How to Train your Toddler: the "Treasure Box" Technique
Posted: Tuesday, October 16, 2007
by Kathy Somers
I find this a hard task especially with two little boys running around my home. Trying to teach them to use the potty is a difficult one for me, and for some moms and dads they find this task easy.
Whether it be toilet training, giving up the bottle at bed time, cleaning up their toys, saying please and thank you, or not throwing food on the floor at meal times I found this little trick really helped me.
You will have to dig out your creative side and don’t forget to involve your children in making their treasure box.
You will need the following items:
Part I
An old box, a shoe box for example
Tape or glue
Colored paper
Scissors (Children’s Scissors)
Markers
Stickers
And whatever else you would like to decorate your treasure box up with.
Part II
1 Sheet of Bristol board
Part III
A few items from the dollar store for your treasures or whatever you prefer to put into your treasure box.
First of all, make your treasure box and get the children to help decorate it, I find that this is a good way to let them participate in the fun, and it helps to get them all excited about doing whatever you are trying to train them to do.
Second, take your Bristol board and write at the top of it the toddler’s name, for example “Sarah’s Treasures".
Third, list on the Bristol board what you are trying to train them to do. Like peeing in the potty, saying please and thank you, picking up toys, brushing teeth etc.
Fourth, put the treasures that you have for them into the treasure box. Close it up and set it somewhere where they can not reach it.
For the child to earn a treasure he/she has to earn 10 stickers, or which ever number of stickers you choose. Each time the child pees in the potty, brushes their teeth etc, they earn a sticker. Let them pick out the sticker they want to use and let them stick it on the chart that you have made.
You can either have them earn 10 stickers for just peeing in the potty alone and then earning a treasure or you can let them earn 10 stickers for doing all different things. You choose what you think is best for your child and yourself.
Now, every time my little boy pees in the potty, he tells me “I get a sticker" and I say “Yes you do" then we go get a sticker and he is just as proud as can be and excited that he gets to put another one his chart.
Don’t forget that they are not allowed to have a treasure out of their treasure box at any other time.
I have to include my one year old in this game and of course he is to young to start training to pee in the potty. To keep him involved I will let him have a treasure as well. Just to keep peace and to keep him from grabbing and trying to take the new treasure out of the three year olds hands, this prevents some little people from crying.
You should give it a try, I honestly have to say that it does work really well, it takes a bit a work and reminding them that if they pee in the potty they get a sticker.
Have a great day, don’t pull your hair out and go make your treasure box.
Thank you God for Washable Markers !
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