Hey everyone, I’m looking for some fresh ideas on rewarding kids in a way that actually matters to them. The usual sticker charts and small treats just aren’t cutting it anymore. What do you all do to make rewards feel special and motivating for your kids? I’d love to hear any creative approaches that have worked well for you. Thanks!
My kids care more about experiences than stuff. Screen time works, but we try to limit it.
Special outings or one-on-one time seem to motivate them most. Even small things like picking dinner or staying up 15 minutes later can be exciting rewards.
I’ve been wondering about rewards too. My 5-year-old lost interest in stickers pretty fast. Recently, I tried letting them choose a special activity as a reward. Last week they picked having a picnic in the living room. It was fun, but I’m not sure if it’s teaching the right lessons about responsibility.
What kinds of rewards have you tried so far? Did any of them work better than others? I’m curious to hear what other parents have found effective for kids around this age.
I hear you on the sticker charts! They lost their magic pretty quickly in our house too. One thing that worked well was a points system. The kids could earn points for chores and cash them in for bigger rewards they really wanted.
My daughter saved up for weeks to get a new bike, and my son worked hard to earn a trip to the amusement park. It taught them about delayed gratification and goal-setting. 
We also did ‘special time’ rewards where they got to choose an activity to do with me or their dad. Sometimes it was as simple as playing a board game together or going for ice cream. The one-on-one attention meant a lot to them.
Every kid is different though. What gets one excited might not work for another. It took some trial and error to find what really motivated each of my kids.
We’ve tried a few different reward approaches in our house. One that’s been working well lately is our ‘adventure jar.’ The kids earn tokens for good behavior or completing tasks. They can save up tokens to pick fun family outings from the jar.
Some adventures are simple like going to the park with a picnic. Others are bigger like a day trip to a nearby town. The anticipation of choosing an adventure keeps them motivated.
We also do ‘mommy/daddy dates’ as rewards sometimes. The kids love having special one-on-one time. Even just going out for hot chocolate together feels really special to them.
It took some experimenting to find what clicked. Trying new ideas and seeing how the kids respond has been helpful for us.
I’ve found that involving my kid in choosing rewards works well. We brainstorm a list of fun activities or privileges together, which gets them excited about earning rewards. Some favorites are picking a movie for family night, having a friend sleepover, or cooking dinner together.
It’s been interesting to see how their preferences change over time. What worked at 8 doesn’t necessarily motivate them now at 11. Keeping an open dialogue helps me understand what they truly value as rewards.