RoutineKit

Reward chart for kids

A sticker chart with picture goals and a reward at the end of the row. Print it for real stickers, or tap the boxes here to stamp stars on a tablet.

Tasks (4)
Look & print settings
Star chart
TaskMonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Brush teeth morning and night
Dress myself
Tidy up when asked
Stay in my bed

Reward: 10 stars = trip to the park

In the print dialog choose Save as PDF for a file, and turn on Background graphics to keep the colours. Your chart saves automatically in this browser.

Rules that make a sticker chart work

  1. One to four goals at a time, phrased as what to do (“stay in my bed”), not what to stop.
  2. Make the first reward easy to reach. Early success sells the chart.
  3. Star straight away, with specific praise: “You brushed your teeth without being asked. Star!”
  4. Never take stars away. Lost stars turn a motivation tool into a punishment tool.
  5. Plan the end. Reward charts are for building a habit, then fading out.

The CDC's “Positive Parenting Tips” and its free “Essentials for Parenting” materials describe rewarding positive behaviour with attention, praise and small rewards, while avoiding harsh punishment. A reward chart is one simple way to do that consistently.

For toilet training specifically, use the potty training chart.

Questions parents ask

Do reward charts work?

They can, especially for a specific behaviour you want to build, used for a limited time. The CDC’s positive parenting guidance recommends praising and rewarding the behaviour you want to see; a chart makes that consistent and visible.

What age is a reward chart for?

From around age 3, when children begin to understand that stars add up to something later. For two-year-olds, give the reward straight away rather than at the end of the week.

What rewards work best?

Small, frequent and often not things: choosing dinner, an extra story, a trip to the park, time with a parent. Match the size of the reward to the effort and keep the gap between star and reward short for younger children.

How do I stop using a reward chart?

Once the behaviour is a habit, space out the stars, then switch to praise alone. Tell your child they have “graduated” from the chart; that makes stopping a win rather than a loss.

More free charts