I’m running out of ideas for rewarding my 2 year old when she does something good. We’ve been doing stickers and small treats but I feel like I’m using the same things over and over. What are some creative rewards that work well for toddlers? Looking for things that don’t always involve food or buying stuff if possible. Thanks!
My kids loved extra bedtime stories or picking out tomorrow’s clothes. One-on-one time was huge too - they’d get so excited helping me cook dinner or do dishes.
Perfect timing! My 5 year old still gets pumped about picking dinner or helping me with easy stuff around the house. But I’m wondering if rewards should change as they get older. She’s pretty over stickers now but still loves choosing our movie nights. Does your toddler get bored with the same rewards after a while?
Living room dance parties are amazing with kids! Even 5 minutes gets them hyped. I let them pick car music for short trips too. Little jobs work great as rewards - carrying stuff or pushing elevator buttons makes them feel special. My youngest loves staying up 10 extra minutes past bedtime. We blow bubbles outside or break out special markers for good behavior. Sometimes I call grandma to brag about what they did - they absolutely beam!
My daughter hit that ‘helper’ phase around 2. She’d get so excited when I asked her to carry light stuff or sort socks by color. We started doing treasure hunts with her toys hidden around the living room. She loved the hunt more than finding anything. I also discovered that letting her pick cleanup music turned tidying into a full-blown performance.
At that age, my kids went nuts for stuff that made them feel grown-up. My daughter got so excited when I’d let her use the spray bottle to clean the coffee table or gave her a flashlight to hunt for lost toys under the couch. Special time together beat any toy hands down. We’d have living room floor picnics with regular snacks, or she’d be my assistant folding laundry. She felt so important handing me each sock! Bath time rewards were gold - extra bubbles, new bath crayons, or letting her wash her own hair. What really surprised me was how much she loved making family decisions. Picking dinner plate colors or choosing our bedtime book made her feel like she had real power. That excitement lasted way longer than stickers ever did 