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  • HOME
    • YKOT You-Tube Library
    • Articles >
      • Apps and Website Reviews
      • Bilateral Coordination
      • Cognition and Concepts
      • Fine Motor Skills
      • Gross Motor Skills
      • Handwriting and Writing
      • Homemade >
        • Arts and Craft
        • Kids in the Kitchen
        • Christmas
      • Motivation and Rewards
      • Planning and Organisation
      • Play
      • Product and Book Reviews
      • Self Help Skills
      • Sensory Skills
      • Visual Perceptual Skills
    • Direct Therapy Services
  • Telehealth OT
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • About
    • Contact >
      • Contact
      • eNewsletter Subscription

Motivation and Rewards

Young children learn by exploring and interacting with objects and people within their natural environment.  Children are naturally motivated to  play with certain toys or attempt certain new activities.  This “intrinsic” motivation is self-driven and often brings a child pleasure and success.  Children  often learn more and can retain that learning better when they are intrinsically motivated. 
 
Children also participate in activities that they are not naturally motivated to perform.  This may be because an adult has told them that this needs to be done, they may have experienced a sense failure in a previous attempt to do the activity or they may just find doing the activity unpleasant.  
  
An “extrinsic” reward is provided by someone other than the child themselves.  It may be a physical reward (eg, stickers, chocolate, cuddles, high-5) or verbal praise and encouragement.  Praise and rewarding a child’s effort and persistence, rather than the actual accomplishment will work towards a child’s ability to value their attempts.  Many children respond well to extrinsic rewards when learning a new activity or trying to develop a skill that a child finds difficult.  Extrinsic rewards can be faded (reduced) when children develop a sense of achievement.

Sometimes when a child finds learning a new skill or activity difficult, the activity itself needs to be adapted, to provide a child with the right amount of challenge that keeps them motivated to persist without the constant fear of failure.

You will find further explanations, ways to adapt activities and lots of activity suggestions about motivation posted here in the coming months.  


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Disclaimer: The information on this site is general in nature and should be used for educational  and entertainment purposes. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions.  This blog does not replace formal therapeutic professional advice given by a health professional or medical practitioner.  Reviews and endorsements of products will only be made based on my expertise and personal opinion; and deemed worthy of such endorsement. The opinions shared in sponsored content will always be my own and not that of the advertising company or brand. Content, advertising space or posts will be clearly identified if paid, affiliated or sponsored.  Affiliate links may  be found throughout this website in advertising. This means that if you follow through with a purchase from these links, Your Kids OT will receive a percentage of the sale. Your Kids OT undertakes to meet the requirements of the "Social Media Policy" as published by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).  Further information about this policy can be found here.

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Hi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here.

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