Parents everywhere have to deal with the same challenge: getting their kids to do chores and getting their kids to behave well and kindly to each other. But the chore chart reward ideas for kids I’m about to share will help turn chore-doing into a positive experience and encourage your little ones to keep doing their best every day.
Why You Should Use Rewards Charts for Your Kids
Using chore charts with rewards is one of the most effective ways to encourage good behavior in kids – and it’s a lot of fun too. A chore chart is a visual representation of the tasks that your children need to complete, like making their beds and picking up their toys. And when they’ve earned enough stars or points or marbles, you can reward them with something from this huge list of chore chart rewards for kids.
To make chore chart rewards extra special, you can use positive reinforcement for good behavior.
Every time your child does a chore, give them verbal praise and show them how proud you are of their hard work – this helps to create positive behaviors since your kids will feel encouraged to keep working towards something bigger.
Maybe let them earn a sticker for their chart or just to have for each small chore or at the close of each day if they made great progress on their chore chart.
How to Make a Chore Chart
Your family’s chore chart should be specific to your household and also your children’s ages. I recommend that you start chores around 4! Their tasks may be as simple as “brush your teeth” and “make your bed” or you may have extra chores that need to be done around your house that others may not like “weed the garden” or “collect the eggs.”
I found the Ultimate List of Chores by Age really helpful when first figuring out what my young kids could actually help with. (And you’d be surprised how much they can do!)
When your children are small their daily tasks should be too. Things like setting up their stuffed animals on their beds in the morning instead of making the entire bed. Think of simple “daily chores” that are more about learning to care for themselves like brushing their teeth and brushing their hair. (You will most likely have to help, guide, and teach them through their chores when they are little.)
Older children are usually capable of a lot more than we give them credit for. They can learn to be responsible for their own things to lighten the load on mom and dad once they pass the ages of trying to kill themselves at every turn.
Teenagers should be learning life skills and how to be independent with their chores.
Your chore chart can be handmade, a printable from online, a dry-erase board, or something you purchase from Amazon.
Check out this chore chart I made for young children that you can use.
What is a Behavior Chart?
Not everyone feels the need to reward their child for doing chores. They are a member of the family after all, and you want your family to run like a well-oiled machine. Each component of the machine needs to put in some work to continue functioning optimally. (And don’t underestimate how helpful little hands can be too… though it does tend to slow down the work I think it’s WORTH IT to be teaching your young children how to contribute to the household too.)
So perhaps due to personal choice or perhaps because focusing on your particular child’s behavior is the priority before having them do chores you might want to consider creating a positive behavior chart instead.
Much like a chart that lists off specific chores that you want your child to perform regularly, behavior charts list certain behaviors or expectations you would like your child to achieve. Each specific behavior when completed for the day (or each time if you are dealing with a VERY young child) gets a sticker or checkmark. Check out the example I made for you below of an effective behavior chart for younger kids.
Reward Your Kids for Completing Their Chore or Behavior Charts
Your kids need some motivation to keep up with doing their chores or their good behavior. If there is no reward, then why be consistent?
When you think about it, we aren’t any different. We really just want a reward chart too whether it is a bonus at the end of the year, a raise, or extra vacation days we can earn for our hard work.
How many things your child needs to do to earn their special treat is up to you and should also be determined by your child’s age as well.
If your child does well on their chore chart it’s a great idea to give them a reward at the end of the week. However, another equally great way to measure when they earn a reward is by having them reach a certain number of points. Each checkmark or sticker would equal one point.
You can even have them fill up a marble jar and earn their prize when the jar is entirely filled with marbles. Each achievement earns one marble in the jar. (Definitely consider your child’s age and how many marbles they can earn a day when determining what size jar to select.)
There is no right or wrong way to choose exactly how to reward your child’s good behavior. Try out the different methods I’ve mentioned and see what works best for you and your family.
102 Chore Chart Reward Ideas for Kids
To get you started, here are 102 chore chart reward ideas for kids that will help turn chore-doing into a positive experience.
Some kids are most encouraged to behave well when presented with tangible rewards while the best way to get other children to respond is with the opportunity to earn special activities. A lot of times younger children lean more toward physical rewards while older kids prefer more special outings and quality time with family or friends but that isn’t always the case.
I’m not splitting this huge list of rewards for your kids’ good work or good behavior up in any way.
Some rewards are big, some are small, some are more geared toward older kids, and some are better suited for younger kids. I’m just going you a ton of ideas and you can take what works for your kiddos and leave the rest.
Let’s check them out!
1. A special dinner of their choice
2. A night out at the movies
3. A board game and snacks night
4. Going to the local amusement park
5. An ice cream outing with friends
6. Tickets to a show or concert
7. A trip to the zoo
8. A special trip to the aquarium
9. A new magazine subscription
10. A day of shopping for new shoes
11. An afternoon at a science museum
12. A baking session with mom or dad
13. A backyard or indoor campout
14. An indoor movie night marathon with family
15. A day at a waterpark or miniature golf
16. A trip to a park they’ve never been to before
17. Getting to pick the snacks for the week at the store
18. A special meal at a favorite restaurant
19. A new stuffed animal
20. A trip to the library to check out or buy books
21. A trip to their favorite park
22. A DIY project they can create themselves
23. A beach day
24. A pool day
25. Actual money (can’t forget the classic reward)
26. A day of exploring somewhere new in nature
27. A karaoke night with friends or the family
28. A new small toy (think the Dollar Store, Target’s One-Spot, etc.)
29. Extra screen time
30. Their choice of dinner
31. A new item of clothing or accessory of their choice
32. An outdoor scavenger hunt in the neighborhood with friends
33. Tickets to an escape room experience
34. An interactive science experiment at home
35. A new video game (they don’t have to be expensive ones! A game on the tablet is usually free)
36. A day of paintballing with friends
37. A later bedtime for Friday night
38. A junk food day
39. A day trip to a nearby lake or river
40. An indoor treasure hunt with family
41. A one-day active class (yoga, dance, martial arts, etc. often offer this)
42. A late night of stargazing in the backyard
43. A take-out dinner and movie marathon night in
44. An afternoon spent exploring a new hiking trail
45. Taking a cooking class together as a family
46. Going out for ice cream or frozen yogurt
47. Their favorite meal for dinner
48. Going to the trampoline park
49. A family game night
50. Making homemade pizzas together as a family
51. Going bowling with friends or family
52. Letting them sign up for a new team or individual sport
53. Going to storytime at the library
54. An indoor spa day at home with mom and dad
55. A day of extra outdoor play with jump rope, bubbles, and chalk
56. Building an obstacle course in the backyard
57. Going on a family bike ride
58. An afternoon spent exploring their local farmer’s market
59. Going to the drive-in movie theater (if you can find one)
60. Designing a fairy garden with Mom and Dad
61. A road trip adventure to a nearby city or town
62. Going to a Children’s Museum
63. Going to fair or festival
64. A trip to a thrift store for a new toy or outfit
65. Taking a yoga or martial arts class together as a family
66. Going to ride go karts
67. Going to an arcade
68. Going to Chuck-e-Cheese
69. Making homemade ice cream at home as a family
70. Playing charades or Pictionary as a family
71. Going to see a band or concert live
72. Attending an art class at their local community center
73. Having a sandcastle building day at the beach or park
74. A day of paddle boarding with family
75. An evening spent playing video games together
76. Picking a new plant for the garden
77. Letting them have a friend spend the night
78. A day trip to a relative’s house
79. A trip to a farm
80. Taking a ride on a train
81. Attending a circus show for an evening out
82. Making personalized items for friends and family
83. Taking a trip to a planetarium
84. An outdoor movie night marathon with friends
85. Getting a new craft supply they are low on or out of
86. Making homemade playdough
87. Taking a boat or ferry ride
88. Renting a movie of their choice
89. Making homemade sushi rolls together as a family
90. Getting a new toy to encourage more outdoor play (soccer ball, bubbles, scooter, etc.)
91. Buying a new board game
92. Getting a new card game
93. Getting a new dice game
94. Buying craft supplies to add a specific thing to their fairy garden like a mini BBQ or mini garden tools
95. A cooking competition between family members
96. Going on a scavenger hunt around town as a family
97. An outdoor picnic lunch in the park
98. Attending an art or craft class at their local community center
99. Getting a new piece of bedding like a cozy blanket or soft pillowcase
100. An evening outing to do something seasonal
101. Spending a day at the mall
102. Let them create a reward!
Wrapping Up Chore Chart Reward Ideas for Kids
With this list ranging from smaller rewards to bigger rewards and spanning the interests of both younger and older kids, you are sure to find a plethora of rewards that will be just the right thing for your family each time your children earn a new reward.
Your kids will be excited to finish their chores so they can experience all sorts of new activities and adventures!
From cooking classes to day trips, there’s something here for everyone! And most importantly, it’ll give kids the positive reinforcement they need for good behavior at home. So go ahead and make chore time more exciting with these chore chart reward ideas for kids!
Which reward do your kids choose again and again? Let me know in the comments below!
