How to Create a Successful Reward System for Kids

Read about all the different ways you can use to create a successful reward system for youur kids.

All parents continually wonder how they can get their kids to become more motivated with either chores, small responsibilities, better behavior, and school work. Kids like things that are colorful and they enjoy working on projects with their parents, so a reward chart for kids is probably a good place to start. If you have many children of different ages, you can also sit down with your toddler and have them help create a reward chart for toddlers.

If you have kids with behavioral issues, a reward chart is always a good idea for both of you to work together on. You can also do holiday reward charts for Christmas and create a sticker reward chart for your kids and use different colored sticker stars for good, medium or negative behavior during the countdown days to Christmas.

There are a million ideas online and on Pinterest for all types of reward charts for kids. Pick a certain day or night of the week when the whole family is together and start to brainstorm together and create the charts you all decide on. Your kids might want to have their own special charts for their own needs and goals they are working on.

Why is a Reward System Important?

Creating a successful reward chart will also help your kids gain confidence in their abilities to succeed and make them more responsible when it comes to contributing to family life. If mom and dad are both working and all the kids help with their small chores, this gives them the opportunity to spend more time with you and your child.

There is something very special about putting a smile on your child’s face by having the time to sit down with them and practice making these reward charts. You can always go for a walk with your kids and talk about these charts as you gather the autumn falling leaves.

You can design charts for all the different seasons and change the charts around as the kids grow and their skills develop and they are able to take on new tasks. The sky can be the limit when it comes to creating these reward charts. There are so many things you can find in your own home to start on these charts.

This doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to make the charts. There are many reasonable items that can be purchased in the arts and crafts sections in various stores like The Dollar Tree and Hobby Lobby or Walmart etc.

Children start learning steadily from an early age and this includes sharing, toilet training, behavior, and expectations. Children learn how and why it’s important to do their best and the best way for parents to have a good handle on their kids is by creating a successful reward system that grabs their kids’ attention.

candy rewards for children

All kids like to think the world revolves around them, so they tend to do things on their time. They want things their way, so when parents start thinking about teaching them something new to be responsible for, the best way to start this project is by using a good reward system. This system doesn’t necessarily have to be difficult, but it’s a reward chart is a good way to teach your children self-discipline.

These charts can be very easy to make by using stickers, beads, beads, buttons or even legumes that you have around the house. The choice is yours and includes your children as well. The main point of a successful reward system is to make sure your kids are behaving so they learn to respect others as they continue to grow.

Creating the Reward System

Parents should always talk to the different age groups of their children in regards to creating a toddler reward chart, a general reward chart for their kids, a behavior chart for kids, whether they want to use a sticker reward chart and have them assist you with reward chart ideas. This will help them understand what they are working towards.

toddler reading a book

Rules

Parents can make these rules really simple. For example, you can give your child a reward sticker for going on the pot, for dressing themselves, for choosing their clothes, for behaving and picking up their clothes and toys. Set the rules and explain to your kids regardless of their age what you expect from them.

Help them succeed so they gain confidence and learn how to problem-solve. Parents can always offer a big reward for a special event, like a movie or something as simple as an extra 10 stickers for doing a job on time and correctly. Kids want the extra attention, they just need to know what the expectations are.

The Actual Reward Project

Parents can start involving their toddlers, preschoolers or older children in looking for supplies around the house like posterboard, jars, markers, stickers, etc and let your kids design the reward charts or behavior charts or a chart for every age group you have. If you decide to make the chart, make sure your child understands how these reward charts work so they can start collecting their rewards. This way parents can easily keep on top of each child and the rewards they earn.

baby in a sandbox

Don’t Confuse your Children with a Few Ideas at a Time

Parents probably have a whole list of things they want their kids to accomplish, however, don’t work on more than one item on a reward chart at a time. If it’s potty training, then stick to that until they accomplish the task. If it’s the behavior you are working on, then work on that task until you are satisfied.

Don’t add a bunch of extras until your child is ready. This is how kids become overwhelmed and confused. This can also be overly confusing for parents as well. You don’t want to have reward charts plastered all over your walls.

Reward your Kids Immediately When they Earn it

If you want the perfect and successful award chart to work, keep your word parents and reward your children immediately when they accomplish a task on the chart. Whatever you are using as far as stickers, beans, buttons, etc, be ready to reward your kids immediately when they are on task with a reward chart. If your child has a behavioral issue and is an angel in the grocery store, make sure they are rewarded promptly after the check out portion of shopping is over.

Child holding crayons

Young kids don’t know what the concept of time is yet, so if you give them a reward immediately, this reinforces the fact that the kid behaved appropriately in public and deserved the reward. This also gives children a sense of pride. This is how kids learn and soon enough, they will understand how to behave in public if this is the task you are working on with a toddler reward chart.

Consistency is the Key to Success

Parents know how important it is to get to work on time and this is no different. Make sure you maintain consistency when handing out rewards in a prompt fashion. Your children will show disappointment if you say later or forget and their behavior and drive will regress. In addition, never give a child a reward because they are screaming in public. This will defeat your purpose and parents will be back to square one with the reward chart.