01/19/2026
Shaping is about celebrating small steps toward a bigger goal. Instead of waiting for a child to get something exactly right, we reinforce the attempts that get closer and closer. If a child is learning to say “water,” we might first praise any sound they make.
Then we encourage clearer sounds, and eventually the full word. Each step is progress, and each success builds confidence. Shaping works because it values effort, not just the final result. That’s how meaningful skills grow over time.
