Safekeeping Box

From Heather Greenwood, a youth behavior specialis for grades K-5 at Sugar Grove Elementary School in Houston, Texas:

"Sometimes children bring things from home to play with, which makes it harder for them to pay attention. I decided to resolve this problem by creating a 'Safekeeping Box.' I found a medium-sized box with a lid, deorated it, and put a label on the box that said 'Items in Safekeeping, To Be Returned Later.' When I see children playing with something that is destracting them, I ask them to put it in the 'Safekeeping Box' and let them know that they can retrieve their item at the end of the day. This validates their important personal treasures and assures them they will be returned. Additionally, it cuts down on the distrations in the classroom, as the students learn quicly to avoid having things put into the box."