I get a lot of great feedback from parents who have put a reward chart into practice. Most of these parents have been using either my paid reward chart packages or my free reward charts, but many comments have also been from parents who have made and implemented their own charts (Well done!).

Positive feedback is always welcome and it’s fantastic to know that many parents are getting good results from using reward charts with their kids. However it would be remiss of me not to mention that I also receive my fair share of not so positive comments (which believe it or not, I also welcome).

Usually these comments are along the lines of:

“Johnny got bored with it”
“I got bored with it”
“Sara’s behavior wasn’t getting any better”
“I kept on forgetting to award the sticker”
“Freddy kept on asking for bigger and better rewards”
“Kate’s bad behavior is continuing”
……. and so on.

Mostly this feedback echoes the sentiment “The reward charts did not work so I stopped using them.”

These are the same issues that I faced when I started using reward charts. What I came to realize back then, and I still understand today, is that to properly implement a reward chart system (or any other positive parenting strategy) requires your absolute commitment upfront. There shouldn’t be any “I’ll try it and see if it works…” Kids will see through that and part of the magic (and potential) will be lost.

Part of this commitment is knowing how to best implement the reward chart to best suit your child. Some kids will feed off your excitement and your energy and they will be on-board from the get-go. Other kids might be a bit more skeptical and standoffish. It’s how you approach the reward chart implementation while keeping in mind the different personality types that can greatly improve the chances of reward chart success.

Some Considerations For the Success of a Reward Chart

• A reward chart is NOT a magic bullet solution to bad behavior.

• Reward charts just may not work with some kids…that’s OK…there’s plenty of other positive parenting strategies out there that will work for our children!

• Try to achieve the mindset that a reward chart isn’t a solution, rather a tool that can help in behavior change goals.

• Often us parents are the cause of an unsuccessful  reward chart…often we are just too half-hearted (lack of commitment) and our naturally perceptive kids pick up on that.

• Be open to the guidance that can be found in the reward chart rules and principles.

• And importantly, be persistent, but if the reward charts are just not working, try something else….there’s no real “DO THIS/DO THAT” set of rules when it comes to positive parenting.

In my eyes being a truly positive parent means creating a loving, healthy, safe, and positive environment, where kids get to see and feel the results of their good behavior and conversely get to see and feel the results of their bad behavior…Within this environment find what works for you and your child. If it’s using reward charts…Great! if it’s using some other techniques…Great also!

However, give it the best shot to make your reward chart work…be positive, committed, and let your kids see this. If you can change YOUR mindset (and sometimes this only needs to be a slight change) then you might find that reward charts will give you the fantastic result you were wishing for.

Using reward charts or other positive reinforcement tools, can be extremely effective. They allow for a child to be involved in the entire process of establishing a reward plan, and can include deciding what behavior goals to target, what will be the rewards on offer and how the reward chart will be designed and displayed. This is a powerful way to approach using a reward chart or other similar strategies (for example behavior contracts and using a token economy), because it gives your child a sense of ownership over the process….and this acts as a great motivator.

It must also be said that a reward chart also gives a child a perfect opportunity to really “see” their behavior from a different angle and how those behaviors relate to the goal of the reward chart. Simply, it gives them a chance to focus on their behavior.

Similarly reward charts give parents the opportunity to actively look for good, better or more appropriate behaviors and to acknowledge them appropriately. This is particularly important when we consider that these behaviors are usually more subtle and less obtrusive as compared with the brashness of bad behavior.

Reward Charts as a Cure-for-All??

So, reward charts are powerful?….Yes!

Reward charts are a creative approach to behavior change?….Yes!

Reward charts allow for children to self examine, actively appraise, and to moderate their behavior?..Yes!

Reward charts can inspire kids to “do better”, and for parents to “look for better”….Well, yes!

Reward charts can be the perfect conduit for any behavior change?…Well…No.

Let me explain…

Some types of behavior, or habits, or even when you are attempting to introduce more appropriate behaviors, are perfectly suited for using a reward chart. For example brushing teeth, feeding the dog every afternoon, packing away toys, being ready for school at a certain time each morning, are all illustrative of behavior that can easily be measured, accomplished and duly rewarded. Most of us would perhaps consider such goals as very achievable, especially with the added incentive of a reward chart.

However sometimes a certain behavior can be so ingrained and so deep-seated that whatever incentive a reward chart can offer is very quickly extinguished when a child keeps hitting those invisible “barriers”.  And sometimes children are sophisticated enough to have that deep-down recognition that they can’t change a behavior that has been with them for so long. Or even that they are being asked to do something that to them may seem so far away, so unattainable. And to make things even more difficult, these are usually things that a child will want to change.

Using a reward chart in these situations may require a bit more of a long-term approach. The reward chart can be used to progress a part way along the behavior change path. Using this approach a child has the opportunity to experience the positives of achieving a goal without the demoralizing set-back of failing to achieve an unrealistic behavior change goal.

For example a child who is habitually aggressive toward their siblings, might respond well to the goal of limiting their aggressive outbursts, rather than attempting to eradicate the behavior completely in one reward chart attempt. Using a series of reward charts over a period of weeks or months, with each designed to take a further step toward eliminating the aggressive behavior, might achieve a much greater and more permanent result.

Hopefully I have established that reward charts are a fantastically effective behavior modification tool, and they can be so much fun for both children and parents alike. They can be highly adaptive, and can be used in a multitude of different situations and environments, targeting a wide variety of behaviors and behavior change goals.

However in some situations, with some children, their effectiveness can be diminished according to the strength of the “barriers” to any positive behavior change. Sometimes these children can be coaxed along the path to changing particularly ingrained or contrary behavior, one small step, one small accomplishment at a time…which can be simply fantastic!

Remember, reward charts should NEVER be considered the panacea for all bad behavior, nor for all contrary behavior, or even for changing all unhealthy habits. They are a TOOL that parents can use, amongst an arsenal of tools that a parent should have at their disposal. And here I don’t just mean products, items, and behavior change tools, but also other positive parenting approaches such as modeling good behavior (observational learning), positive praise, positive discipline, love, caring and empathy.

Always keep in mind that sometimes a child will require professional help to empower them to break those ingrained, damaging, destructive, or inhibiting behaviors or habits. Recognizing these may require not only our own understanding and knowledge of our child, but also by getting input from their teachers, family doctors, baby-sitters, and other family members.

Using reward charts to encourage behavior change in our children can be a highly effective behavior change tool, but what happens when the reward charts lose their power, or they stop working? Or what if the the reward charts never really started working for your child in the first place? What course of action should be taken when this happens?

Firstly lets look at some of the reason why the reward charts might not be working or why they might be loosing their effectiveness.

Why the Reward Charts Might Not be Working

• Your child might simply be too young to start with such a reward plan: Using a reward chart requires your child to have a handle on a few fundamentals such as patience, the difference between “now” and “later”, self control, and delaying their gratification. When these things are lacking the effectiveness of the reward chart will be limited.

• The reward isn’t enticing enough: The kick-start to the reward chart is the motivation your child has in wanting to complete the behavior chart. Of course the main aim of a reward chart is to tap into your child’s “inner motivation”, but that’s a developing process. To effectively start and maintain a reward plan your child needs to desire the reward.

• The behavior is too hard for your child to change at the moment: Sometimes your behavior change expectations are too high. Your child might be too young, they might be affected by other things happening in their life (starting school, new baby in the house, divorce etc), or other tensions in the house which may be preventing the reward chart working to it’s full effect. Dealing with these underlying feeling first will help the reward plan. Sometimes setting the bar a little lower might also be considered.

• Not everyone is consistent with the reward plan: Could it be that other adults and care-givers in your child’s life aren’t completely on the same page when it come to administering the rewards chart? If you’re being consistent with your expectations, praise, and rewarding but some other significant adult isn’t, then the full effect of using reward charts will not be realized.

• You’re trying to stop or change behaviors that others are performing: It’s unlikely that you child will stick with the reward plan for very long if others are doing what they’re meant to stop. For example are they expected to stop hitting if their older sibling hits, or do they stop using inappropriate language if Dad let’s a few expletives slip around them?

• Your child is attached to your response to their bad behavior: This can be a tough concept to grasp, but often a child becomes attached to negative attention. It can easily become their “pay-off”. It stems from the concept that any attention given from a parent is an extremely powerful motivator.

• Your child’s personality might be a factor: Some kids hate the feeling of being “controlled”, and might consider a reward plan an attempt to control them. It’s true that using reward charts are in some ways an attempt of controlling our kids – for example “if you stop doing that then I’ll give you this”. The trick is to enhance your child’s Independence throughout the whole process. Put the control firmly back in their hands, then it becomes “their” decision to stick with the reward plan and reap the benefits.

Our next article will deal with ways of troubleshooting the reward charts when they don’t appear to be working and providing some example of how to get them back on track.

A few years ago when I was searching around for quality free printable reward charts, I found it so difficult to find a well designed, comprehensive free reward chart. Not to mention one that would motivate my child. In my disillusionment, I ended up designing and manufacturing my own reward chart products (you can find these reward chart packages here).

However, as a token of our appreciation for your visit to our website, we’d like to offer you a selection of free printable reward chart downloads.

I know at the time, I would’ve appreciated a quality free reward chart, such as the selection below.

To receive your free reward chart downloads simply fill in the form below and you’ll have access to your first download immediately (well at least as soon as you’ve confirmed our email to you )

These reward charts charts will load as a PDF file, so you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print the charts. If you don’t have Adobe Reader you can get it for free by clicking this Adobe link.

How to download a free reward chart

When you receive your email containing the download link, simply click on either the image or the text link contained in the email, which will open the PDF file, then click “Save a Copy” and choose where you want to save it to. From there you can open and print it as often as you like. It’s yours!

Our free reward charts are quite elaborate and as such may take a while to download (depending on your Internet connection). Please be patient.

*** Handy Hint ***

Once you have received and printed your reward chart, you can make it reusable by getting it laminated. When your kids earn the sticker spot, get them to color it in using whiteboard markers. When the reward chart is completed you can wipe it off and start again!

More specifically reward charts can be used for such things as:

• Educational achievements – Practicing, reading, writing, learning times tables, completing homework etc.

• Daily activities – washing hands, brushing teeth, getting dressed, getting ready for bed etc.

• Developmental stages – sleeping through the night, potty training, becoming dry at night, learning to swim.

• Encouraging good behavior – using manners, tidying up, staying at the table for dinner, sharing.

• Getting rid of problem behavior: thumb sucking, hitting and kicking, tantrums (over 3’s), swearing, refusing to do chores.

In fact you are limited only by your imagination and by what may be age and developmentally appropriate for your child.

Fundamentally reward charts (or behavior charts) are tools for behavior management or behavior modification whereby a child is awarded stickers or other rewards for behaving well. This is a process of positive reinforcement and can be a very powerful tool in changing behavior. Reward charts won’t magically fix all bad behavior or make our children suddenly start behaving well, but think of it as adding a powerful weapon to your parenting arsenal.

Reward charts for children can help to:

• encourage new behaviors or habits
• change or shape behavior
• stop bad or inappropriate behavior
• improve existing behaviors
• change habits
• introduce healthy habits
• set goals
• …and so on.

Why our reward charts are unique and so powerfully effective

• Our reward charts come in a variety of different themes suitable for boys and girls of most ages up to the pre-teen adolescent (different strategies may need to be considered for the older children such as a token economy and behavior contracts).

• Your children can write their name on the behavior chart, and in the case of the 20 stickers charts they have a special space to write what they’re working on (the behavior or task), also their bronze reward, their silver reward and their “big” gold reward. We believe this really gives a sense of “ownership” over the rewards chart, and it offers an on-going incentive or rewards in smaller stages before they reach the ultimate goal of the behavior chart.

• Our reward charts for children vary in the number of sticker spaces to be filled, according to the age and development of the child. For example some reward charts need 10 reward stickers to complete, while others need 20 reward stickers. The reward charts are designed so that a child will experience a smaller reward earlier in the use of the chart, before an increased ‘stretch’ to reach the ultimate reward. After tasting this early success, children are more likely to concentrate their efforts on reaching the final goal of their rewards chart.

• With the 10 sticker reward chart a child will reach the Silver star after 5 reward stickers and the Gold star after 10 reward stickers. Generally these reward charts are used with toddlers and younger children and the “reward” of gaining a smiley sticker or a star sticker is all that is required. Of course other rewards may be offered on reaching the silver and gold stars, and these could be recorded and stored separately.

• With the 20 sticker reward charts, the child will reach the Bronze star (and a smaller reward) after 5 reward stickers, the Silver star (and another smaller reward) after 10 reward stickers, and the Gold star (and ultimate or “big” reward) after 20 reward stickers.

• We have found through hours and hours of testing and relentless trial and error that the format of our reward charts (smaller reward, leading to smaller reward, leading to larger reward) offers a fantastic chance to maintain a child’s interest in the reward chart. Of course this leads to a greater chance of success for your children.

Using your reward charts successfully

• Our behavior charts are designed to have your child be involved in all aspects of using the behavior chart.
• This can include brainstorming for possible rewards (with your guidance and final say of course).

• Discuss with your child (when calm and controlled) possible behavioral goals that may need to be addressed or other such goals (for example, improved homework practices, brushing teeth etc).

• Get your child to write their name, their goal behavior (or task, etc) and their rewards for completing the behavior chart, on the laminate coated reward chart with the marker included in the reward chart pack.

• When your child does what they have committed to (as written on their rewards chart), award them with a sticker to place on the rewards chart. It’s a great visual incentive for your child to see their progress towards their goal reward.

• When your child has filled in all the reward stickers spots on the reward chart, then they can be awarded their reward. They have earned it!

• At this stage the reward charts can be wiped cleaned, the reward stickers removed, and a new reward chart can be started.

• Please consider also that the more involvement children have in the preparation toward the use of the reward charts, the more of a sense of “ownership” your child will have over the reward chart or behavior chart and the process of using it. We have found that this can often be the missing link leading toward the success of using reward charts. (Of course this involvement may be determined by your child’s age and level of development)

Reward charts are not the answer to all of your parental challenges (and shame on anyone who says they will be) but used wisely and well, and coupled with effective praising, they really can offer us parents a proven effective, and very powerful strategy of behavior management. If you choose to buy our reward charts, or if you decide to make your own kids charts, remember the key is always to Be Positive, Be Consistent, Be Realistic and Be Fair. (Check out our reward chart rules)