Token board maker: make a free token board

A token board is a visual reinforcement system that shows a child how close they are to a reward. Each time the child does the behavior you are working on, they earn a token, such as a star. When every spot on the token board is full, the child gets the pictured reward and the board starts again.

In ABA, the board is a reinforcement system: the tokens bridge the gap between the work and the reward, so a child can keep going for a few minutes instead of a few seconds. Reinforcement is one of the evidence-based practices for autistic children in the 2020 review by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice.

A token board works when the reward is something the child wants right now and the first full board comes quickly. Let the child pick the reward, start with three tokens, give each token right after the behavior with a few words of praise, and give the reward the moment the last token goes on.

• Let your child pick the reward before you start, from two or three things you are happy to give. Put that picture in the "I am working for" box.
• Start with three tokens. Move to five, then more, only when your child finishes boards easily.
• Give a token right after the behavior you want, with a few words of praise: "You sat down. Token!" Waiting even a minute weakens the link.
• When the last token goes on, give the reward straight away. Then take the tokens off together and start again.
• Do not take tokens away for behavior you do not want. A token that was earned stays on the board.
• If your child loses interest in the reward, change the reward, not the number of tokens.
• Pair the board with short, clear tasks your child can finish, such as the task boxes for special ed: one finished box, one token.

The best token board reward is quick to give and quick to end: two minutes on the tablet, a turn on the slide, three bubbles, a small snack. Tokens can be plain stars or a picture your child loves, which makes the tokens a little rewarding in themselves. Keep tokens big enough to handle and too big to swallow.

Long rewards make the next round hard to start. If your child cannot wait for even three tokens yet, start with the first-then board maker: one task, then one reward.

Keep food and balloon rewards safe for your child’s age. Cut grapes and other round foods lengthwise into quarters, and follow your child’s feeding plan if they have one. An adult blows up balloons, and uninflated or broken balloons stay out of reach of young children.