Tickets 101

Tickets are one recommended tool for an easy to implement behavior reinforcement system in Kids Club. To get started you will need:

Each leader should have an adequate supply of tickets on hand at ALL TIMES (20 or more). The success of this hinges on all leaders participating. Here’s how it works:

  • Any time a leader sees a student doing something positive or praiseworthy, they can give the student a ticket. They will rip the ticket in half and give one half to the child, and keep one half themselves (in a ziploc bag, envelope, or inside their name badge). The children can keep their ticket stubs in their name badges or pockets.
  • Near the end of club, the team leader should collect all the stubs from leaders and place them in one ticket jar (or a bag, envelope or bin could work).
  • A few minutes before parents arrive, pause all activity and have students get out their tickets so they can see the numbers.  Draw a ticket and call the number. The student who has the matching number may choose a prize from the prize bag.
  • As a general rule, you should give about one prize per week for every 10 students in your club.

When you start, it’s important that all leaders give out a lot of tickets. As students begin to get accustomed to the expected behaviors, you will not need to rely as heavily on them and can give them out less frequently.

A Note on Taking Away Tickets:

You should give tickets much more frequently than you take one away. When you do have to take a ticket away, tell the student why, and then say, “I will be looking for a reason to give you this ticket back.” Always point them back to the positive behaviors you are looking for rather than dwelling on the loss of the ticket. 

It works well when you set a routine that each student receives a “free” ticket right at the beginning of club just for coming, and another “free” ticket for coming with a smile, or saying hello, or having a good attitude. Then, every child begins with two tickets, so that when you do have a behavior issue, you know there will be something to take away. Then, you can create a set consequence for what happens when you ask for a ticket and they don’t have one (e.g. call home), since it would be their “third strike” already. 

You will also need to have policies in place for more serious consequences if taking tickets away does not resolve the issue.