How to Use This Template
Print the token board layouts and star tokens on heavy cardstock, then laminate them for daily use. Cut out the individual boards (5-token and 10-token layouts) and the star tokens, then attach velcro dots to the stars and the empty slots on the boards. Help the learner choose a reward, place a picture or note of it in the 'I am working for' area, and award stars immediately as they demonstrate target behaviours. Trade the stars for the reinforcement item as soon as the board is full.
Clinical Best Practices & Tips
Always deliver descriptive verbal praise at the exact moment you hand over a star token so they connect the visual progress to social reinforcement. If a student struggles to stay on task, start with the 5-token board and deliver tokens rapidly to build momentum before stretching their stamina. Keep the board strictly positive: never remove earned tokens for misbehavior, as taking stars away introduces fear of loss and breaks trust in the system.
Choosing between the 5-token and 10-token board
The number of tokens on a board is a decision about the reinforcement schedule, not about how hard the task should be. Start wherever the learner will actually reach the end.
The 5-token board suits early learners, new skills, and any task where effort is high relative to tolerance. Five tokens means the learner contacts the reward quickly, which is what builds the association between the board and something worth having. If a student has never used a token board before, start here regardless of age.
The 10-token board is for stretching stamina once the system is already working. Use it when the learner reliably finishes a 5-token board without prompting, and when you want to move towards reinforcement that arrives less often.
Move between the two deliberately rather than as a reward for good days. If a learner starts leaving 10-token boards unfinished, that is usually information about the schedule or about the reward, not about the learner. Check that what they are working for is still something they want, and drop back to five while you do.
Printing, laminating and reusing the boards
Print at 100% scale. If your print dialogue offers 'fit to page' or 'shrink to fit', turn it off — it shrinks the whole sheet, and the token slots are small enough already.
Heavy cardstock holds up better than paper, and laminating is worth the effort for anything you intend to use beyond a single week. Attach the hook side of a velcro dot to each empty slot and the loop side to the back of each star, so the rough side sits on the board rather than on the pieces the learner handles.
Leave the 'I am working for' line blank and write on the laminated surface with a dry-wipe marker. The same board then serves different rewards across the day without reprinting, and the learner sees the reward change rather than the board change.
Print a fresh copy for each learner rather than sharing one between them. A token board is a record of one person's progress, and handing a partly filled board to someone else undermines what it is for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these token boards free?
Yes. Both boards and the star tokens are free to print, with no email address, account or sign-up required. Use the print button and choose 'Save as PDF' as the destination if you want a file to keep.
Should I use the 5-token or the 10-token board?
Start with the 5-token board for any learner who is new to the system, so they reach the reward quickly. Move to 10 tokens once they finish a 5-token board reliably and without prompting.
What should the learner be working for?
Whatever genuinely functions as a reinforcer for that learner. A preferred item only counts as a reinforcer if it increases the behaviour it follows — see reinforcement for why that distinction matters in practice.
Do I have to laminate the boards?
No. On paper, the learner can tick or colour each slot with a pen instead of using velcro stars. Laminating only matters if you want to reuse the same board beyond a single week.
Is there an online version of this token board?
Yes — there is a free interactive token board that runs in a browser with no printing and no sign-up. It works on a tablet at a student's desk or on a classroom screen.