What is the youngest age group with whom I should be using the Rickter Scale®?
There is no “age limit” with the Rickter Scale® and it is currently being used extremely successfully with children as young as six years old, and with primary school age children generally. The key is to introduce the board gradually, through appropriate preparation and explanation. For example have children play with the Rickter Scale® and become familiar with it before using it formally. Ask if they can guess how you might be going to use it together. You may wish to consider using the smiley face version of the board (see our catalogue for more details). In addition to introducing the board itself, you may need to introduce the idea of scaling. Ask the child how happy they are today. Use smiley faces on a sheet of paper to give them choices, then gradually introduce for example a simple ‘scale’ of 1,2,3 alongside the faces. Also consider doing a “trial run” of using the board before the actual initial assessment to ensure the child understands. Ensure that using the board remains a
