Good Behavior Chart Ideas

Parenting expert Nancy Samalin, author of "Loving is Not Enough: Positive Discipline That Works," defines positive discipline as the ability to set limits without putting the kids down. Good behavior charts emphasize positives, instead of reprimands or demerits known as bad marks. With incentive, kids can gain awareness and appreciation of good behavior and achieve greater self-control. Interactive behavior charts offer an element of excitement, while reinforcing the benefits and rewards of practicing good habits.

  1. Coloring Chart

    • Kids will enjoy coloring a behavior chart.

      Kids never seem to tire of coloring or cartoons. Create a chart combining both concepts by selecting your child's favorite animal or cartoon character along with a corresponding image. It can be a Cinderella figure at the top corner of the chart, with several glass slipper outlines in the main body of the chart, and a picture of the Cinderella's castle at the opposite bottom corner. Kids color in the glass slippers on each reward day until the the slippers complete a path to the castle. Or the chart can be of a cowboy with outlines of horses and a cowboy hat at the bottom of the page. Title the chart with a challenging question such as "How can the cowboy find his hat?" or "How many steps for Cinderella to find the castle?"

    Sticker Chart

    • Stickers contribute to a motif or theme for a behavior chart.

      Stickers come in all shapes, sizes, colors and themes. Children enjoy the novelty of seeing the colorful shapes decorate a lunch box or notebook. Use the idea of stickers for a good-behavior chart. Create one central character placed in the middle of the chart. If the stickers are stars, draw or cut out a picture of a space ship or a full moon for the central motif. Each time the chart is used, a star sticker is placed on the chart. Try this with stickers of frogs, with a lily pad as the central figure or reversed. Use a pot of honey, or a cave, with bear stickers, or a central motif of a hive with bumble-bee stickers.

    Surprise Coupon Chart

    • Surprise coupons offer the incentive of mystery along with reward.

      Kids love surprises and that can be the theme of a behavior chart. Create a different surprise for each day by writing a coupon of your child's favorite activities on pastel colored paper. Coupons can range from, "Let's Fly a Kite," or "Time to Bake Cookies," or "Shall We go to the Beach?" Using a large calendar, tack a folded coupon for each day. When it's time to use the chart, allow your child to pick the coupon of the day.

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