Seven Ways to Reward Kids with Stickers

It’s no secret that kids love stickers. From notebooks to jackets, these delightful little sheets of sticky paper can be placed just about anywhere — so long as it’s okay with mum and dad. I think stickers should be given out just for fun sometimes, but they also make great rewards and incentives. When should you use stickers to reward your children? I have several different suggestions for you.

Potty-Training

I don’t know about you, but I’m not a big fan of bribing my toddler with sweets. Yes, changing diapers is far from enjoyable — but diapers cost quite a bit less than a trip to the local dentist. Award your tiny tot with a sticker each time he sits on the toilet. Give him an additional sticker each time he uses the bathroom instead of filling up his diaper.

Good Behavior

In an ideal world, your children would behave perfectly at home, school, stores and restaurants. Unfortunately, that’s not how life usually works out. Keep a sheet of stickers in your pocket or wallet at all times to prevent tantrums and rude remarks. Stickers should be awarded when your child behaves appropriately for a specified period of time, such as one hour or one day. You can also give your child a sticker each time you catch her doing something nice, such as opening the door for another shopper or sharing her toys with her brother.

Chores

After your child reaches the age of two or three, chores are no longer fun. Instead of wanting to be just like mom or dad and help you clean, your son or daughter wants to sing, dance and play with the toys tossed all over the bedroom floor. If your child is too young for an allowance, or you just aren’t financially able to provide one, use stickers as an incentive to complete household chores. I’ve found that stickers are also a great way to track progress on a bulletin board or calendar. Reward your child with a night at the movies or another fun activity each time he collects a certain amount of stickers.

Hygiene

Sometimes brushing her teeth is the last thing your daughter wants to do. Your son may feel the same way about combing his hair or taking a bath. Make hygiene fun with a set of stickers. I’ve seen sets of stickers with brushes, combs, and toothbrushes at the store — these are perfect for hygiene-related rewards.

Schoolwork and Report Cards

I know that deep down, you’re probably hoping your children will go on to college one day. Before that can happen, they need to finish their homework and study for their tests. Surprise your child with a sticker next time you see her hunched over her schoolbooks, hard at work. Treat your kids with a different sticker for each good mark they receive on their report cards.

Bedtime

With the exception of weekday mornings, bedtime is probably the most stressful time of the day. Nobody wants to go to bed until they’ve had a glass of warm milk or water, a bedtime story, another glass of warm milk, a trip to the bathroom, and so on. Depending on the age of your child, you can reward him for going to bed without an argument, as well as sleeping in his own bed all night. Let him sneak in your bed during the next storm, though. Sometimes, the stickers can wait.

Helping Others

Teach your children that there is an entire world out there — and it’s filled with people that need their help. Opportunities to volunteer are available for kids of all ages. Start with small tasks, such as picking up debris from the streets. Each time your child participates in a charitable activity, let him or her choose a sticker. They’re going to grow up to be kind, considerate young people — and it’s all because of you.