8 children’s reward ideas to motivate your child

Even as adults, we all need a little extra help getting motivated sometimes. It's even harder for children to self-motivate to perform better in school, improve their behavior, or take on new challenges. This is one of the biggest reasons why family is important: Families help one another improve through positive reinforcement and mutual support.

If you're having trouble motivating your children to do their chores, homework, or start a project, it may be time to consider more tangible rewards. To get you started, we've pulled together this list of children's reward ideas.

1. Sticker charts: Visual motivational tools

Sticker charts, also known as star charts or reward charts, are visual tools that use stickers to encourage positive behavior. Sticker charts are particularly effective for toddlers and young children.

You can use sticker charts to reward all kinds of positive behavior, from brushing teeth and unpacking school bags to getting good grades. You could divide it up into several sections and work toward building up each part of the behavior chart. Just make sure the stickers are building toward something!

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2. Treasure chests: Prize-filled incentives

Inspired by dentist offices and video games, treasure chests are a reward system that gives a child a prize for good behavior. Like a dentist office lets a child take a toy after a cleaning, you can apply the same concept at home. Fill a treasure chest with little trinkets and allow your child to take a toy when they've been good.

3. DIY reward coupons: Personal-touch rewards

You know your child best, so you know what will motivate them. Whether it's extra screen time, ice cream, a trip to the bookstore, or something else, coupons are a fun way to diversify the rewards and add a personal touch. Don't be afraid to get creative with a variety of fun little rewards, doling them out for good behavior.

4. Special outings: Memorable experiences

Disneyland, anyone? OK, that's going big, but there are plenty of other fun activities that can serve as children's reward ideas. Maybe it's a trip to the zoo, a park, or an arcade. If your child loves going somewhere, it can make for a great reward. Plus, shared experiences make great family bonding activities!

5. Art supplies: Encouraging creativity

Many kids want to indulge their creativity, and you should nurture that. Art supplies are expensive, so they can serve as a great reward for kids to motivate positive behavior and encourage creativity.

Listen to your child when they say what kind of art supplies they want. Take them with you to the store, let them pick out what they want, and sit down with them for arts-and-crafts time. Not only will you get some valuable one-on-one time, but you can also learn a whole lot more about how your child's mind and imagination work.

6. Movie nights: Relaxation and enjoyment

Finding one-on-one time with your kids can be really tough as they get older. Family movie night is a great way to spend extra time together, but it can also be a reward idea for movie-loving kids. If you're making it a reward, it may be worth going bigger with an IMAX or 4D movie experience that the kids will remember.

7. Surprise treats: Spontaneous rewards

You don't have to reward only specific behaviors. Positive reinforcement works spontaneously, too. If your children have been doing well in school, doing their chores, and behaving well for a couple of weeks, give them a nice surprise! It could be something little, like a pizza night, or something bigger, like a mental health day and trip to an amusement park.

When your children know you're capable of spontaneously rewarding them, they'll be more inclined to stay on their best behavior.

8. Verbal praise: The power of encouragement

Everybody needs positive reinforcement, especially from people they care about. Parents have incredible influence over their kids, and frequently giving them verbal praise can help kids understand your expectations.

After all, they won't know until you tell them. The best thing parents can do for their kids is to be transparent about their expectations and consistent with their praise and encouragement.

Frequently asked questions about children's reward ideas

What is the best reward for children?

The best reward really depends on your child! Different kids respond to different rewards systems. If one of these ideas doesn't work, don't be discouraged — try something else. It's up to you to figure out what motivates your child and what they really want to be rewarded with.

How can you reward kids for good behavior?

Any of these ideas would be a good way to start a child's rewards system. With any of them, make sure your child understands what constitutes reward-worthy behavior. Whether it's specific actions, like brushing their teeth or getting good grades, or more abstract concepts, like being kind to others, children should understand what's expected of them. That way, they'll know how to work toward earning rewards. 

Make sure you consistently reward only behaviors you want to encourage.

What should you put on a child's reward chart?

There are tons of children's reward chart ideas out there! It really depends on what kind of behaviors you want to incentivize. Whether it's going to bed on time, saying "thank you" when appropriate, getting a good grade, scoring a goal in soccer, or anything else, if it can be written next to a checkbox, it can work on a child's reward chart.

Praise your kids with these top reward ideas!

We all need a little recognition from time to time. To encourage positive behaviors for your kids, it's often helpful to use tangible rewards and an easy-to-understand rewards system. 

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