How To Make Reward Charts Effective
Do you need help getting your little one interested in reward charts? I’ve been there. After hearing about reward charts from a mom at soccer camp, I was stoked to get home and print out this amazing tool that was going to change my sourpatch into a sweet pea. Only to be disappointed when she didn’t care at all about getting stickers. I changed my approach and have had great success! Here’s a few tips I came up with to get Ahria hooked on reward charts!
Start Small
Use a reward chart with only a few sticker spaces to start. Pick out small but satisfying rewards. This will get them to understand how the process works and that they really do have something fun to look forward to after the stickers.
Be Specific
Try not to generalize what you are asking for. Pick things like brushing your teeth, saying please or doing a worksheet. Then there is a specific point that they know they get a sticker.
Do It Every Time, On Time
You don’t want them to lose interest because they only get a sticker sometimes or you constantly forget to give them the sticker. Give them a sticker every time they do what you’re asking, at the time they did it. Don’t forget to keep track when you aren’t home.
Get Excited
Be involved in picking out the sticker and tell them how cool it is! Praise them for what they’ve accomplished and tell them how proud you are. Remind them how much closer they are to receiving a reward. You want the reward to feel achievable.
Try this starter reward chart I made for beginners! Or use it as a restart to get them excited!
Or check here for more.
That’s about it! Ahria is hooked. She asks if she can get stickers for doing certain things and we use it for leverage during difficult situations. It’s a good distraction when she is thinking about how to earn stickers instead of running off on me.
