Families For Life | Using Reward Charts Successfully-Young Children
What Are Reward Charts?
Reward charts are simple visual tools that help motivate young children by tracking their behaviour and progress. Children earn stickers or marks (e.g. ticks, stars etc.) each time they complete a task or show positive behaviour and can work towards a reward once they have hit their goals.
Reward charts can encourage helpful behaviours, such as cleaning up or using kind words, and discourage behaviours like hitting.
What to Do When Reward Charts Don’t Work:
Reward charts are not a one size fits all solution. If your child seems uninterested or if the chart isn’t having the effect you hoped for, don’t be discouraged. It might just be a matter of adjusting your approach.
Start by revisiting the goals and rewards together. The targets may be too ambitious, or the reward may simply not be motivating enough for your child. Smaller, more frequent rewards can sometimes work better than holding out for a bigger prize at the end. It's also worth reflecting on how the chart is being used. If reviews are inconsistent or praise feels rushed, children can quickly lose interest.
Some children may push back against structured systems altogether. In these cases, it can help to give your child more ownership over the process. Let them set their own goals or decide when they feel ready to add a new one. Others may simply respond better to different forms of encouragement, like verbal praise, one-on-one time, or a more relaxed approach to routines.
If your child continues to struggle with this or you have concerns about their behaviours, it may be worth speaking to your general practitioner or a developmental specialist.
How do Reward Charts Work?
Reward charts are based on a well-established psychological principle: children are more likely to repeat good behaviour when it is praised or rewarded. They can be especially effective for children aged 3-8, who are becoming more independent, learning to follow rules, and beginning to understand that actions have consequences.
By giving children a clear visual way to track their goals and celebrate small wins along the way, reward charts create a nurturing environment that motivates them to make good choices. Over time, children may begin to internalise these habits and make good choices on their own, not just because there is a reward waiting for them, but because they have come to understand why good behaviour matters.
How to Use Reward Charts:
When preparing reward charts, it is helpful to involve your child in the process from the get-go. Have them pick the design or decorate it themselves, as this helps them feel more excited and invested to participate. Start by keeping the goals simple and achievable, like brushing teeth or tidying toys. You can also decide on rewards together with your child, and these don’t have to be elaborate gifts. Consider things like an extra storybook before bedtime, a small treat or a favourite meal depending on your child’s preferences.
When using reward charts, it is important to be consistent. Check the chart routinely and acknowledge every achievement with specific praise for every good behaviour displayed. Introduce new goals gradually to build on their progress and keep things relevant and interesting as your child grows. Eventually, you can lengthen the time between rewards and begin to phase the chart out once your child’s behaviour has changed but do continue to recognise their persistence and efforts with compliments or a hug.
On days when your child does not display the desired behaviour, encourage them to try again instead of reprimanding them or threatening to take rewards away.
Tip: Whenever your child earns a reward or sticker on the chart, you could also consider guiding them to reflect on what they did well, why it is important and how they felt doing the right thing.
Key points to remember:
Involve your child in setting up the chart, keep early goals achievable, and choose rewards that they genuinely like. The more ownership they feel, the more motivated they will be.
Check the chart regularly, praise every small win, and stay patient on harder days.
If things aren’t working out, revisit the goals, try smaller rewards or give your child more say in the process. If concerns persist, don’t hesitate to seek guidance from a professional.