The Power of Reward Charts (including free downloads)
If you follow the blog then you will know that my little man has recently potty trained. I would love to take credit but to be honest it was all on him. He was simply ready. One thing that helped enormously though was a reward chart. When he started to get a little bored of using the potty every time, a reward chart really kept him motivated to keep going.
What I was really surprised of though was how well the Bear did with one too. At 4-years-old I thought she was past that, but as soon as she saw the little mans, she desperately wanted one too. A quick scribble later and she had her very own. We decided to focus on food for her as she was such a fussy eater and I was so impressed that within a week she was trying new foods daily. This was simply amazing for her. AMAZING! I was kicking myself for not trying them sooner.
So, here’s what we did.
THE CHART
I looked at 101 charts you could buy online but to be honest, I just found that there was too much choice. I didn’t know what would work or not so I was a little overwhelmed. So, seeing as we do love a bit of crafting, I thought we could simply make one together.
That turned in to mummy drawing the pictures and the kids choosing what colour mummy should colour it for them. Yes, work heavy for me but this engagement was really key for us. Letting them pick the colours and choosing how their chart should look really got them involved in the process. Of course, if you have a child that likes colouring then simply let them get creative and produce their own mini masterpiece.
For us this really worked to get them engaged and involved. In our instance it made them want to use the charts more, which surely can only be a good thing.
THE REWARD
For the Bear, each time she tried a new food she got a sticker for her chart. For the little man, it was every time that he did a wee or a poo on the potty to toilet. Be careful though as these are things that can add up really quickly. We went through a chart every 3 or 4 days so we wanted to make sure the reward matched that. First of all the stickers themselves were a reward. I ordered ‘special’ stickers that I knew each of them would like and put them away to be used for the reward charts only. They LOVED taking the time to choose the sticker to add to their chart next.
When the chart was full, they swapped it for their reward. My kids love kinder eggs. As in LOVE them. They like unwrapping the egg, they love the chocolate and they love the crap toy they get inside (which I invariably chuck away within a few days). If you’re a sustainable reader and are cringing in horror….you’re right. It’s such a waste, but you explain that to pre-schoolers.
Anyway, they’re cheap, they’re small and – more importantly – they are a real treat to my two so that’s what the reward became for us.
WHAT’S NEXT
To be honest, that’s kind of it. It took two charts each in our house before we no longer needed them. He’s now fully trained with no prompting or accidents, and she is trying new foods on a weekly basis. Granted, it won’t all be down to charts of course but they most definitely helped for us and I am now a complete convert. There is no doubt that whenever the need may arise – behaviour, sleep, food etc – I will be reaching for the stickers and charts.
I’ve shared these charts with a few people now as although they are rudimental at best, they seem to come in handy for people. So, with this in mind I thought I would simply share them and make them available to all. Ready to download, print and use whenever you want to.
YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD CHARTS
Now this comes with a disclaimer: let me reiterate that I am not an artist! These are just my own scribbles. If you’re looking for homemade shabby chic though – or maybe just shabby if I’m being honest – then please help yourself. Also, remember these are currently blank ready for you to print out and colour in with your child.
With 6 options to choose from, hopefully there will be something your child would like:
- Cat Reward Chart
- Dinosaur Reward Chart
- Horse Reward Chart
- Rabbit Reward Chart
- Tractor Reward Chart
- Train Reward Chart
There we have it. What worked for us when it came to reward charts. Please let me know if you do use these charts as I would love to see them in use. You can find me over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter so if you do use any be sure to tag me @tippytupps. And if you want me to add another option to the list, then just let me know.
And of course, good luck!
For a look at what other crafts we’ve been up to feel free to visit our craft section of the blog.
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