My students are SO HAPPY this week because I’m handing out my Practice Boxes. What is a practice box? It’s any container with little compartments (I use a pill box like this:) I buy mine at the DOLLAR TREE for 1.00 each but you can find them on Amazon.
and I fill up the compartments with little treats like Candy, beads and little toys and stickers. I give one out to each student, and tell them they get to have each day’s treat after they practice at home. They are instructed to bring it back to me for the next 2 weeks and I’ll refill it.
It takes 21 days to create a habit, and when school starts up again, it’s hard to get everything done in one day-I know because I’m practicing Violin, Piano and Harp every day with my own daughter! She is six, and was very excitedly telling her father about the rules for the practice box, and showed him her reward for today (a packet of lemonade she had already made.)
I also wrote a little poem and posted it next to the boxes. If you’d like a free printable .pdf copy of the poem you can find it on my Teachers Pay Teachers Store HERE: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:violinjudy
My pro tip for buying a lot at your local dollar tree ($1/25 tree) is to call the manager and ASK if you can order a case online and if they will let you “return” the amount you don’t need for other items in the store, like small stickers, toys, candies, etc. to place in the boxes! You may need to order a lot of boxes online ($$$) to achieve this goal, but it will save you the time and aggravation driving around to many different stores to get as many as you need!
I hope your students like this reward as much as mine have! If you have done this with your own students will you please send me pictures I can post here to inspire more teachers? Thanks!
If you’d like more ideas to grow your studio and get your students in their happy practice place, please check out my book available to read on any device like PC/Laptop/Kindle or iPad from Amazon!
Please note that amazon referral links generate a teeny tiny bit of revenue that goes directly into keeping this website up and running.
Dont’ they just look SO FUN!
If you’d like more ideas to grow your studio and get your students in their happy practice place, please check out my book available to read on any device like PC/Laptop/Kindle or iPad from Amazon!
Please note that amazon referral links generate a teeny tiny bit of revenue that goes directly into keeping this website up and running. I also offer one-on-one consulting you can learn more about here. Thanks for reading my blog!
How fun, Judy! Thanks for sharing. I bet the kids LOVE all the sweet treats! I love the idea of the poem you mentioned too – something besides sweets that’s a special treat!
I also put a few ORBEES (or in my case “educational sensory beads”) in each week because my students LOVE those and honestly, I do TOO!
I would love a copy of the poem
Naomi-I want to make sure you received your copy of the poem. Just fill in your email in the annoying popup box as you leave any page (or hang out a long time) on my site. Thanks!
I would love your poem that goes with, please email me if you get the chance! Such a fun idea!!!
I want to make sure you received your copy of the poem. Just fill in your email in the annoying popup box as you leave any page (or hang out a long time) on my site. Thanks!
This is a GREAT idea! Thank you so much!
This is exactly what I was looking for September’s practice incentive! Could you email me the note you made up? Thanks so much and thanks for the great idea!
I want to make sure you received your copy of the poem. Just fill in your email in the annoying popup box as you leave any page (or hang out a long time) on my site. Thanks!
Hi Judy, Love this idea. I found at my 99cent store pill boxes of 2 different sizes. I’m think you use the larger size? Question: From the pictures it looks as though there is already 3 weeks of treats in each. But then you said they bring it back each week and you refill. Please explain further,
Jill
Yes, my students did bring the same pill box for 2 more refills. 21 days total! We had so much fun with these!