most challenging skills students learn. Even just the physical act of writing can be a big challenge, especially today when kids aren’t used to handwriting. This reward takes that off the student’s plate. The student can pick a later assignment for the teacher to write for them. They still have to do the thinking, but the teacher is their scribe.
Reading Assistant
For this one, students work on the assignment now so that they don’t have to read on a future assignment. Give them a coupon for a “reading assistant,” who has to read all of the questions or a reading passage to them. Make sure they know that they can’t use it for a reading test.
Extra Review Time Before a Test
For students who are anxious about assessment, this reward can go a long way. Give them a coupon they can use at the next test or quiz to have an extra ten minutes to review before they start.
19 Rewards for Students Seeking Sensory Experiences or Increased Movement
Meeting sensory needs is very important for kids to be regulated enough to behave in class. It’s important that we don’t withhold any specific activities that help students feel more comfortable in their bodies. And, many of these activities can help kids prior to the difficult tasks they have to complete. If students are continuously selecting the same options, it might be a sign that they could benefit from some sensory accommodations or a sensory diet.
But, extrasensory experiences can also be offered as rewards. And lots of them are just fun!
It’s also important to note that sensory needs are very complex. If you suspect that a student’s behavior is a result of some unmet sensory needs, ask an occupational therapist for support.
Pajama Day
A break from abrasive clothes can be a sweet reward for many kids (and teachers)!
Take a Walk
Physical movement along with a break from the noisy classroom environment can be a double benefit for kids managing their sensory input.
Rent a Fidget
Allow students to explore different fidgets that they can use quietly in the class. Allowing them to “rent” the fidget can give them a chance to see what works for them. You can get a variety pack for a reasonable price on Amazon. Here’s an example. Make sure that you clearly set expectations around how the fidget will be used and when it will be returned.
No Shoes Break
Also known as a “Smelly Feet Pass.” Letting our paws air out from stuffy shoes can be a big relief and help us cool off after a hard play outside.
Smellies
This one is gold. Get yourself a pack of kids’ chapstick, and swipe a stripe on the back of kids’ hands for them to smell. I’ve personally only used it in Pre-K and kinder classrooms, but I know some teachers of third and fourth grade have also found success with it. There’s a lot of fun in the variety of smells and kids love if the chapstick has a theme. I got a ten-pack of Paw Patrol chapstick for about $2 and the kids loved to pick which character they got to smell.
Music During Independent Work
If students are able to still focus, allow them to listen to some music on their headphones while they complete independent work. Encourage them to monitor how their work is coming along and ensure that the music isn’t distracting them. This is a great way to teach self-monitoring skills as well! If the music is distracting, try instrumental music or have them listen after they finish the work.
Quiet Lunch
The cafeteria can be a lot. Even for adults. Many students can really decompress and set themselves up for the rest of the day if they have a break from the chaos that is in the lunch room. If you’re lucky enough to have a small room off the cafeteria or a front office staff member who will supervise your student in a quiet space, allow the student to have some peace and quiet while they eat.
Sensory Bins
These are so cheap and can offer a variety of textures for students to get some diverse sensory input. Some ideas are beans, rice, cotton balls, Easter grass, marbles, packing peanuts, buttons, and pom poms. One great way to get kids engaged in the bins is to hide different small toys and items in the bins for them to dig through and find!
Listen to Nature Sounds or a Crackling Fire
I had a student who would beg for me to put on a crackling fire video for him. He loved to sit in front of the projector and quietly watch the fire roar. We would change this up from time to time and have nature sounds playing. Or, since I lived in South Florida at the time, we would put on a snowy cabin in the winter. Putting these scenes on during independent work really gave a special vibe to the classroom. Allow the student to pick a specific scene to play for a few minutes or during a less structured time of day.
Make a Sensory Bottle
These are so cheap and easy to make. Just save up some bottles, and fill them with water, glitter, food coloring, beads, and a little bit of either cooking or baby oil. You can also add small items like buttons or fun erasers. Squirting some hot glue inside can also make fun shapes appear. Make sure to superglue the top closed to avoid spillage.
Chew Gum for a Class
A lot of kids enjoy the pressure and movement of chewing, along with the taste of gum. This is a super cheap option, with a pack lasting a while and you might even already have some in your purse. Make sure you set clear expectations for what happens to the gum when it either loses its flavor or the agreed-upon time is up. And, make sure you set clear limits on bubble blowing and chewing with your mouth open if you’re like me and that drives you crazy!
Crunchy Snack
Just like chewing the gun, a hard crunch candy or snack can be a great sensory-based reward for students. Cheap and easy options include a scoop of pretzels, a handful of chips, or some mints. If kids prefer sweet to salty, hard candy or taffy is a good option (just not for kids with braces).
Time on the Playground
Much of the playground equipment is so fun for kids because of the sensory experience it provides. Merry-go-rounds and swings in particular can help students feel more regulated and calm. If students highly prefer these types of movements, you can have them work for extra time on the playground.
Slipper or Socks Day
I personally hate shoes, and would have loved to wear slippers to school as a kid! If this is a common request for a student, you could allow them to bring a pair of slippers in and keep them stored away for when they’ve earned a shoe break!
Slime Time
Allow students to make or play with some pre-made slime. PlayDough also works great for many kids! I find that fluffy slime is a less sticky option. But if your kids can’t resist a taste, you can opt for an edible slime.
Timed Run
For students who really need to get that energy out, have them work for a foot race. You can either race them yourself or time them as they run a loop around the playground. Have them try to beat their time, so they’re really working to get that movement.
Meditation or Yoga
Help kids center themselves with some mindful movement or meditation. There are countless free videos for this, or you can act as the meditation or yoga teacher and talk them through a few minutes of quiet practice.
Roll on an Exercise Ball
If you have a large exercise ball, having students stretch their bodies out either lying on their stomachs or back can be very regulating. It can give deep pressure and stretch the body at the same time. Students can also bounce and wiggle while sitting on it. Just make sure to set the expectations for what to do and not do, so things don’t get out of hand!
Animal Walk
This is a fun game that gets kids into different positions that can help stretch and regulate their bodies. Call out an animal and have the student walk across the room like the animal would. Some fun ones include crabs, sloths, snails, cheetahs, and giraffes. You really can’t go wrong.
Trying to reinforce positive classroom behavior but getting nowhere with the rewards you have to offer? It can be frustrating when students don’t seem to be motivated by… anything! Get to the bottom of it with a print-and-go Preference Assessment or Reinforcement Survey!
Choose from four types of easy-to-use assessments that quickly identify what students are most strongly motivated by. Perfect for enhancing your data collection for an FBA or updating an IEP!
