I Caught You Being Good Jar {positive reinforcement}
So I admit some day over here I spend more time getting on to the kids than I do pointing out the good things they do. Stop hitting your brother, give him back his toy, we don’t pour our juice on the floor… So I really love this idea of a I Caught You Being Good Jar shared by Wolfelicious. She uses her jar in her classroom as positive reinforcement for good behavior. You should stop by her blog and read how she uses it with her kids. I came up with my own way to use our jar and a few fun printables as well to use to decorate our jar.
I Caught You Being Good Jar {positive reinforcement}
Positive reinforcement- the offering of desirable effects or consequences for behavior with the intention of increasing the chance of that behavior being repeated in the future.
Supplies/What I used:
clear container
label
glue
pom poms
cotton balls
How I made the the jar:
I had a clear plastic container in our reuse pile. See, I knew I saved it for something. I grabbed that. You can buy jars similar to this one at Walmart in the bakewear section. This container was given to us with gourmet popcorn in it at one time. I am sure there are tons of jars, buckets, and containers that could be used for this. I made a few labels on the computer. I printed and cut one out to use. I used glue to apply it to the container. Then I grabbed a few pom poms and cotton balls to hold on to for later.
How we are using it. I showed the kids the new jar. I told them I really want to reward them for doing good and kind things through out the day. Then I gave an example : Big brother since you stayed quiet while the baby napped and I didn’t have to ask you to stop being loud I will reward you with a pom pom in this jar. I told them when I find them doing nice things I will continue to add to the jar. When our jar is full we can make plans for a special outing maybe a fun trip to a favorite place (the park) or a special treat like ice cream. They both liked that idea. We have had it a few days and so far it has helped to be able to reward them for good behavior. Does it mean they are angels because of the jar, no. But I think it is great to stop and point out the good that the kids do and not always stop to get on to them when doing things they should not. I love seeing how excited my oldest gets for being rewarded for being good. I look forward to using this jar with them. As time goes I may have to modify our system but for now it is working. It is a large jar and I fear they will lose interest before we make it to the special outing. I am thinking of going back and adding a few lines with a marker on the side of the jar. For each line we make it to we get a special prize. (TBD)
I am sure this jar can be used in many different ways to promote positive reinforcement in kids. Maybe this will be something for you and your kids to try too.
Below are the images I made to decorate our jar.
Feel free to save and print for YOUR OWN USE ONLY!!
More posts to check out:
DIY Reading Book Nook or Quiet Place
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About The Author
Jaime
Hi! I am Jaime, mama to three high energy boys. With three boys, life never slows down, but I wouldn't have it any other way! We love creating, learning, and crafting together and we can turn anything into an adventure.
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I love this idea! I think I’ll make one today. I like the idea of catching them being good and while I already tell her, “Thank you for sharing with the girl in playgroup today,” or “I like how you picked up your toys before I asked,” I think this will be something a little more tangible for her to SEE the good things she does. Thanks again for the idea. (Sorry this comment ran a little long, lol!)
This is a great idea! I will be sharing it. For my youngest, I try and take a picture of when he made “a right choice” and we get to relive it whenever we see the picture. He really likes to show his dad the pictures at the end of the day. Thanks for the post!