Reward charts for children and toddlers

A reward chart is a tool for encouraging and praising your child. They are sometimes called sticker charts.

If you are considering using a reward chart, start by thinking about what you want your child to learn from using one. They may not be appropriate for every child or every situation.

It’s also a good idea to be aware of the pros and cons of this approach.

Some helpful ways to use reward charts are to:

• notice positive things your child does well
• support learning of a new skill
• help them through a tricky situation

Reward charts are best used for specific situations with an end date, rather than over a long period of time. They may work for different ages, depending on your child and situation.

Some children may not respond well to reward charts. This is often the case for autistic or ADHD children, who may struggle with some behaviour expectations.

If you’re thinking about using a reward chart with your child and want to know if it’s right for your child or the situation, you can talk to one of our parenting coaches.

If you want to use a reward chart, think carefully about what values you’re teaching your child.

If you can, avoid using a chart to focus on negative things that your child does. This can result in your child feeling bad about what they’re doing rather than teaching them something.

Reward charts can be helpful for noticing positive habits. For example, a kindness chart helps you track acts of kindness as a family. It also holds the whole family to account, instead of just focusing on the child.

It’s helpful if the rewards at the end are something meaningful and help your child keep learning. With a kindness chart, the rewards at the end are usually time spent together as a family. This helps to build connection.

Read our guidance on making a kindness chart.

You can use stickers or visual rewards if your child finds something hard. Use them as way to say well done and to give them something positive to focus on.

This doesn’t always have to be a chart. For example, your child could add a sticker to a picture every time they manage something difficult. The reward is both the sticker and the picture they create at the end. Praise them and say “That was brilliant the way you did that, so here’s a sticker. How did you feel when you did that?” Focus on encouraging the child to feel proud of themself and what they create, rather than how it makes you feel.

This is a similar thing to getting a sticker at the dentist, which can help congratulate a child for being brave.

It’s a good idea to:

• explain in age-appropriate terms why you’re asking your child to do the chart
• use positive praise alongside to help your child build confidence
• make the reward connected to the actions that you’re working on with your child
• focus rewards on experiences instead of stuff
• keep the task simple and specific
• make sure the task is something your child can manage and is developmentally ready for

It’s OK to change the boundaries if your child is struggling or to stop if you don’t feel it’s right for them. Make sure you communicate what’s changed to your child and why.

Using a reward chart isn’t always the best way to help your child learn.

Your child might:

• adjust their behaviour at first but then revert to their former actions when they lose interest
• always expect to get a reward for certain things
• only be motivated by external rewards instead of doing something to improve or learn
• not understand why something is important, beyond getting a reward
• not be developmentally ready for the behaviour you want to see

If you child is behaving in a way you find challenging, it may be that they are struggling with something. Behaviour can also be a way of communicating a need.

In these cases, try to work with your child to understand what the cause is.

Depending on the situation, it might help to:

• be curious about what your child needs, like reassurance, attention or distraction
• use a behaviour diary to help spot patterns
• think about ways you can help them communicate feelings, for example through pictures or images representing different emotions

Twinkl has a YouTube video explaining how to help your child communicate using a feelings thermometer.

You can also read advice on how to cope with tantrums and meltdowns.

By understanding more about what your child is trying to tell you, you might find methods to encourage positive learning over time.

Page last reviewed: September 2025
Next review due: September 2028