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Printable Child Behavior Checklists

a parent using a behavior checklist with her child to help her work on her actions

Behavior checklists are a simple and effective way to monitor and track your child’s progress when creating a behavior management plan. They can be easily customized to outline different goals and evaluate specific behaviors. Using a checklist to stay organized, you can better observe and take notes when assessing your child’s responses, behaviors and actions. 

Anyone who knows the child really well can complete a behavior checklist. You can score checklists and compare them to the scores of children of similar ages. They can reveal a child’s weaknesses and strengths and determine the severity of the behavior. They also serve as a type of data collection tool so parents, teachers, and caregivers can become familiar with recurring habits and behaviors.

Using checklists can be a great way to track and improve your child’s behavior. By establishing a baseline of their typical actions, you can easily identify any drastic changes in behavior, whether positive or negative. Plus, checklists are a great tool for children to use to become more self-aware of their actions. By analyzing their own behaviors, kids can work towards creating better habits and responses for themselves. This empowers them to take control of their own behavior and become more independent.

behavior checklists. kids are working on work  in the classroom.
Read more: Social Skills Behavior Checklist | Free Printable

Benefits of Using Behavior Checklists

When it comes to addressing a child’s behavior, it’s important to remember that sometimes, they may not even realize they’re doing something wrong. That’s where behavior checklists come in handy! These checklists can help pinpoint areas where a child may need more support or guidance, and can help them understand what they need to work on. After all, it’s not fair to assume that a child is intentionally misbehaving. By using behavior checklists, you can work together with your child to identify the problem and find solutions to improve their behavior.

Your child probably doesn’t misbehave constantly. Certain activities or situations may trigger your child. You can customize behavior checklists for any situation. Identify where and when the problematic behaviors emerge and tailor the behavior checklist to the environment to understand better the causes of destructive behaviors and how to help your child overcome them.

They’re especially useful for teachers in the classroom. Some kids may not have obvious behavioral issues until it’s time to interact with other kids. Behavior checklists for students clearly outline what people expect of them. The defined expectations help kids understand acceptable and unacceptable behavior to help reduce disruptive behaviors in the classroom. 

A young child demonstrates brushing teeth on the best tablet for kids by Goally, highlighting a kid-friendly interface.

Goally | Apps That Build Behavior & Life Skills for Kids

Want to keep your child motivated while building essential behavior and life skills? Goally’s skill-building tablet is designed to celebrate small wins and help your child grow.

Our Behavior Tracker helps you reward your kiddo for specific skills, like “being kind” or “flushing the toilet.”

By setting clear expectations and rewarding their efforts, you foster a positive environment for your child to flourish in their behavioral skills journey.

The hall monitor penguin uses apps for ABA Therapy that help at home as well as in the clinic.

When it comes to improving behavior in children, behavior checklists can be a great tool to help set clear goals and expectations. With a defined path to follow, children can feel more confident in their ability to achieve desired outcomes. Plus, parents and teachers can even turn the process into a fun game by implementing a reward system for positive behavior. This not only motivates kids but also helps to create a shared focus on specific goals for everyone involved. By working together, parents and educators can help children develop good habits and achieve success in both the short and long term.

This post was originally published on 01/31/2023. It was updated on 12/28/2023. 

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We help parents teach their kids life skills, like doing bedtime and morning independently. Backed by science, we incorporate evidence-based practices and expert-informed designs in all of our apps and content.