Reward Systems: What are they and how can they work for your family…

Have you heard the term, “Reward Systems”? Have you ever wondered what they are all about, do they really work or how can you implement one yourself? Then this blog is for you!

In general terms, reward systems are a tool used to move towards a positive behaviour or goal you are working on with your child. They come in many different forms, from visual posters and charts to various online applications. The opportunities for reward systems to assist you are endless, including working towards independence related goals, getting ready for school in the morning, learning to tie your shoelaces, to behavioural goals such as using your manners or keeping your hands to yourself.   Reward systems are intrinsically motivating as they reinforce positive behaviour and can increase your child’s motivation to achieve a shared goal through receiving a reward for the great job they have done! Reward systems can also be positive to use within the family as it can help to focus on the positives within your child’s engagement. Please note, reward systems work best when the reward is given as soon as possible as this helps your child to form a connection between the desired behaviour and the reward. See some examples of tried and tested rewards systems below.

Reward charts are a commonly used reward system for rewarding positive behaviour and/or engagement in following routines and completing chores. Generally, the family and child will agree to:

1. The behaviour/goal required to receive the reward such as earning a sticker or star for tying your shoelaces.
2. The individualised motivating reward, for example, pocket money, a new toy, getting to choose a family activity, or  additional screen time.
3. The number of stars/stickers/ticks required to get the motivating reward.

The benefits of this system are that it can tailored to the child and graded up or down depending on their responsiveness to the system. The system involves rewarding the child with a sticker, star, or tick on their chart each time they complete a desired behaviour, which provides them with an instantaneous incentive for their effort. Once they reach the agreed upon number of stars, they receive a major reward (what was agreed upon). There are also countless examples of tasks you may choose to reward for, and we encourage you to be specific with your behaviours chosen. For example, if you are attempting to teach your child more positive behaviours and manners, you may reward them for a variety of behaviours such as, saying please or thank you, greeting a friend in the morning, putting their dishes away. We encourage you to frame these behaviours in a positive way about the things your child CAN do, rather than listing the things they should not do, for example “don’t leave the dishes out”. If you are trying to teach your child a specific skill, you may choose to reward only for engagement in this task, for example, earning a sticker each time they use the toilet or tie their shoelaces by themselves. You can always change the focus of your reward chart or adjust the difficulty level of the behaviour/task required to suit your child’s motivation or once your child has mastered the chosen behaviour/activity.

Like the above, this method involves rewarding the child for completing the agreed upon desired behaviour or task. Though, rather than rewarding with a sticker they will be rewarded with a puzzle piece.  This puzzle piece is not any ordinary puzzle piece.

This puzzle piece will be from a puzzle you and your child have made, that is a picture of the toy/game they are currently interested in purchasing and playing with. You should discuss your child’s latest interests with them and agree upon a toy/activity that you would be happy to purchase, but for them to receive it they must earn this toy by engaging in the desired behaviour. Make the puzzle by printing off an image of the toy, laminating this and then cutting it into puzzle pieces. Dependant on the difficulty of the behaviour and the expense of the toy, you may choose to cut it into larger or smaller pieces. You would then reward with once puzzle piece each time your child completes the desired behaviour, and once the puzzle is complete the child would receive the reward. This system is a really great way for younger children to visualise their progress towards their reward and maintain motivation.

Pocket money can be particularly rewarding for older children who are saving up for important or more expensive toys and items. Try setting up a weekly chore chart or list of goals for your child to achieve and reward them with “pocket” money for achieving these goals. You may choose to reward with larger amounts of “pocket money” for harder tasks, or reward with a consistent amount at the end of the week for regular engagement with chores, for example.

Reward jars work similarly to reward charts however in a more visual manner. Rather than receiving a sticker or star when completing a task, the child will receive an item to fill up their jar. This could be a pom pom or cotton ball, for example. Once the jar is full, they will receive their agreed upon reward. You may find the child is more motivated if this reward is pre decided, however you may also like to trial a reward box of which they can select one reward from.

A great alternative to rewarding with material items can be to reward with exciting family activities or things to do around the house. For example, staying up 15 minutes later, special time with mum or dad, additional screen time or getting to choose the family movie on a Friday night. Try incorporating these rewards as a direct result for completing a goal. For example, 15 minutes of “clean time” for cleaning your room, may result with 15 minutes of “screen time” as a reward.

Positive praise and encouragement is always recommended. This can help to motivate engagement in desired behaviours and improve self-esteem and connection with your child. Try being specific on what behaviour you liked when providing verbal praise, for example, “I’m so proud of you for brushing your teeth all by yourself”. Consider possibly pairing verbal praise with gestures such as high fives or thumbs up depending on the age of your child.

1. Talk to your child about what is motivating for them to help in setting the reward.
2. Get creative and try out these suggestions at home for yourself.
3. Ask you Occupational Therapist for more ideas about how you can make reward systems work for you and your family.

Overall reward systems can be a great way to improve your child’s independence and positive behaviours. They are easily adapted to suit your family’s lifestyle and child’s goals. It is important to remember to include your child in the planning process to increase their motivation for achievement. Don’t forget to phase out these systems or upgrade them once your child has achieved their goal, but most of all have fun and be creative in designing your own reward system!

Raising Children Network 2020, Reward charts: how to use them to change child behaviour, Raising Children Network, viewed 9^th of September 2021, <https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/behaviour/encouraging-good-behaviour/reward-charts>.