Give Kids Choice (Without the Chaos): A Simple Strategy That Works
Want to know one secret to getting students more engaged in tasks?
Give them a voice in what they do. We all value choice, and kids are no different.
There’s even research about how autonomy is necessary for developing motivation.
This free printable can help you infuse just the right amount of choice into school tasks without overwhelming anyone.
This works for classwork, and it also works for chores!
I wanted to make it easy for you to do, so I created a 40-page editable freebie for you!
Simply download the free PowerPoint printable, and edit it to meet your needs.
A Little Credit Where It’s Due
First, full disclosure: I did not invent this strategy. Choice menus have been around for.ev.er. What I did create is this editable template that makes the strategy super easy to use. So let’s talk about how it works!
How to Use This Printable
Here’s the setup:
First, customize your choices.
Choose the variation you want to use. You have nine-choice and six-choice options. The six-choice version is shown below.
You will type in a choice in each of the shapes below the line.
If you’re using it for school, type in different tasks or product options (write a paragraph, create a poster, record a video explanation, etc.). There are four sample menus for you to get ideas from (or use!).
If you’re using it for home, type in chore choices (load the dishwasher, fold laundry, vacuum the living room).
Print and let kids take the lead.
Hand them the printout and let them follow these simple directions:
- Cut the paper on the dotted line
- Choose three tasks from the choices below the line
- Pick one circle, one square, and one triangle
- Cut out the shapes you chose and glue them on top of the matching shapes above the line
- Complete the tasks you selected
➡️Download the free PowerPoint printable.
Why This Works (and Why Menus Are Magic)
Choice is powerful, but there’s a sweet spot. Too much choice can be paralyzing, as anyone who’s spent twenty minutes staring at a Netflix menu knows.
Too little choice feels controlling and deflating.
This printable hits the Goldilocks zone: enough choice to feel empowering, but with clear boundaries that prevent decision fatigue.
Think of it like a restaurant menu. The best menus don’t list every possible dish in the world. They offer curated options that all sound appealing.
That’s what makes choice menus such an effective differentiation tool in education. Students get to play to their strengths, explore their interests, and take ownership of their learning, all within a structure that keeps things manageable for everyone involved.
Sample Menus
There are even four sample menus (like the one below) that you can use or adapt for your classroom use.
Make It Your Own
I hope you find this useful!
Feel free to adapt it in whatever way works for your kids, your classroom, or your home. Change the shapes, adjust the number of choices, or modify the directions. Do whatever helps you harness the power of reasonable choice.
✅Download it here and let me know how you use it. I’d love to hear your creative adaptations!
Learn More about Differentiation!
- The differentiation hub where you’ll find all my articles about differentiation on my website is here.
- I’ve written an article specifically about making menus better here.
- If you REALLY want to up your differentiation game, my online course will make you a differentiation master! Check it out here.
