good rewards for doing homework

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Strategies to make homework go more smoothly.

Routines and incentive systems to help kids succeed

Writer: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP

Clinical Expert: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP

Here is the best guide to helping kids do homework successfully that we’ve seen, published by the National Association of School Psychologists on their website, NASPonline.org . Our thanks to NASP for sharing it with us.

There are two key strategies parents can draw on to reduce homework hassles. The first is to establish clear routines around homework, including when and where homework gets done and setting up daily schedules for homework. The second is to build in rewards or incentives to use with children for whom “good grades” is not a sufficient reward for doing homework.

Homework Routines

Tasks are easiest to accomplish when tied to specific routines. By establishing daily routines for homework completion, you will not only make homework go more smoothly, but you will also be fostering a sense of order your child can apply to later life, including college and work.

Step 1. Find a location in the house where homework will be done. The right location will depend on your child and the culture of your family. Some children do best at a desk in their bedroom. It is a quiet location, away from the hubbub of family noise. Other children become too distracted by the things they keep in their bedroom and do better at a place removed from those distractions, like the dining room table. Some children need to work by themselves. Others need to have parents nearby to help keep them on task and to answer questions when problems arise. Ask your child where the best place is to work. Both you and your child need to discuss pros and cons of different settings to arrive at a mutually agreed upon location.

Step 2. Set up a homework center. Once you and your child have identified a location, fix it up as a home office/homework center. Make sure there is a clear workspace large enough to set out all the materials necessary for completing assignments. Outfit the homework center with the kinds of supplies your child is most likely to need, such as pencils, pens, colored markers, rulers, scissors, a dictionary and thesaurus, graph paper, construction paper, glue and cellophane tape, lined paper, a calculator, spell checker, and, depending on the age and needs of your child, a computer or laptop. If the homework center is a place that will be used for other things (such as the dining room table), then your child can keep the supplies in a portable crate or bin. If possible, the homework center should include a bulletin board that can hold a monthly calendar on which your child can keep track of longterm assignments. Allowing children some leeway in decorating the homework center can help them feel at home there, but you should be careful that it does not become too cluttered with distracting materials.

Step 3. Establish a homework time. Your child should get in the habit of doing homework at the same time every day. The time may vary depending on the individual child. Some children need a break right after school to get some exercise and have a snack. Others need to start homework while they are still in a school mode (i.e., right after school when there is still some momentum left from getting through the day). In general, it may be best to get homework done either before dinner or as early in the evening as the child can tolerate. The later it gets, the more tired the child becomes and the more slowly the homework gets done.

Step 4. Establish a daily homework schedule. In general, at least into middle school, the homework session should begin with your sitting down with your child and drawing up a homework schedule. You should review all the assignments and make sure your child understands them and has all the necessary materials. Ask your child to estimate how long it will take to complete each assignment. Then ask when each assignment will get started. If your child needs help with any assignment , then this should be determined at the beginning so that the start times can take into account parent availability. A Daily Homework Planner is included at the end of this handout and contains a place for identifying when breaks may be taken and what rewards may be earned.

Incentive Systems

Many children who are not motivated by the enjoyment of doing homework are motivated by the high grade they hope to earn as a result of doing a quality job. Thus, the grade is an incentive, motivating the child to do homework with care and in a timely manner. For children who are not motivated by grades, parents will need to look for other rewards to help them get through their nightly chores. Incentive systems fall into two categories: simple and elaborate.

Simple incentive systems. The simplest incentive system is reminding the child of a fun activity to do when homework is done. It may be a favorite television show, a chance to spend some time with a video or computer game, talking on the telephone or instant messaging, or playing a game with a parent. This system of withholding fun things until the drudgery is over is sometimes called Grandma’s Law because grandmothers often use it quite effectively (“First take out the trash, then you can have chocolate chip cookies.”). Having something to look forward to can be a powerful incentive to get the hard work done. When parents remind children of this as they sit down at their desks they may be able to spark the engine that drives the child to stick with the work until it is done.

Elaborate incentive systems. These involve more planning and more work on the part of parents but in some cases are necessary to address more significant homework problems. More complex incentives systems might include a structure for earning points that could be used to “purchase” privileges or rewards or a system that provides greater reward for accomplishing more difficult homework tasks. These systems work best when parents and children together develop them. Giving children input gives them a sense of control and ownership, making the system more likely to succeed. We have found that children are generally realistic in setting goals and deciding on rewards and penalties when they are involved in the decision-making process.

Building in breaks. These are good for the child who cannot quite make it to the end without a small reward en route. When creating the daily homework schedule, it may be useful with these children to identify when they will take their breaks. Some children prefer to take breaks at specific time intervals (every 15 minutes), while others do better when the breaks occur after they finish an activity. If you use this approach, you should discuss with your child how long the breaks will last and what will be done during the breaks (get a snack, call a friend, play one level on a video game). The Daily Homework Planner includes sections where breaks and end-of-homework rewards can be identified.

Building in choice. This can be an effective strategy for parents to use with children who resist homework. Choice can be incorporated into both the order in which the child agrees to complete assignments and the schedule they will follow to get the work done. Building in choice not only helps motivate children but can also reduce power struggles between parents and children.

Developing Incentive Systems

Step 1. Describe the problem behaviors. Parents and children decide which behaviors are causing problems at homework time. For some children putting homework off to the last minute is the problem; for others, it is forgetting materials or neglecting to write down assignments. Still others rush through their work and make careless mistakes, while others dawdle over assignments, taking hours to complete what should take only a few minutes. It is important to be as specific as possible when describing the problem behaviors. The problem behavior should be described as behaviors that can be seen or heard; for instance, complains about h omework or rushes through homework, making many mistakes are better descriptors than has a bad attitude or is lazy.

Step 2. Set a goal. Usually the goal relates directly to the problem behavior. For instance, if not writing down assignments is the problem, the goal might be: “Joe will write down his assignments in his assignment book for every class.”

Step 3. Decide on possible rewards and penalties. Homework incentive systems work best when children have a menu of rewards to choose from, since no single reward will be attractive for long. We recommend a point system in which points can be earned for the goal behaviors and traded in for the reward the child wants to earn. The bigger the reward, the more points the child will need to earn it. The menu should include both larger, more expensive rewards that may take a week or a month to earn and smaller, inexpensive rewards that can be earned daily. It may also be necessary to build penalties into the system. This is usually the loss of a privilege (such as the chance to watch a favorite TV show or the chance to talk on the telephone to a friend).

Once the system is up and running, and if you find your child is earning more penalties than rewards, then the program needs to be revised so that your child can be more successful. Usually when this kind of system fails, we think of it as a design failure rather than the failure of the child to respond to rewards. It may be a good idea if you are having difficulty designing a system that works to consult a specialist, such as a school psychologist or counselor, for assistance.

Step 4. Write a homework contract. The contract should say exactly what the child agrees to do and exactly what the parents’ roles and responsibilities will be. When the contract is in place, it should reduce some of the tension parents and kids often experience around homework. For instance, if part of the contract is that the child will earn a point for not complaining about homework, then if the child does complain, this should not be cause for a battle between parent and child: the child simply does not earn that point. Parents should also be sure to praise their children for following the contract. It will be important for parents to agree to a contract they can live with; that is, avoiding penalties they are either unable or unwilling to impose (e.g., if both parents work and are not at home, they cannot monitor whether a child is beginning homework right after school, so an alternative contract may need to be written).

We have found that it is a rare incentive system that works the first time. Parents should expect to try it out and redesign it to work the kinks out. Eventually, once the child is used to doing the behaviors specified in the contract, the contract can be rewritten to work on another problem behavior. Your child over time may be willing to drop the use of an incentive system altogether. This is often a long-term goal, however, and you should be ready to write a new contract if your child slips back to bad habits once a system is dropped.

Click here to download the homework planner and incentive sheet .

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Are you looking for hacks for encouraging students to complete their homework? If so, keep reading.

1. Coordinate with the learner’s parents to pick up homework each day if the learner has difficulty “remembering” to it home.

2. Create a timeline for finishing a project. Expect the learner to meet each deadline to finish the project on time.

3. Do not use homework as a punishment (i.e., additional work should not be assigned as a consequence of unacceptable behavior at school or as a consequence of not preparing for school tasks).

4. Urge the parents to set aside quiet time each night when the family turns off the TV, radio, etc., to read, do homework, write letters, etc.

5. Get the learner to keep sample letters, reports, forms, etc., as references for finishing homework tasks .

6. Urge the learner to create a routine (schedule) for themselves. Get the learner to create a weekly schedule and a weekend schedule. Get the learner to create a chart for daily homework tasks to be finished.

7. Connect with the learner’s parents by sending home explanations of Learning Interventions: Strategies to Help their child with homework if it is appropriate for the learner to receive help.

8. Get the learner to create problem-solving skills: • Find the problem (e.g., not finishing homework, not returning finished homework to school). • Find the goals and objectives. • Create a strategy/plan for action. • Carry out the plan. • Assess the results.

9. Plan the learner’s time at school so that homework will not be appropriate if they take advantage of the school time provided to finish tasks.

10. Draft an agreement with the learner stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., finishing homework tasks and returning them to school) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.

11. Assess the appropriateness of giving the learner tasks that require copying if the learner’s capacity and ability level makes it impossible for them to finish the task.

12. Conference with parents to discuss appropriate ways to help the learner with homework .

13. Urge the parents to give the learner a quiet, comfortable space and sufficient time to do homework.

14. Urge the parents to reward the learner for following homework rules . Possible rewards include oral praise (e.g., “Thank you for finishing your homework before going to the mall.”), a kiss on the cheek, a hug, staying up late, watching a favorite TV show, renting a video, etc.

15. Select a peer to help the learner with homework.

16. Assess the appropriateness of assigning the learner homework if their capacity and ability level or circumstances at home make it impossible for them to finish and return the tasks.

17. Create a task sheet for the learner. Talk with the learner’s parents so they are aware of the task sheet and the work that should be finished each night. Ask the parents to sign the task sheet so the teacher is aware that the parents reviewed it.

18. Ask the parents to review the learner’s homework duties after school so the learner knows what they are expected to do that evening.

19. Make sure the learner has all the learning materials appropriate prior to beginning a task to lessen unnecessary distractions.

20. Get the learner to ask for help when they need it.

21. Consider using an education app to help the student sharpen their organizational skills. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend .

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How to find motivation to do homework

How to find motivation to do homework ? Struggling to motivate yourself to finish homework? You’re not alone! This article has strategies to help you stay motivated and reach goals. Create a positive atmosphere and set realistic expectations . Learn how to motivate yourself and find happiness in studying.

Why is Homework Motivation Important?

Strong Homework Motivation is key for academic success. Parents and teachers must foster the right mindset and goal-setting skills . Create a supportive environment at home and engage students in class through group work and quizzes.

Homework should be viewed as an opportunity , not an obstacle. Incorporate positive reinforcement such as regular study sessions and breaks in between. With work ethic and repetition, success will come with time! Plus, you’ll be able to brag to your parents and teachers.

The benefits of being motivated to do homework

Kicking off the article, motivating oneself for doing homework brings loads of advantages. Productivity increases, thus saving time and creating extra leisure. Plus, understanding becomes easier due to the release of positive hormones.

Apart from good grades, essential life skills are acquired such as setting goals and perseverance. Awards and incentives for excellent performance become attractive too, building character and preparing for future endeavors.

It’s key to have a positive outlook towards schoolwork, rather than seeing it as dull or a chore. This will help to pursue education, rather than just doing it out of obligation.

Evidence shows that completing homework has advantages apart from just following assignments. This could be getting accepted to a university or even a promotion. So, it’s vital to never ignore coursework and work on each learning opportunity.

Not doing your homework is like forgetting your parachute on a skydiving trip.

The consequences of not being motivated to do homework

Procrastination can result in unfortunate consequences for students. Poor grades, missed assignments, and deadline delays cause disappointment and anxiety, leading to a downward spiral of bad academic performance. Not being motivated to do homework can also lead to inconsistent learning outcomes and have a negative effect on career goals. To combat this, setting achievable goals and breaking tasks into smaller steps is essential.

Seeking support, collaborating with peers, keeping a study journal, practicing time management skills, and creating an appropriate learning environment can help boost motivation. Studies have shown that poor academic performance is linked to increased stress levels, leading to anxiety and depression.

Educators should provide conducive learning environments, offer resources such as counseling services, and develop positive relationships with students. Promoting self-reflection and goal-setting activities during student-teacher interactions can effectively support students’ motivation to complete their homework tasks successfully.

Understanding the Challenges: Common Obstacles to Homework Motivation

Homework tasks can seem intimidating for students. Finding motivation is tough. Common roadblocks like distractions, disinterest, and low energy can make students unmotivated to finish their homework. This leads to procrastination, bad grades, and poor academic performance.

To keep motivated for homework, focus on time management, setting goals, and staying focused . Ban distractions for effective studying. Set specific goals for each task; this will help you stay motivated throughout the assignment. Ask teachers or peers for guidance if you struggle.

Emotional distress and cognitive constraints are other obstacles to motivation. Stressful life events can affect schoolwork. Counseling services can help ease the burden.

Pro Tip: Plan rewards after completing homework tasks. This creates a positive feedback loop for future assignments. Without goals, your motivation is lost.

Setting Clear Goals: The First Step to Finding Motivation

To boost motivation for homework, set SMART goals . These should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound . Write them down and keep track of progress. Acknowledge what it would feel like when completed and recognize the reasons behind doing the work.

Incentives are key to increasing overall motivation. Edward Deci and Richard Ryan of Rochester University found that extrinsic motivators such as praise don’t motivate intrinsically. So incentives are important for students to foster intrinsic motivation and achieve success.

Who needs a five-star hotel? Transform your study space into a motivational spa retreat!

Creating a Positive Study Environment: Enhancing Motivation through Space

To boost motivation in building a homework routine, create an ideal study space. It should be uplifting and inspiring. A good study area helps maintain focus, increase productivity, and reduce stress.

Motivational posters and fresh flowers make for an aesthetically pleasing space. Plus, a clean and organized workspace aids concentration and decreases distractions. Clutter causes uneasiness and hinders interest.

Personalize your workspace for comfortability and engagement. Dim lights or soft music can make studying easier.

Pro Tip: Add personal touches or rearrange furniture to shift from boring monotony to an encouraging atmosphere. Need some motivation? Look at your grades and let it spark your enthusiasm!

Finding Your Motivation Triggers: Discovering What Inspires You

Discovering what inspires you is essential to stay motivated and productive when doing homework. Unearth the factors inhibiting motivation. Find Your Inspiration Incentives: Uncover What Revs You Up!

Here are some tips to help you:

• Set clear objectives. Think about why a course was chosen, what interests or people drew attention? Create daily goal checklists for priority tasks.
• Identify intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Understand learning style via self-assessment surveys. Tailor study approach, don’t use common methods subjectively chosen.
• A fellow student shared their experience of struggling with homework motivation. Various online strategies used without reflecting on suitability. Reflect on psychological needs, tailor rewarding activities. Going for runs to release endorphins, happier moods to work hard! Motivation for homework is like a unicorn, hard to find!

Tips for finding homework motivation

Struggling to find motivation for homework? Here are effective techniques:

• Create a routine . Set aside the same time each day and use it solely to focus on work.
• Break assignments into smaller tasks .
• Find an accountability partner . Share progress with someone who cares.
• Use positive reinforcement . Reward yourself after completing each task.
• Remind yourself of your goals and stay motivated .
• Parents, nagging won’t help . Promise ice cream after they finish!

The role of parents in homework motivation

Parents: to enhance your child’s enthusiasm for homework, motivate them! You have an influential role in boosting motivation. Encouragement, structure and interest in their academic progress can all help.

Set a routine for daily assignments and offer rewards or incentives when they finish on time or get good grades. Use positive reinforcement such as praise instead of criticism.

Each day, ask your child about schoolwork. This promotes diligence and shows education is important to the family.

Show them different ways homework is beneficial. Ask them to contribute ideas on topics they want to learn more about. Create a deeper passion for learning.

Establish healthy routines. Demonstrate enthusiasm for academic mastery, not strictness and punishment. Improve the chances of preventing missing out on future opportunities that higher education offers.

A Call-to-action technique like “fear of being left behind” demands immediate attention from parents to incentivize kids passionately towards successful completion of homework tasks. Teachers can’t always motivate us, but at least they can provide plenty of material for procrastination.

The role of teachers in homework motivation

Teachers have a big part to play in motivating students to do their homework. By offering clear explanations, feedback and a positive classroom environment, they can inspire kids to tackle their assignments with excitement.

Personal help like one-on-one consultations or mentorship can help those who are having trouble, building their confidence and making them view schoolwork more positively.

To make sure learning sticks and to avoid frustration, teachers should use different strategies that suit individual students. For instance, interactive methods such as group conversations or project-based tasks create interesting learning experiences which help with homework beyond just memorizing.

Frequent communication between teachers and parents is also key in holding people accountable and getting parents involved in inspiring their children.

It’s important to take into account that each student is different, and this means adjusting the curriculum to fit varying abilities, as well as social and emotional factors like mental health or external pressures.

Research has shown that parent support is a must for successful student achievements. The National Education Association (NEA) reported that when parents get involved, it can bring many advantages, from an improved school climate and attendance to a higher motivation towards homework.

The role of peers in homework motivation

Peer influence is hugely important for homework motivation. It changes students’ values, attitudes, and behaviors towards their work. Peers can be role models or distractions, depending on the impact.

By watching their friends’ study habits, involvement, and grades, students can become motivated to copy or even exceed these standards. Working together helps share knowledge and get feedback. So, both teachers and peers need to create an environment that encourages learning.

Peer pressure can be a blessing or a curse. Research shows it can cause anxiety and bad performance, if it is negative.

A great example of peer influence in action is high school football players. Poor performers were paired with successful ones. This led to improved grades, thanks to the model behavior and social support from their high-achieving peers.

Managing Distractions: Techniques for Staying Focused on Homework

Maintaining Concentance: Strategies to Keep Your Focus on Coursework.

Stay productive and successful in completing homework by managing distractions. Here are five tactics to help you stay on track:

• Make a work area without interruptions.
• Organize your study materials before starting.
• Set reasonable goals and take breaks when needed.
• Stay away from tech distractions like social media notifications.
• Do the hard stuff first when your mind is sharp.

Good habits and limiting disruptions boost motivation and reduce procrastination. Listen to instrumental music or white noise to stay focused. Self-care is important for concentration.

My friend had ADHD in high school. Medication and other treatments didn’t help. So she got an academic coach. The coach gave her techniques like mindfulness, accountability with peers, and time management. That helped her coursework.

Take a break sometimes. Have ice cream and Netflix. Reset!

Dealing with Homework Burnout: Strategies for Recharging Your Motivation

Feeling burnt out or unmotivated with homework? Combat this! Strategies can help recharge your inspiration. Implement a study schedule that suits your goals, and rest . Break down tough assignments into smaller tasks. This will build momentum and confidence. Incorporate positive affirmations & rewards systems . Utilize these strategies to stay motivated and successful in academics. Recharge your motivation – it’s possible!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is it important to find motivation to do homework?

A: Homework is a crucial part of the learning process as it helps reinforce the lessons taught in class and prepare students for exams.

Q: How can I motivate myself to do homework?

A: Setting goals, breaking tasks into smaller chunks, creating a schedule, and using positive self-talk are effective ways to motivate yourself to do homework.

Q: What if I still can’t find motivation to do homework?

A: Sometimes, it can be difficult to find motivation to do homework. In such cases, talking to a teacher, tutor, or counselor can help identify underlying issues and find solutions that work for you.

Q: How can I make homework more enjoyable?

A: Trying different study techniques, incorporating rewards, and studying with friends or classmates can make homework more enjoyable.

Q: What should I do if I am constantly distracted while doing homework?

A: It’s important to identify distractions and remove them as much as possible. This can include turning off electronic devices, finding a quiet study space, and taking periodic breaks.

Q: How can I avoid procrastinating when it comes to homework?

A: Procrastination can be avoided by setting deadlines, breaking tasks into smaller portions, avoiding multitasking, and prioritizing your work.

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How to Find Motivation to Do Homework

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams and by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,704,425 times.

Even if you love school, it can be hard to stay excited about doing homework. Just like with any other kind of work, it’s important to set personal goals and find your own inspiration to keep going. You can also help yourself focus by minimizing distractions and caring for yourself while you work. Finally, organize your time wisely and break your homework up into manageable pieces so it doesn’t feel too overwhelming.

Finding Your Drive and Inspiration

• Give yourself bigger rewards for bigger accomplishments. For example, you might go out for pizza with a friend after handing in an important paper.

• Just make sure you limit yourself to a specific amount of time (like 10 minutes, for example) so that you don’t end up getting totally distracted and wasting a few hours.

Did you know? Researchers in Japan recently discovered that looking at pictures or videos of baby animals before you start working can make you much more productive. [3] X Trustworthy Source PLOS ONE Online peer-reviewed, open access scientific research journal Go to source So, go ahead and watch a couple of cute kitten videos on YouTube the next time you need to work on a boring assignment. It might help!

• Doing homework with a friend doesn’t necessarily mean collaborating on the same assignments. You can just spend time together while you each do your own work. Only get your parent to help you if you need help.
• Check with your teacher first before working together with a friend on an assignment. They may want you to do the work by yourself.

• For example, if you’re a morning person, try doing your homework right after you eat breakfast.
• If you tend to get distracted while working at your desk at home, experiment with doing your homework in the library or a coffee shop instead.
• Some people also find it helpful to change their routine from time to time. If you find yourself getting bored, try working at a different time from usual or finding a new study space.

• Setting vague goals can lead to frustration. Instead of saying, “I’m going to get all my homework done this week,” try something more specific—e.g., “I’m going to work on my English essay for 1 hour every day this week.”

• For example, maybe you want to get good grades so you can get into your dream college, or possibly you’re working towards an exciting career.
• Doing a good job in your classes can also be its own reward—knowing that you worked hard and did your best is a great self-esteem booster!

Keeping Yourself Focused and Alert

• If you feel physically tense, do some yoga or light stretches before you begin to work.
• Doing breathing exercises can also help you feel more comfortable and alert.
• If you’re not already in comfy clothes, get changed before you start working. This may mean joggers, sweatpants, pjs, shorts, underwear, or even being completely naked. It's your choice.

• You’ll want a place where you can sit comfortably, but don’t get too comfortable. If you do homework in bed or on a cozy couch, you may be tempted to fall asleep!
• If you have to work at home, ask anyone who lives with you to give you a little quiet time while you do your homework.

• If you can’t resist messing around on your phone or visiting time-wasting websites on your computer, consider installing an app or a browser extension that blocks tempting apps and sites.
• Don’t try to work with a TV or radio on. If you listen to music while you do your homework, choose something that’s quiet and not too exciting, like some gentle classical music.

• Whole grains
• Healthy proteins, like fish, beans, or nuts
• Blueberries
• Leafy greens

• During your breaks, you can go for a walk, have a snack, do a little meditation , or even put your head down for a quick power nap .
• You can also use your breaks to reward yourself with a fun video or a quick game on your phone.

Did you know? Walking can improve your thinking skills. If you’re feeling stuck on a problem, going for a quick walk or even hopping on a treadmill can help! [13] X Research source

• For example, if you’ve been working on an essay for an hour or two, take a break and then switch to doing some math problems.
• Don’t try to do more than one task at once, though. Trying to multitask will disrupt your focus and cause you to make more mistakes.

Organizing Your Time Effectively

• Setting a schedule also makes it easier to avoid procrastinating .
• Make sure to schedule in time for breaks and relaxation, too!

Tip: You can avoid unpleasant surprises by writing important dates and deadlines into your schedule. For example, make note of when you have tests or quizzes coming up or when different assignments are due.

• Make an ordered list of all your tasks. Try to prioritize ones that are due soon, count towards a major part of your grade, or seem like they will be the most complicated to complete.
• Put assignments that aren’t due for a while or that you know you can finish quickly and easily at the bottom.

• For example, if you’re writing a big paper, you might break it up into pieces like doing the research, composing a bibliography, writing an outline, drafting the introduction, and so on.

• Productivity apps are helpful for some people, but they’re not for everyone. Make sure you don’t spend so much time worrying about the app that it starts to cut into your homework time! [19] X Research source

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

Community Q&A

Tips from our Readers

• Start your homework as soon as you get home from school (you may need a small snack first) instead of watching tv or using the computer. If you start another activity, it will be harder to stop it to switch to homework. Go straight to homework and think of TV and the computer as your reward for finishing.
• Sometimes I have a lot of work to do and it seems overwhelming, even if the work isn't hard. If I close my eyes and imagine myself doing my homework, it doesn't feel as intimidating and gives me the feeling that I can do it.
• Make a homework playlist in your music app and play every time you sit down to study. If music with lyrics distracts you, try looking up "study playlists" and "homework playlists," as they're usually just instrumentals.
• If you can, have your parents drop you off at the library after school for an hour (or however long your homework would take) so you can stay focused. There isn't much to do at the library and it's quiet.
• Take short breaks to rest your mind for a little while so that it is ready to get back to work. This works for a lot of people who just need to decompress after a long period of working and hard thinking!
• Think about having free time after the homework to do what you want. Also, think about having the homework done, being stress-free, and not getting in trouble because you didn't do your homework.
• Dedicate a space in your house to homework and decorate it. Make your homework space a place you like to be.
• Work with a buddy who doesn't get as distracted as you. This way, your buddy can help you stay focused.
• Chewing on gum can help you stay alert and focused if you're feeling tired or distracted.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/tips-studying-motivation.html
• ↑ https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0046362
• ↑ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/how-should-students-study-tips-advice-and-pitfalls
• ↑ https://www.umassd.edu/fycm/goal-setting/resources/smartgoals/
• ↑ https://allianzassistancehealth.com.au/en/living-in-australia/studying-motivation-tips-university/
• ↑ https://www.wgu.edu/blog/improve-online-study-environment1712.html
• ↑ https://share.upmc.com/2019/08/healthy-snacks-to-power-studying/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ https://news.stanford.edu/2014/04/24/walking-vs-sitting-042414/
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/
• ↑ https://www.aiuniv.edu/blog/2016/april/4-steps-to-prioritize-tasks
• ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/aug/18/time-management-apps-work-life-balance-productivity

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To find the motivation to do your homework, give yourself small rewards after you accomplish a goal, like a 5 minute video after finishing a reading assignment. For larger accomplishments, like completing an important paper, give yourself a bigger reward, like going out for pizza with friends. You can also try giving yourself a treat, like a scoop of ice cream or 10 minutes to text your best friend, before you begin working to lift your mood and make you more productive. If you have a friend who won’t distract you, see if they want to do homework together so you can keep each other on track. To learn how to pick the best time and place to do your homework, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Enjoy Homework

Last Updated: April 19, 2023

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. This article has been viewed 52,263 times.

Homework can often feel stressful and boring. Unfortunately, if you're in school it's a part of life. If you consistently dread doing homework, you should look into ways you can enjoy the task. This way, school will be more pleasant for you overall. You can start with subjects that interest you, give yourself breaks and rewards, and work on changing your mentality regarding homework in general.

Planning Homework Time

• It may help to take a few days to measure your natural ebb and flow of energy. You may find that, during late afternoon, you feel a sudden slump in energy. However, as it gets closer to the evening hours, you may suddenly have a boost in energy. Therefore, instead of doing homework after school, try to do your homework after dinner each night.
• You'll feel happier and more productive if you're studying during a time when you're experiencing a peak in energy. Homework will seem to go by faster, and you will not struggle as much to concentrate.

• You can alternate between subjects you like and dislike. This can help give you motivation while moving through subjects that bore you. For example, if you love science but hate history, do half of your science assignment, then half of your history one, and then return to science.

• Even small changes can make homework time more enjoyable. You could, for example, move your desk near the window. Natural light may lead to a more calming environment, and you can occasionally look up and enjoy the view.
• You can also think about studying outside the house. If you love hanging out at a local coffee shop, try doing your homework there. You can get a latte or a coffee as a treat as you move through your homework.

• You may have to experiment with different songs. Some songs may be distracting. If a song makes you want to get up and dance, for example, it may not the best to include on a homework playlist, as you will lose focus in your homework. Some people find that classical music is very helpful when studying.
• Not everyone can concentrate with music in the background. If you find music is making it harder for you to study, you may want to nix the playlists and focus on other means to enjoy your homework.

Giving Yourself Motivation

• Good examples of what to do during your breaks are taking walks, meditating, stretching, or getting yourself a snack.
• Many people find it's most effective to work in short spurts. You may want to plan to work in half hour to 45-minute intervals, for example, and then take a 5 to 10-minute break.
• Be careful with breaks, however. Make sure you time your breaks wisely so they don't end up running over. If you allow yourself a 10 minute Facebook break every 40 minutes, set a timer on your phone to make sure you do not end up procrastinating on social media for hours.

• Be careful who you include in a study group. While you want to be able to enjoy yourself, you also want to get work done. Choose people who are serious enough students that you won't end up distracted all night.
• Together as a group, you can brainstorm ways to have fun. For example, you can agree you'll do homework in silence for 40 minutes and then take a 15 minute break to chat.

• Be careful, however, not to do sloppy work. If you're trying to break a record, you may speed through your homework. Strive to work efficiently rather than quickly.
• Talk to your parents to see how the topic your studying may affect them in the present day.
• Be careful not to get distracted in this extra research or you’ll lose focus on your homework. Set a timer for yourself so you don’t spend too much time doing it.

Changing Your Mindset About Learning

• It can help to make a to-do list. Your studies are items you can check off the list, allowing you to relax and unwind. You'll also feel a sense of achievement with each item you check off your list.
• Stop and think about what you've accomplished when you finish your homework. Try to feel proud of yourself for getting your work done. You'll learn to work towards this sense of accomplishment in the future.

• If you dislike your writing assignments, pause and consider how good writing skills can help you get a job. If you dislike your computer class, try to keep in mind that basic computer skills will be important in college and the working world.

Expert Q&A

• If you have a friend who's a serious student, ask him or her for tips on how to make homework fun. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you are reviewing for a test, review it for 15 minutes then give yourself a break. Go back to studying for 15 minutes and then take another break. This method can help you to process the information, which in the end should result in better results! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/how-to-enjoy-studying-flow/
• ↑ https://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/studying-fun.html

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5 Importance of Acknowledging Student Effort

5 behavior rewards for elementary students, 5 academic achievements rewards, 5 homework reward ideas, 5 art rewards for students, 5 kindness rewards for students, 5 teamwork rewards for students.

Ever feel like you’ve tried every trick in the book to keep your students motivated and nothing sticks? You’re not alone! Let’s explore some fresh classroom reward ideas together—simple, creative ways to give your students the boost they need and deserve. Let’s turn those everyday challenges into opportunities!

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• Motivation and Engagement: Rewards help make school more interesting for students. When they know there’s a chance to earn a reward, they’re more likely to take part and stay focused.
• Behavior Management : Using rewards can help improve how students behave. When they receive something positive for good behavior, they’re more likely to keep it up.
• Positive Reinforcement : This method shows students that good things happen when they do well. It helps them connect learning and good behavior with positive results.
• Achievement and Performance: Recognizing students when they do well can motivate them to keep trying and achieve more.
• Building Relationships: Giving personal recognition can make students feel valued. This strengthens the bond between teachers and students , creating a supportive classroom environment.

Creating a supportive and positive learning environment is key for young students. Integrating behavior rewards for elementary students not only promotes good habits but also makes school a fun and rewarding place. Here are five effective classroom reward ideas that can help encourage and recognize positive behaviors in your students:

• Extra Recess Time: Who doesn’t love more time to play? Offering extra recess time as a reward encourages the whole class to work together for more fun. This group incentive for students not only boosts morale but also promotes healthy physical activity.
• Sticker Charts: Sticker charts are a classic and effective classroom reward idea. Every time a student exhibits good behavior, they earn a sticker. Filling up a chart can lead to a larger reward, making this a fun and visual incentive for students.
• Treasure Box: A treasure box filled with small toys and goodies can be a magical source of motivation. Kids earn the chance to pick a prize from the box for their positive behavior, making this one of the most exciting ideas for rewards in the classroom.
• Show and Tell Opportunities: Giving students rewards in the form of sharing something special during show and tell helps boost their confidence and speaking skills. It’s a great way for them to connect with classmates over shared interests.
• Praise Postcards: Sending home a postcard praising a student’s good behavior is a heartfelt incentive that extends the recognition beyond the classroom. It allows parents to share in the celebration of their child’s achievements, reinforcing positive behaviors at home too.

Recognizing academic accomplishments not only encourages students to strive for excellence but also reinforces the importance of educational achievement. Here are five effective academic rewards and incentives for students that celebrate their successes and keep learning exciting:

• Certificate of Achievement: Offering Certificates of Achievement is a classic example of teacher rewards for students. It’s a tangible way to acknowledge their hard work at achieving academic milestones and to motivate them to continue excelling.
• Homework Pass: A Homework Pass is a cherished free reward for students, especially for those who consistently submit outstanding work. It allows them to skip a single homework assignment, giving them a break as a reward for their diligence.
• Educational Games Time: Incorporating extra time for educational games can be one of the fun classroom rewards that make learning engaging. This approach encourages students to associate learning with enjoyable activities, enhancing their educational experience.
• Feature on a Classroom Bulletin Board: Publicly celebrating student achievements by featuring their work on a Classroom Bulletin Board is a powerful motivator. This visibility fosters pride and sets a benchmark for other students to aspire to.
• Book Club Picks: Allowing high achievers to select books for the class reading list empowers them to actively participate in their education. It’s a rewarding experience that respects their input and encourages a deeper engagement with literature.

Getting students excited about homework can be a challenge, but the right incentives can make all the difference. Here are five homework reward ideas that not only encourage timely and consistent completion but also make the process rewarding and fun. These strategies are perfect for fostering a positive learning environment and showing appreciation for students’ efforts.

• Free Choice Activity Time: Allowing students to pick their activities is a standout among classroom reward ideas. It gives children the autonomy to choose how they want to use their time, making it a prized reward for diligent homework completion.
• Positive Phone Call Home: Making a positive phone call home is one of the most meaningful rewards for students in the classroom. It not only acknowledges their hard work but also involves their parents in the celebration of their academic success.
• Fun Stationery Packs: Equipping students with fun and unique stationery packs can be an exciting classroom rewards for elementary students. These packs make homework more enjoyable and show students that their efforts are appreciated.
• Breakfast Club: Hosting a Breakfast Club is a delightful incentive and one of the creative rewards for kids in school. It offers a fun and social reward for those who consistently complete their homework, promoting both good habits and community.
• Extra Computer Time: Additional computer time is highly valued as it enhances learning through technology. This reward supports educational engagement and is a practical use of classroom resources to motivate students.

Encouraging artistic expression is not only about teaching art; it’s about inspiring creativity and recognizing students’ efforts in unique ways. Here are five creative rewards that can help nurture the artistic talents of your students:

• Art Supplies: Rewarding students with new art materials is a fantastic way to encourage their creative endeavors. Whether it’s new paints, brushes, or sketchbooks, fresh supplies can spark excitement and motivate students to explore their artistic potential.
• Display Art in School: Offering students the opportunity to display their artwork around the school can be incredibly rewarding. It gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment and enhances the school environment, making it a gallery of student creativity.
• Art Class Helper: Allowing a student to assist in organizing art supplies or choosing the next project can be a great incentive. This role not only makes them feel valued but also encourages responsibility and leadership within the art class.
• Attend a Workshop: Providing tickets to a local art workshop or event is an enriching reward that can broaden a student’s exposure to the arts. It’s an exciting way for students to learn new techniques and get inspired by professional artists.
• Artistic Director for a Day: Let a student be the ‘Artistic Director for a Day’ where they can lead a small art project or activity. This reward fosters leadership and decision-making skills while allowing them to express their creative vision with their classmates.

Recognizing and rewarding acts of kindness in the classroom not only promotes a positive atmosphere but also encourages students to care for one another. Here are five thoughtful ways to acknowledge and incentivize kindness in students:

1. Kindness Medals: Awarding Kindness Medals for acts of compassion is a visual and memorable way to honor students. These medals serve as a tangible reminder of the value of being kind and encourage others to act similarly.

2. Positive Note Home: Sending a note home to parents about their child’s kind acts is a powerful tool for reinforcing positive behavior. It not only makes the student feel appreciated but also involves parents in the positive culture being cultivated at school.

3. Role Model for a Day: Allowing a student who has demonstrated exceptional kindness to be a classroom leader for a day is a great incentive. This role empowers them to set a positive example for their peers and reinforces leadership qualities.

4. Lunch with the Teacher: Hosting a special lunch with the teacher to celebrate a student’s kindness is a personal and highly valued reward. It provides an opportunity for meaningful connection between teacher and student, reinforcing the positive behavior.

5. Special Recognition at School Assemblies: Publicly acknowledging kind acts during school assemblies gives students a platform for recognition in front of their peers. This not only celebrates their behavior but also sets a community-wide example of the importance of kindness.

Fostering a culture of teamwork is vital for building collaborative skills among students. Here are five teamwork rewards that can encourage and celebrate effective collaboration:

• Team Leader of the Week: Recognizing a student as the ‘Team Leader of the Week’ is a creative reward for students who show exceptional leadership during class projects. This acknowledgment motivates others to strive for similar recognition, enhancing leadership skills across the classroom.
• Group Movie Time: Hosting a movie session as a reward for great teamwork is a fun and free reward for students. It allows teams to relax and enjoy their success together, strengthening bonds and encouraging future collaboration.
• Team Lunch: Offering a team lunch, like pizza, for the best collaborative group mixes fun with recognition. It’s a tasty way to celebrate the hard work and dedication of a group, making teamwork a rewarding experience.
• Collaboration Corner: Creating a ‘Collaboration Corner,’ a dedicated space for team activities , provides a physical reminder of the rewards of working together. This space can be used for brainstorming, project work, or simply a place to gather and share ideas.
• Team Trophies: Giving out temporary team trophies that teams can earn weekly is an exciting and visual way to commend groups for their cooperative efforts. These trophies foster a friendly competition and highlight the importance of working together towards common goals.

Implementing these classroom reward ideas can significantly enhance student motivation and foster a positive learning environment. By acknowledging individual achievements and collaborative efforts, we create a more engaging and supportive classroom for all students.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What can i do instead of rewards in the classroom.

Instead of using rewards, you can focus on intrinsic motivation by setting personal goals for students, providing meaningful feedback , and creating a classroom culture that values curiosity and learning for its own sake.

How do you reward individual students?

You can reward individual students by providing verbal praise, giving personalized feedback, or offering small privileges like choosing a classroom activity or leading a group task. These methods help acknowledge and celebrate their unique contributions and achievements.

What are tangible student rewards?

Tangible student rewards include physical items like stickers, certificates, small toys, or books. These rewards are given to students to recognize their efforts and achievements and can serve as a motivational tool in educational settings.

What is the marble jar reward system?

The marble jar reward system involves adding marbles to a jar as a class earns them for positive behavior or achievements. Once the jar is full, the class earns a collective reward, such as a party or extra recess, encouraging teamwork and positive behavior.

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30 Reward Ideas for High School

For students who are extrinsically motivated, rewards are a great thing. They help keep students engaged and on-task while also giving them the tangible recognition they so desire. But reward ideas for high school can be tricky.

We’ve gathered 30 reward ideas that might be perfect for motivating your high school students! Check out the list below!

This post contains affiliate links to items.

30 High School Reward Ideas

Not sure what to get your high schoolers for rewards? This list of ideas will help!

1 – Jolly Ranchers

Kids love the sweetness of Jolly Ranchers! They’re always a hit with students in high school (and middle and elementary school!).

2 – Stickers

You might think that your high schoolers are too cool for stickers, but we have found that they love them! Everything from basic dinosaur stickers to VSCO stickers for their water bottles, stickers are a hot commodity!

3 – Homework Pass

A homework pass can be a great reward for students who want a night off of homework. Make sure you create or explain the rules about when it can be used.

4 – 20 Minutes of Music/Computer Time

Music and computer time costs nothing but can be a huge motivator for students. Sometimes all they need is a chance to listen to their favorite tunes.

5 – Skip a Subject for the Day Pass

What better reward for work well done than a chance to take a break! Create a skip a subject coupon where students can choose to sit out on the subject you teach for the day.

6 – Croc Jibbitz

If Crocs are a big thing in your area (Texas, we’re looking at you!), consider grabbing some jibbitz that students can earn. These shoe charms work like, well, a charm for getting students motivated!

7 – Snacks Coupons from the Cafeteria

Work with the cafeteria to arrange for free snack coupons for your students. There’s nothing like a free ice cream to make them smile.

8 – Free Time Pass

Who doesn’t want free time?! A free time pass is a great motivator – just be sure to have rules or guidelines about when it can be used.

9 – Free Snacks from Local Restaurants

While it takes a bit of time to contact local restaurants, you can often get free snack or meal coupons. Wendy’s is known for its Frosty coupons while Habit Burger is known to give out free burger coupons. Check restaurants in your area to see if they do something similar.

10 – Pick Your Seat Coupon

It’s all about choice! Give your students a choice as to where they would like to sit during class one day. If you have comfortable sitting areas like couches or bean bags, don’t be surprised if they choose to sit there for class.

11 – Extra Points

For students who are academically motivated, the chance to earn extra points to bring up their grade is a huge reward!

12 – Lunch with the Teacher

If your students love spending time with you, lunch with a teacher is a free and highly-valued reward.

13 – Bags of Chips

Bags or snack packs of chips are always a good call when looking for rewards for high schoolers.

14 – Gum

Packs of gum are always winners and when it comes to high school rewards they’re even more so. If gum is a no-no in your school, try Tic Tacs or mints instead.

15 – Sit in the Teacher’s Seat

There’s just something special about sitting in the teacher’s seat – which makes it a great reward for high schoolers!

16 – Cup of Soup

Packets of soup for the win when it comes to high school rewards! Grab some ramen or soup for easy, inexpensive rewards that your students will love.

17 – Missing Assignment Points

Another cost-free reward that is perfect for high school is a missing assignment points coupon. If students forget to turn in an assignment, this voucher allows them to receive points for it anyway. You may want to set a points limit (up to 20 points, for example) so that they don’t use it for full credit on a huge assignment.

18 – Drink Packets

Drink packets that students can use with the water in their water bottles are also good incentives. They’re usually inexpensive and can be a great pick-me-up when students are having a tough day.

19 – Good Call Pass

Calls home are the norm in elementary school, but in high school those calls usually only mean one thing – trouble. Give students Good Call Home Passes where they can redeem the voucher at any time for a call home that’s filled with nothing but positives.

20 – Hot Chocolate

Hot cocoa mix is a wintertime staple and the chance to win a hot chocolate packet can be a great motivator for some students.

21 – Stress Balls

Even high school students like to use stress balls! Grab a lot of inexpensive ones and use them as rewards.

22 – Earbuds

Wait, what?! Earbuds as a reward?! Yes, indeed! Earbuds from the dollar store or in bulk make great high school incentives!

23 – Lollipops

A bag of lollipops can be a great way to get your students to focus and engage with their lessons.

24 – Movie Day

Let your student pick a movie day! Be sure to give them guidelines about how far in advance they need to schedule it with you and limitations on what can be shown.

25 – Takis

Make sure students have their water bottles at the ready if they opt for a bag of Takis as a treat! These spicy hot corn snacks are all the rage and make even the most nonchalant learners excited.

26 – Pop-Tarts

No matter what flavor you have on hand, Pop-Tarts are a sure reward idea to get your high school students motivated!

27 – Notebooks

Fun and colorful notebooks are also great rewards for high school students!

28 – Fancy Erasers

Students are never too old for fancy erasers! Sets like this give students plenty of options to choose from and can make lessons fun all day long.

29 – Fancy Pencils

Smencils and other fancy pencils are not only cute, they’re also great reward ideas for high schoolers!

30 – Phone Chargers

Grab a pack of inexpensive phone chargers online or at the Dollar Store to store in your reward box for high schoolers. They’re practical and much appreciated!

Remember that the best reward ideas are going to be the ones that you are most excited about. If your students see that you are super excited over a pack of Pop-Tarts, guess what? They’re going to be excited about them too.

You don’t have to spend a lot of (or any!) money on reward ideas for high school. The trick is to just know what makes your students sit up and take notice!

What are your go to rewards for students? Share in the comments below!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

• 11 Inexpensive Behavior Plan Rewards for Students
• Things Teachers Can Do to Improve Student Behavior
• A Behavior Management Hack Every Teacher Needs to Try

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Your Complete Guide to Rewarding Students for Positive Behavior

Building a rewards and incentive program can be overwhelming, that's why we put everything you need in one place.

That can be difficult to accomplish within today’s culture of apathy. 

Student motivation just might be the missing ingredient. 

But, lucky for you, you have navigated the interwebs and stumbled upon the ultimate guide to help you establish a student rewards system . 

A system that is guaranteed to keep your kiddos interested and engaged all throughout their time in your school. 

What are Student Rewards?

Motivating your students can be very simple. You have behaviors, actions, and achievements you value within your school community.

Your students should know what they are and how to meet them. They also know that when they do, they will receive a reward that can take many forms based on their grade level and their school culture . 

They can be tangible or intangible. They may have a monetary value or not. The only thing that matters is that your students value the reward, which gives the reward value. 

Tangible Reward Examples

Swag that can carry more swag! Who doesn’t love that?!

Books can appeal to any age group. Make sure you include books from a wide range of genres and don’t forget the comics! 

• Holiday Delivery

Nothing brings up the mood in your building like a little holiday cheer! Select some special helpers to deliver Boo 👻 Grams, Thankful Feathers 🦃, Christmas Cookies 🍪, Valentine’s Candy Grams ❤️️, and St. Patty’s ☘️ Clover Grams to your students who qualify for this reward in their class!

Intangible Reward Examples

• Assist the Custodian

Allow a student to earn some out-of-class time making rounds with the school custodian.

• Drop the Lowest Quiz 

For older students, give them the option of dropping their lowest grade on a quiz or homework assignment from their overall grade.

• Early Lunch Dismissal

This doesn't have to be crazy! Even letting students go a minute before the bell can feel like a big privilege.

That means you can launch a student rewards system with a little-to-no budget if you're creative and do a great job building buy-in with your students.

Expensive Rewards

If you're an animal lover, consider getting a fish, turtle, or hamster for your class! Then, save time caring for it by enlisting the help of students. This special privilege can serve as a reward for good behavior.

Celebrate school spirit by holding a bonfire. With all of the famous bonfire trimmings – smores, music, food, dancing, stories, drinks, and games – students can enjoy this, normally esoteric, event in a fun and safe environment amongst their peers.

• Graduation Celebration

Elementary and Middle Schools arrange with their affiliate or nearby high school an event where soon-to-be graduates visit the school and take part in a parade. Students lining the hallways are encouraged to wear apparel from their favorite university and cheer as the graduates parade through.

Inexpensive Rewards

• Decades Party

Time to dig through those attics, garages, sheds, and deep back in your parents’ closets. Because it’s time to party with a blast from the past!

• Fake the Funk

This is a lip-sync event where students choose their favorite songs from their favorite artists and perform them.

• Lunch Reservations

Imagine your school café has a roped-off section that is complete with tablecloth and fine dining silverware that is reserved for your students who go above and beyond your school-wide expectations. 

Why Reward Students for Behavior?

Most educators agree that a major factor in student achievement is morale and motivation. If the student isn’t motivated to participate, it is doubtful they will be successful. 

So why do we need to reward students for positive behavior?

• Consistent use of rewards helps with morale and motivation.  

Some of us are intrinsically motivated. No matter what the task, we will try to do our very best. Experienced educators know that self-motivated students do exist, but they are often the exception, not the rule. 

• Students like to see their accomplishments recognized. 

If they meet or exceed expectations, students want to be rewarded. You can even increase your instructional time with students by creating attendance incentives .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LiveSchool (@getliveschool)

You can teach your students Financial Literacy through rewards! On a recent episode of The Flywheel Effect, Jason Haniger made the case that every school in America could use a token economy-style rewards system because it not only increases motivation but it also allows you to teach hard-to-grasp skills like financial literacy .

    3. You can create a culture where positive actions are not only encouraged, they are rewarded. 

If done right, you can create a “legacy of positivity” as Paul Kennedy described on our podcast.

Humans like to be recognized and rewarded, and when they do so, they are more likely to do so again. We all like to know that our effort is appreciated. 

Here are some great examples of rewards that every student would like to have:

Be a Comedian

Allow students some floor time to tell a joke. This will be an especially great outlet for some students – you know the ones!

Brain Break

Everybody loves a brain break, especially when it gives you time to decompress and refocus before starting something new.

Emcee the Announcements

Let's be honest: students love getting to be the center of attention. And what's a more public way than the school announcements?

“It’s OK to reward kids for doing the right things.”-Nick Payne, Middle School Principal

How to Facilitate Student Rewards

Systemizing your student reward system will help you create a consistent and structured approach to recognizing and rewarding student achievement. Additionally, it will help you to create a sense of fairness and equity among all students. 

But you're going to need some reward system ideas like we have listed below to make it easier for you to track student progress and identify areas of improvement, as well as develop strategies to motivate and engage students.

1. A School Reward App

A school rewards app is important because it can provide a convenient way for teachers and administrators to recognize and reward their students from anywhere at any time.

Where to Start: By adopting a behavior management platform like LiveSchool you can leverage technology to organize your system with a behavior management app that can keep track of all the things you need for rewarding your kids. 

For more on setting up your rewards system with LiveSchool, check out the clip below.👇

2. Define Your Data

By having clearly defined discipline data administrators can track patterns and trends in student behavior over time in order to identify areas of improvement and target interventions where necessary.

Where to Start: Define what matters to your school and track those behaviors . 

3. Approved Vendors and Partners

By obtaining pre-approval you ensure that the rewards are appropriate and that the vendors and partners have been vetted to ensure they abide by the school's policies.

Where to Start: This one may already be done by your district. If not you can compile it over time, but it will eventually save you time as you don’t want to be a teacher, PBIS coach, and also cold-call local businesses.

4. Start a School Store

By building a PBIS Store you can create a formal process for students to spend those hard-earned points with the added benefit of establishing a visual reminder of what your students are working towards.

There are tons of great iterations of school stores. They come in all shapes and sizes:

• Physical stores run by staff
• Physical stores run by students
• Virtual Stores
• Reward carts that travel room to room
• And even mobile stores run by students

Where to Start: Begin by brainstorming school store ideas . To ease the logistical demand on your staff we’d suggest researching how to build a student-run rewards store . Then your students can decide how to design the store and if they’d like to provide digital options to your rewards offering.

By investing some time early on with your team, you can decide upon guidelines under which all future rewards can fall. 

5. Individual or Group Rewards?

“When our teachers are incorporating competition into their lessons, you can just feel the buzz in the building.”-Eric Keiper, Dean of Students

When planning a reward, you'll need to decide how large a group you want to include. You can give individual rewards to students who excel, reward a whole class for meeting expectations, or even plan an event for a grade level or the entire school.

@whyliveschool Introducing the Firebird of the Month... #rewards #student #culture #school ♬ original sound - whyliveschool

Where to Start: We have compiled a list of class rewards and a collection of class party ideas . Consider STEM Field Day or a Glow Party for a memorable reward your students won't forget!

How to Choose Grade-Level Appropriate Rewards

It is important to choose grade-level appropriate student rewards because it helps motivate students to work hard and achieve their goals. Grade-level appropriate rewards will also help foster a sense of accomplishment since the students can relate more to the rewards they are receiving.

@whyliveschool Click the link🔗 in our bio to start planning Rewards🎉 that Rock🎸 for your 🏫 ! #pbis #edutok #behavior #rewards #positivity #leaders #principalsoftiktok #teachersoftiktok ♬ original sound - whyliveschool

Elementary School Rewards

Elementary school incentives do not have to be costly or complicated. They can be cheap prizes or even free! In fact, we found 50 free student rewards that would work great for younger students. Elementary school students love fun classroom rewards but talk to your students to find out what they like. 

What’s most important is that students feel valued and appreciated and recognize that positive behavior plays a vital role in making the classroom a special place for everyone.

A few examples that your elementary students will love:

• Camp Read-Away

In partners, students work to create the best reading fort they can imagine. Then, lights out! For the rest of the time, students flashlight read independently or with a buddy.

• Line Leader

With great power comes great responsibility. Let students bask in the glory of leading their fellow classmates through the great halls of your school.

• Lunch with the Teacher

Allowing students to eat lunch with their teacher is a big honor and lets you develop relationships with your students as they understand you are giving up your quiet lunch to spend with them.

Middle School Rewards

If you're a middle school teacher you know that motivation and morale matter a great deal. Not just for student engagement and success, but for your sanity as well! 

But how do you find incentive ideas for middle school students that will actually work? You need ideas that will incentivize and at times even entertain your students. But how do you know what will do that? 

You can start by asking them!

You need to harness the power of student voice before you plan prizes for middle school .

A few examples that are sure to motivate your middle school students:

• Lunch Concert

Students get to eat lunch in a private room (with an adult chaperone) with friends and play their personal, school-appropriate playlist.

• Student Messenger

The student messenger is someone who delivers important messages and notes throughout the school. This is a great privilege students can earn, and it's also a good intervention for your Tier 2 students who may need opportunities for breaks.

Students love talking! So let them earn it. This can be a class-wide activity, or a student can have the floor share a funny story from the weekend.

High School Rewards

As students age, motivation and engagement with school is a negative linear line from K through 12. By the time your students reach you, they can be fairly disinterested in school. 

They still need school. But you’re going to need incentives for high school students that they actually want.

@whyliveschool 3 ideas to incentivize good behavior in your high school! #highschool #teachersoftiktok #principalsoftiktok #edutok ♬ original sound - whyliveschool

They are in school and they will participate on varying levels. But you know that deeper learning isn’t possible without engagement. 

The best way to create an engaging learning environment in high school is to create an unforgettable experience for your students. Here are some fun high school events ideas that will create lifelong memories for your kiddos.

A few examples that even high school students will get excited about:

• Wild’N Out High School Edition

The famous improv show that airs on TV is a fun favorite for everyone. There are so many segments that range from intermediate to advanced for every student who feels brave enough to showcase their improv skills.

• Let’s Make a Difference Week

Let’s get out of the classroom and put some of this service learning to work with a student-led initiative that highlights different community service projects locally.

• Stairway Messages

Use each step as a location to place a few words of the message that you want to get across. This can be educational material, current events, politics, pop culture, and school news.

What Types of Rewards Should You Use?

Your rewards don’t have to all be the same thing. Remember they can be tangible, or intangible. They can be small daily incentives or big prizes that they need to work towards.

You can use classroom prizes , and virtual prizes or you can use fun school event ideas to motivate your students and enhance your school culture.

Here are a few examples of each to inform your planning:

Classroom Prizes

• Art Contest

Teachers decide on a theme and have students create their own interpretation of it.

• Board Game Party

Gather some of your favorite board games and teach your students how to follow rules the good old-fashioned way. You can even turn it into a class-wide tournament. Maybe board games are a bit retro, but you can make them cool with your students.

• Teacher Q & A

Create a jar for students to submit questions about YOU. As a reward, you could dedicate some time to answering questions the whole class or select from the jar or take a few at random. You never know what students will ask!

Virtual Prizes

• Virtual Field Trip

These expeditions can be found through e-learning platforms such as Nearpod, through websites that have educational programs like National Geographic or Discovery Education, or popular destinations such as zoos or museums.

• Virtual Talent Show

A virtual talent show can be conducted live, or, even better, over social media! Create a hashtag for students and prompts they can share.

• Host a Virtual Party

Online classes don't mean there can't be class spirit. As a class, your virtual students can earn points that can unlock an online party.

School Events

• Silent Disco

Give everyone headphones and let them play their favorite music and dance the night away, silently.

• House Induction

Your Principal begins announcing names and unveiling house selections for all of the new students as their new housemates cheer like crazy for their newly induction peers.

• Ice Cream Sundae Party

Grab a couple of gallons of ice cream, some whipped cream, and chocolate sauce, and you’re good to go. Don’t forget the sprinkles!

@whyliveschool Free Student Reward Idea 💡! Host a special screening of a big event for your students who have earned the reward or play the event for everyone during lunch! @clarkcountyschool #teachersoftiktok #principalsoftiktok #usmnt #worldcup #principalsoftiktok ♬ original sound - whyliveschool

Low-Cost or DIY Rewards

• Anime-Themed Party

It’s time to get the gear, look the part, and transform your school into a local Cosplay convention! Who doesn’t want to dress as their favorite Anime character for a school party ?

This free reward allows students of all ages to explore the many opportunities they can explore in their adult lives.

• Digital Escape Rooms

This is a great activity for individuals or small groups. You can find plenty of free ones online that cover nearly every subject area, but it’s actually fun (and pretty easy) to create your own.

Bonus: Rewards for Your Staff

If you’re a school leader you’d be wise to not forget your staff when it comes to recognizing and celebrating those who are doing great things in your school.

Our teachers deserve to be praised, respected, and recognized. They deserve some teacher rewards as well! 

Here are a few that your staff is sure to love:

    1. Lifesaver Award 

Create a trophy (be creative here) that staff can award each other at your faculty meeting to recognize colleagues who go above and beyond to help them, the school, and the students. 

    2. Decision Maker

Want to instill buy-in with your staff? Include them in the decision-making process. Invite the teacher of the week to your admin team.

    3. Principal’s Parking Spot

Re-designate your parking spot for teacher recognition.

Your School & Students Rewards

School rewards are great for incentives and improving morale. They are also great for student motivation and incentivizing good attendance . We hope this guide will help you integrate your rewards with your school’s unique culture and that you can use these ideas to find a way to include all students in your rewards program, or if your just getting started don't forget to take a look at our Behavior Rubric examples .

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102 Rewards and Incentives for Kids That Really Work

All the ways to motivate kids to do all the things.

We all love rewards, and kids are no exception. Sometimes it seems like kids will work for anything—stickers, high-fives, movie days. The trick with incentives is to have a lot of options and know how to use them. Here’s our list of 102 incentives that motivate kids to work, behave, and cooperate, as well as how to use them to teach children what they should do.

How To Use Incentives

• Sticker Charts
• Behaviors To Incentivize
• Are Incentives Just Bribes?
• Intangible Incentive Ideas
• Group Incentive Ideas
• Tangible Incentive Ideas
• Elementary Incentive Ideas
• Middle School Incentive Ideas
• High School Incentive Ideas
• Incentive Ideas Parents Can Use at Home

The thing about rewards, or incentives, is that they work best when they are used strategically. When you set up a reward, first, make receiving the reward contingent with demonstrating a specific skill. So, if you want all students in your class to line up quickly and quietly, you may set up a reward just for that. If you want your child to put away the dishes each night, connect an incentive to that.

The ultimate goal of rewarding kids is to increase behaviors that we want to see, and reduce behaviors we don’t want. That means rewarding the behavior you want as often as possible, and ignoring behavior you don’t want (we know, easier said than done). And when you give a reward, pair it with authentic praise. When kids know that you’re proud of them, that goes a long way to reinforcing a behavior.

The best incentives are small and quick—think a high-five or sticker. As kids get older, they can work for rewards over a longer period of time. Then, they can earn an incentive using a sticker chart like the ones below, or by filling a jar with marbles (when the jar is full they get their reward).

Sticker Chart Options

The nice thing about sticker charts is that kids can learn to control them. So, when they do the task you want—complete their morning routine, or pick up 10 toys, for example—they can fill in a sticker and get an immediate boost even as they work toward a longer goal.

This sticker chart is a great way to provide positive reinforcement throughout the day. Kids can earn stickers on the chart and turn the chart in when it’s full for a reward.

Buy it: Sticker Chart at Amazon

Here’s another sticker chart, this one with cute themes, for students to track progress towards a larger goal.

Buy it: Themed Sticker Charts at Amazon

Get a personalized reward jar to use in the classroom or at home. When the jar is filled, the child earns a larger reward.

Buy it: Personalized Reward Jar at Amazon

What behaviors should be rewarded?

It’s important to reward behaviors that the children actually have control over. Things they can do—brushing their teeth, putting their dishes in the sink, completing a morning routine—or qualities they can demonstrate, like effort, resilience, trying hard, and being flexible. You can also focus on behaviors that your child is learning (taking feedback, apologizing, sharing) and reward those.

Are incentives just bribes?

No. Bribery is when you give a child something in exchange for them doing something they don’t want to do (I’ll give you a candy if you empty the dishwasher). Bribes often come out of frustration when you’re at your wit’s end and just want the kid to do what you say.

On the other hand, a reward is set up ahead of time and is given when your child does something you ask them to do. For example, a child cleans their room or a class of students all line up without talking. This shows kids that you value that behavior and want to see more of it.  

The Big List of Incentives for Kids

Here’s our list of incentives that kids will love and that cover you for experiences, little gifts, and stickers … so many stickers.

Intangible Incentives for Kids

Not all incentives have to be things. Praise and recognition go a long way.

• Praise a student on the all-school announcements.
• Pull the student aside and praise them.
• Create a bulletin board and post work where students see it and share why each piece of work is on the board.
• Call home with a positive comment, or send a positive note home.
• Permit students to sit anywhere in the classroom.
• Provide a student with extra gym or recess time with another class.
• Let a student choose which music to listen to.
• Give out a “free homework pass.”

Read more: 6 Ways To Praise Students Without Saying a Word

Group Incentives for Kids

Students can work as a class to earn these incentives. Use a marble jar or other visual to show students how close they are to earning their reward.

• Free seating day—everyone gets to choose their seat.
• Have class outside.
• Allow extra recess time.
• Give free time at the end of the day.
• Have a dance party.
• Play a game.
• Have Fun Friday activities. (Get lots of ideas for Fun Friday here.)

• Watch a movie during lunch.
• Allot time to play a favorite sport.
• Have a dress-up or non-uniform day.
• Eat lunch in the classroom or outside.
• Wear slippers for a day. (Ah! No shoes!)

Tangible Incentives for Kids

Small, store-bought items are good for students who require more tangible rewards, or to stock a home or school treasure box.

• Star sticky notes (Buy it: Star Sticky Notes at Amazon)
• Stickers are a great, cheap incentive that you can customize for any kid. (Buy it: 3D Stickers at Amazon)
• Colorful pencils (Buy it: Pencils at Amazon)
• Mini key chains (Buy it: Key Chains at Amazon)
• Tiny animal erasers (Buy it: Erasers at Amazon)
• Fidget toys (Buy it: Fidget Toys at Amazon)

• Mochi squishy toys (Buy it: Squishies at Amazon)
• Magnetic bookmarks (Buy it: Bookmark s at Amazon)
• Brag tags (Buy it: Brag Tags at Amazon)
• Mini erasers (Buy it: Mini Erasers at Amazon)
• Mini Play-Doh cans (Buy it: Play-Doh at Amazon)

• “Caught Being Good” tokens could be given out and then exchanged for a larger incentive. (Buy it: Tokens at Amazon)
• Slime (Buy it: Slime at Amazon)
• Hatching toys (Buy it: Hatching Dinosaur Eggs at Amazon)
• Mini stamp pads (Buy it: Mini Stamps at Amazon)
• Bubbles (Buy it: Mini Bubble Wands at Amazon)
• Multi-color pens (Buy it: Multi-Color Retractable Pens at Amazon)

• Backpack pins (Buy it: Enamel Pins at Amazon)
• Fun paper clips are great for older kids, who can use them to clip notes or as bookmarks. (Buy it: Multi-Color Paper Clips at Amazon)
• Rainbow pencils (Buy it: Colorful Pencils at Amazon)
• Get more ideas: Inexpensive Gifts for Students

Incentives for Elementary School Kids

Younger students love tangibles (all the stickers). They also love attention and having more freedom around the classroom. Here are incentive ideas just for the younger set.

• Have an ongoing class puzzle and provide students with time to work on it as a reward.
• Set up drawing or coloring time.
• Have a special chair that students can sit in when they have earned it.
• Have a special pen or pencil students can use when they have earned it.
• Let kids take care of a class pet. (Here are lots of ideas for using stuffed animals in the classroom .)

• Decorate a section of the whiteboard, and leave up their artwork for at least a day.
• Have flashlight reading time or Flashlight Friday. (Read why one teacher loves Flashlight Fridays. )
• Let them be line leader or be first for a day.
• Let them eat lunch with a favorite friend.
• Let them run an errand for the teacher (make a special hall pass so other teachers know why they were chosen to run this errand).

Incentives for Middle School Kids

Middle schoolers still thrive off of incentives and rewards, especially ones that give them extra responsibility.

• Read to a younger class.
• Go outside for a class.
• Play music during warm-up or independent work. Have students make a playlist ahead of time so they really look forward to this.
• Provide a list of websites students can use for free time.
• Late pass, homework pass, or odds pass (complete only the odd-numbered problems).
• Choose a partner to work with.
• Drop the lowest grade.
• Work in the hallway.

• Two words: prize wheel. (Buy it: Prize Wheel at Amazon).
• Board writer. (Why does every student want to write on the whiteboard?)
• Minute To Win It games. Students have a good week and they get to play a few Minute To Win It games.
• Water bottle or laptop stickers are great for older kids. (Buy it: Water Bottle Stickers at Amazon)
• Let students choose a virtual field trip to take. (Here are 40 virtual field trips to get you started.)
• Assign students to be mentors to younger students.
• Bring a snack to class.
• Ask the teacher anything (within reason).

Incentives for High School Students

High schoolers do like stickers, homework passes, and even a treasure chest. But there are some incentives that are really ideal for high school students.

• Play a game of student vs. teacher.
• Give out a free parking pass.
• Allow them to change their virtual background.
• Allow them to change the teacher’s email signature for a day.
• Let them play class DJ for a day.
• Let them erase one tardy.
• Let them choose an assignment to take off of their grade.

• Give students time in class to work on homework.
• Choose a laptop sticker. (Buy it: Vinyl Meme Stickers at Amazon)
• Let them choose the next assignment, science experiment, etc.
• Slime or pie the teacher or principal.
• Do a social media shout-out (with principal permission) of students or classes who are exceeding expectations.

Incentives for Parents To Use at Home

Incentives to use at home with kids can range from stickers (always!) to having control over what they eat or do, or simply getting some one-on-one time with you.

• Choose a favorite video clip and play it.
• Stay up late for 5 to 15 minutes, depending on your child’s age.
• Let your child choose what’s for dinner.
• Give a little extra screen time, or let them choose what everyone watches.
• Give them a day off from a chore.
• Give them a bonus. If they get an allowance, give them a bonus of a few dollars, but make sure they know what it’s for.
• Play a board game or card game together.
• Plan to go to an activity that your child likes.
• Let them wear pajamas all day (even if they leave the house).
• Play a video game together.
• Let them pick out a cereal to have for breakfast.
• Take them to the dollar store and give them $5 to spend.
• Paint nails together.
• Let them show you their favorite silly videos.
• Set up a mystery bag with food, games, and activities your kids like. When they earn a reward, they can open the mystery bag.
• Donate an amount to your child’s favorite charity or cause.
• Create grab bags with small items your child likes. Each time they earn a reward, they choose a bag with a surprise inside.
• Get a special breakfast (doughnuts maybe) on the way to school.
• Take a photo on your phone and let your child edit it and share with family.
• Brag about them to a relative or friend and make sure they overhear.
• Let them choose a dessert to make together.
• Go out for ice cream.
• Let them choose the snack they bring to school.

If you liked this roundup of the best incentives for kids, be sure to  subscribe to our newsletters to find out when more articles like this are posted.

Plus, check out the power of micro-affirmations in the classroom ..

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Using reward systems to motivate students

Motivating your students to learn and to participate can be very hard. Some teachers have their hands full with class management and they don’t even get to teaching.

In order to stimulate learning and to motivate good behavior, lots of teachers use rewards for students .

In this post I’ll start with the advantages of reward systems and why you should use one. But watch out. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Some teachers and educators aren’t a big fan of constantly rewarding your students. Reward systems also have their disadvantages. I’ll also show you some fun and creative reward systems for in the classroom and 10 reasonable rewards to give your students. On top of that, I’ll show you how to put in work a good reward system.

Here’s the overview:

Advantages of a reward system

Disadvantages of a reward system, creative reward systems.

• 10 reasonable rewards

Online reward system for primary school

Online reward system for middle school and high school.

• How to put a reward system to work?

Let’s dig in!

1. Appropriate behavior

2. Increased motivation

3. Joyful students

4. Boosted self-esteem

5. Completed homework

6. Improved results

Before you jump into the reward systems, you should also know the disadvantages.

1. Addiction

2. Devaluation

3. Race against the clock

4. Control and manipulate

5. Increased pressure

On my search for creative classroom reward systems, I came across an interesting Pinterest board: “ Classroom Reward System ”.

I picked out a few of my favorite reward systems examples to show you. Most of them are for elementary school. Click on the images to open them!

Create your own achievement or reward certificates by using the Canva certificate maker . Canva has many certificate templates available as well. You’ll be surprised how much your students value a simple (but beautiful) piece of paper!

10 Reasonable rewards

When you choose a reward for your students or when you let them choose, make sure you are controlling it. Give them a list to choose from, or add a value to each reward. That way, students have to save their tickets, cards, etc., in order to choose a good reward.

Here are a few reward examples:

• Pick a game at recess
• Sit with a friend
• Teach the class a favorite game
• Take a homework pass
• Be the teacher’s helper for the day
• Draw on the chalkboard
• Choose any class job for the week
• Use the teacher’s chair
• Take home a class game for a night
• Do half of an assignment

These are just a few suggestions. Here ’s a list with more fun rewards!

As you can see in the Bingo, it is possible to use digital game activities as a reward. Check out this blog post for more inspiration.

When it comes to class management in primary school you must have already heard of ClassDojo . If not, don’t worry, I’ll explain it to you.

ClassDojo is a free digital reward system in which every student gets evaluated on positive and negative behavior. Not only the teacher has access to ClassDojo, also the students and their parents can access the platform by entering a unique code.

As a teacher, you set up some “behavior tags”. A behavior tag consists of a description and an icon. You can add icons with a description of your own. Choose a description for the positive behavior tags and a description for the negative behavior tags.

Positive behavior gets the value “+1” and negative behavior gets “-1”. The teacher assigns the positive and negative behavior icons to the students.

When the class or week ends, you can take a look at the overview of the behavior icons you assigned to your class. You can check out the student individually or the whole class. You can also add a comment for the student’s parents.

With ClassDojo students can keep their own digital portfolio. Students can add pictures and videos of work to their Story, and share it with their parents.

The fun thing about ClassDojo are their little monsters. Every student is a different monster. It’s very visual and funny!

Of course, you need to be able to manage older students as well. They won’t be eager to behave better because they get a badge or a treat. They need something else. You’ll need Classcraft .

I’ve recently discovered this amazing class management game! This is probably the most awesome game and class management solution I’ve ever seen. I’m a total fan of the fantasy world, so why not just use your imagination in the classroom?

Classcraft engages students to live by your class rules in an interactive way.

Students can create their own avatars that have special powers. They play in groups. If someone ignores a deadline, it may fire back on the whole group. Working together and having respect for each other is very important.

Students can gain different points by playing by the classroom rules. For example: students who help other students receive a certain amount of points. When they have enough points, they can use a power like: the “warrior” can eat in class”. They can also lose those points by not playing by the rules. If they lose all their points they get a sentence like: bring a treat for the whole class or hand in an assignment a day early.

You can choose every power and sentence. Classcraft also has a timer and a stopwatch available, as well as a quiz tool where the avatars have to battle a “boss”. In order to beat the boss, they have to get the answers right.

How to put a reward system to work

School reward systems can help, but you can’t just try out something without clearly thinking it through. Here’s how you best put a reward system to work.

1. Set class goals

2. Define how you will use the reward system

3. Explain why you gave a reward

4. Give students a voice

5. Reward early

6. Lessen the rewards over time

7. Give random rewards

Now it’s up to you! Stimulate the learning process and motivate good behavior in your classroom. Attention! Keep the disadvantages in mind. Which reward system are you using? Let us know on Twitter ! Perhaps you know other online reward systems? Be sure to share it in our Facebook group !

And don’t forget to connect with me on LinkedIn .

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15 Creative Incentives for Middle School

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Incentives for middle school are vital for your classroom! In the early months of my first year of teaching, class periods competed for points that were awarded based on seamless transitions, highest test averages, and being on task. While my students were working on earning points, I had learned that the cupcake reward was not feasible due to a school policy. *Cue palm to forehead*

Sidenote: Before implementing any incentive system in your classroom, make sure to approve everything with your administration and grade level team. 

While my reward didn’t quite work out quite like I had hoped, I hope that this list of incentives and rewards that middle school students will enjoy and work extra hard to earn will help you out!

And while I have you, check out this Kindness Challenge I implemented with my sixth grade students. You can use this method to motivate your students to earn one of the rewards below.

Group/Whole Class Rewards

1.  go outside for a class.

The best types of rewards are when learning can still get done! Take the class outside after the notes to complete their daily work.  If it is a big reward, take the day off from math and watch as your students play soccer.

2.  MUSIC

Play music during the warm up or during classwork time.  For bigger rewards, allow students to choose or make a Spotify playlist. ..school appropriate, of course.

3.  Computer Time/Tech Time

Vet and then provide a list of websites that students can access that are fun and academic.

4.  Dance Party

Reserve this reward for Fridays and for your last class of the day.  Students will love trying to teach you the most recent viral TikTok dance.

5.  Show Funny youtube videos

Teenagers love YouTube videos!  Be sure to screen it for content and use a popup blocker for any inappropriate ads .  I found that Dude Perfect videos were a safe bet for my sixth graders.

Individual Rewards

6.  homework pass/late pass.

There is no shortage of students who will gladly accept this as a reward!  Make sure to indicate when the pass can be used or when it cannot be used.

7.  Pick a new seat/sit in a fancy chair/help create the seating chart

While working on a seating chart, an early finisher asked if he could help, so I gave him the job.   He did an excellent and diplomatic job, and I only needed to make two adjustments.  What was surprising is how many students asked me if they could make the next seating chart.

8.  Choose a partner

This is a perfect example of a reward that is only a reward if you don’t always allow students to pick their partners.  In my class, partners are assigned, so allowing one student to deviate from the norm is particularly exciting.

9.  Raffle or Give Away a Ticket to the Dance or Sporting Game

This not only rewards students, but it also fosters school spirit.  It might be worth mentioning to your team and working on something collectively.

10.  Board writer

Is it just me or does every student want to write on the whiteboard?   This reward might look like a designated student writing the homework on the board..

11.  Problem Solving Activity

This could be a minute-to-win-it game at the beginning of class.  One of my fellow teachers had a Bop It in her classroom, and students could earn the privilege of playing it and making it to the leaderboard.

12.  STICKERS

We asked our Maneuvering the Middle VIPs Facebook group about incentives their students love and the most popular response were these vinyl water bottle stickers . Students love to stick them to their notebooks and water bottles.

Dum-dums , jolly ranchers , and hi-chews were also highly recommended. Teachers shared that Costco is the best bang for your buck when it comes to purchasing candy.

14. PRIZE WHEEL

Why didn’t I think of that?! Giving students a chance to spin a prize wheel is an incentive in itself! The prizes can be anything from this list, but the prize wheel makes it special. I love that it’s wipeable (making it easy to edit the prizes) and compact enough for easy storage. 

15. TICKET SYSTEM

Remember that these prizes don’t have to be given out when one student models the desired behavior. Let’s say you pass out tickets (or scraps of paper) when you see students on task and working hard. You can pass out as many as you want in a class period. Students write their names on the slips of paper and then are put into a raffle that happens at the end of the week/month/grading cycle. You draw X amount of names and then students receive a prize. This helps your dollars stretch further!

Don’t forget to ask your students at the beginning of the year what incentives they would like.   This will create buy-in from all the students and give students a voice.  Some students want to work with their best friends, while some students would love to have the night off thanks to a homework pass. The best part is that almost all of these incentives are free and require no planning.

What incentives do you use in your middle school classroom?

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Reader Interactions

15 comments.

July 16, 2016 at 9:51 pm

I love all of these ideas! This will be my first year teaching and first time with middle schoolers. I was wondering, how do you have the point system set up?

July 18, 2016 at 11:27 pm

Hi Priscilla! I am actually working on a post about a point/incentive system. Be sure to check back over the next few weeks.

August 12, 2016 at 7:31 pm

Hi Noelle! Love your ideas! I tried a point system last year that I could not seem to remember to do. I’m curious about your system. I read in the previous comment that you were putting together a post about it, but I can’t find it.

August 13, 2016 at 6:49 am

Hi Laura, thanks so much! You haven’t found it because it is not up yet. Hopefully within the next month or two.

January 13, 2017 at 9:39 am

My son had an awesome teacher in the sixth grade and everything was a competition in his room. His room was set up half /half. Each week , it started all over new again. Which side had all class members in their seats first, which side could send the worksheets back the fastest, which side had the most homeworks turned in, which side had their desks straightened and was ready to leave for their next class, anything you could think of became a competition. The kids loved it and loved him. On Friday, the team (side) that had the most points received a Blowpop, a homework pass, miniture chocolate bar, etc. It worked, the students made the kids on their side compete. Every quarter, the seats were rearranged . That son, is now almost 31.

January 18, 2017 at 5:22 pm

I love this idea! So incredible that you are able to vividly describe what she did in the classroom. She must have been a great teacher and you must have a wonderful son!

June 5, 2017 at 11:13 am

This sounds great! And fun, I remember in high school they had class competitions for almost everything, kids never grow out of wanting to win!

January 16, 2023 at 3:00 pm

Oh my gosh I love this! Been teaching 25 years and I hate to say that I’m not an incentive person – should be – but just not. This is the FIRST idea I’ve seen ever that I really liked and felt was definitely doable. The competition part would totally hit all the things that I have to harp on the kids about all the time. I’m gonna try it starting tomorrow! Thank you! 🙂

July 19, 2017 at 11:44 pm

Hi Noelle, I’m a 6th grade science teacher, but I’ve really enjoyed reading your posts that pertain to my classroom. I love the list of incentives you’ve included on this post! I was wondering if you ever posted about your point system. This is something I’ve thought about for years, but I’ve never figured out a good/easy way to implement it. I do like the ideas Darlene suggested in the comments, but I’m still curious about your system. Thanks!

August 11, 2017 at 5:22 am

It’s on my list! Thanks for your kind words.

September 18, 2017 at 2:15 pm

I would like to encourage teachers not to give sweets/candy as a reward but something healthier or non food item. We don’t want to create the idea that sweets are the only reward. Love the creative list so far. It got me thinking about having the last 10 mins at the end of a challenge period to play a trivia contest ( I have cards I got from Target $1 section or you can find online), a pictionary game with drawing on the blackboard, a Kahoot quiz, play a card or dice game, etc. They do love writing on the board and maybe they elect someone from their team to be the score keeper on the board.

March 26, 2018 at 9:53 pm

I love the list of incentives. I think they are perfect for middle school students! I am also using a point system, which I’m trying for the first time. It was actually my own idea, so I am very happy to find out that many middle school teachers are using point systems. My students will have the opportunity of earning 5 points each day; 3 points are for showing good/specific behavior, and 2 points are for turning in complete homework and classwork. I hope this will be helpful for those who are thinking to implement a point system. I hope to read about other teachers’ point systems if any can share their experience using them.

June 22, 2018 at 12:24 pm

That sounds great! Middle school students are easily motivated by points and ‘winning’ even if they don’t win a prize. Best of luck with your new system!

February 20, 2020 at 11:34 am

This also works for high school. I am a student and my school puts each grade against each other. Fundraisers and grades count for points to see which grade level is the best and will win.

July 23, 2019 at 4:36 pm

I teach 6th grade science in a middle school setting and use Class Dojo. Each class period has a separate avatar and can earn a maximum of 4 points a day for various character traits. At the end of the 3 weeks I declare a winning class.

Should Students Get Rewards for Doing Their Work? What Teachers (and a Researcher) Think

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Keeping students engaged and on task can be difficult. Can rewards help?

Teachers are split on the answer. Some swear by incentives like stickers, a fun activity, or a sweet treat. Others say that learning is its own reward, and students should do what’s expected of them of their own volition.

“This is a really long, ongoing debate,” said Erika Patall, a professor of education and psychology at the University of Southern California. “The answer is not that simple. The bottom line is that rewards are effective for keeping students on task—if that is your sole goal.”

But rewards will not promote a love of learning or have any long-term effects on student behavior, she said: “As soon as rewards are gone, so is students’ engagement.”

In fact, introducing a reward could actually detract from students’ own motivation, she said. Students might feel like the only reason they’re working hard on a task is because they’re trying to get the reward—even if they genuinely enjoy what they’re working on.

When Education Week asked its readers on social media to share the rewards they offer in their classrooms, some shared similar concerns.

Steve Kaczmarek wrote that he rewards his students with “knowledge, and if they pay attention, the ability to compete well.”

“I reward them with an education,” Sandra DeSimone wrote .

Denise Conner wrote that she offers privileges to her middle schoolers instead of rewards.

“The idea of offering ‘items’ or ‘gifts’ is creating the ‘dangling carrot effect,’ which in this day and age is not large enough to create a changed behavior,” she wrote. “A privilege becomes a more intrinsic reward, and feels more authentic to changed perception and confidence in doing what is right for the common good of a community.”

Some teachers swear by class rewards

But other social media users said they’ve found success in offering rewards to their students. Those rewards range from small trinkets to games and breaks.

Amanda Be said she hands out stamps and stickers: “My high school seniors LOVE them!”

Christy Riester wrote that kids in her class could earn a Fun Friday: “Kid-led Kahoots, and I bring in cookies. If nice weather, we go outside and walk (kids love walking and talking); play games.”

Shannon Steyer shared a list of rewards she offered in her classroom: “Tickets for treasure box, punch cards, treats, free time on Friday, whole-class compliment.”

Lozetta Hayden, a 6th grade teacher at Gunning Bedford Middle School in New Castle, Del., has created an elaborate class economy that she says rewards good behavior and hard work while also teaching math skills and empowering students.

She prints Hayden dollars, which students earn based on the effort they put into their school work as well as their classroom behavior.

“They are competing with themselves, not one another,” Hayden said, adding that students below grade level have an equal chance to earn money as students at or above grade level.

Then, they can spend the money in her class store which has everything from extra pencils or sugarless gum to big-ticket items, like Amazon Fire tablets or a bicycle. (The tablets cost 50,000 Hayden bucks, while the bicycle went for 86,000.)

Most of the items in the shop come from community donations; many are gently used. Even Hayden’s own adult children have chipped in: Students can purchase a cooking lesson from her daughter, or a saxophone lesson from her son.

Students often buy their family members birthday and Christmas presents in the shop, Hayden said.

“They cannot use U.S. dollars,” she said. “It comes totally from them, and there’s a pride in that.”

Students can also buy classroom experiences with their Hayden dollars. During breaks in the school day, there are free activities students can choose from—but students can also shell out some of their Hayden bucks for a chance to use the classroom PlayStation or the air hockey table.

The classroom economy is also a “great equalizer,” Hayden said. If a parent can’t afford to buy school supplies, students can pay for their own with Hayden bucks. Hayden will accept the class money to cover a portion of a field trip, if a parent can’t pay the full cost. (The rest comes from the school’s budget, donations, or Hayden’s own wallet.)

“It gives kids ownership,” she said. “It gives them more ability to control what they want to control. They feel more empowered.”

There are posted fines in the classroom. For example, Hayden fines students 500 Hayden bucks for every curse word they use. It teaches them responsibility, she said.

The system also teaches students math skills, Hayden said. She regularly asks them to make change or calculate how much money they’ll have left over after they make a purchase. Sometimes, she’ll adjust the prices in the classroom shop to teach a mini-lesson on supply and demand or inflation.

“It really helps with them being able to make that connection to money that they don’t have in real life because everything is so digital,” she said.

Hayden said she’s not worried that the classroom economy will detract from students’ self-motivation or love of learning.

“I get paid to be a teacher,” she said, adding that it doesn’t diminish her love for her job. “For the kids, they need to have a buy-in: ‘The more I do, the harder I work, the more respectful I am, ... the more money I have to do things I want to do.’”

A researcher’s advice

Patall, the University of Southern California professor, said teachers should be careful that students don’t feel like they’re being manipulated to complete a task.

“Teachers need to think about how students interpret the rewards they’re using,” she said. “Stars, candy, parties: Students will certainly work to get those things, but that does not mean the quality of their learning was good or that they internalized the value of the task.”

Instead, she recommends that teachers find non-tangible ways to keep students on task.

“Rather than relying on rewards to get people to engage, I would encourage teachers to create lessons and activities that draw on students’ already existing interests, values, and goals, and connect whatever they’re doing to the internal motivation students already have,” she said. “That’s going to be the highest-quality engagement and learning.”

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Student Opinion

How Well Do Rewards and Incentives Work to Motivate You?

By Michael Gonchar

• Oct. 30, 2018

School is full of carrots and sticks intended to motivate students to behave in a certain way. For example, grades, attendance awards, detention and the honor roll are all part of a system created to get students to show up to school on time, do homework, pay attention in class, study for tests and not break school rules.

How much do these extrinsic rewards and punishments motivate you? Or, do you find yourself more motivated not by external rewards, but by something internal that makes you want to do or achieve something for its own sake? What examples can you give?

In “ Science Confirms It: People Are Not Pets ,” Alfie Kohn writes:

The field of social psychology is sometimes accused of doing no more than ratifying common sense, so it’s worth paying attention when its findings are genuinely surprising. Case in point: the discovery that when we are rewarded for doing something, we tend to lose interest in whatever we had to do to get the reward. This outcome has been confirmed scores of times with all sorts of rewards and tasks, and across cultures, ages and genders. Yet many teachers, parents and bosses persist in using versions of what has been called “sugarcoated control.” Psychologists often distinguish between intrinsic motivation (wanting to do something for its own sake) and extrinsic motivation (for example, doing something in order to snag a goody). The first is the best predictor of high-quality achievement, and it can actually be undermined by the second. Moreover, when you promise people a reward, they often perform more poorly as a result.

Mr. Kohn continues:

The best that carrots — or sticks — can do is change people’s behavior temporarily. They can never create a lasting commitment to an action or a value, and often they have exactly the opposite effect … contrary to hypothesis. Working with people to help them do a job better, learn more effectively, or acquire good values takes time, thought, effort and courage. Doing things to people, such as offering them a reward, is relatively undemanding for the rewarder, which may help to explain why carrots and sticks remain stubbornly popular despite decades of research demonstrating their failure. In the case of attendance, it’s a lot easier — and much less threatening to those in positions of authority — to reward students and workers for showing up than it is to reconfigure schools and workplaces so that people are more likely to want to show up.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

— Do you agree with Mr. Kohn’s premise, supported by research he cites in the Op-Ed, that carrots and sticks can never create a lasting commitment to an action or a value, and often they have exactly the opposite effect? Have you ever seen this play out in your own life, or in the lives of your friends?

— Can you think of a reward or punishment that motivated you to do something or not do something, in school or outside of school? Was the change in your behavior temporary, lasting as long as the carrot or stick was in effect? Or, do you think the extrinsic motivation (for example, the award, prize or grade) actually did make a lasting change in your commitment or values?

— What carrots and sticks exist in your school? Can you think of any that you might change or eliminate after reading this Op-Ed? Can you think of any that seem to work, and that you would want to keep? Why?

— What do you think of the penultimate paragraph in the Op-Ed: “Working with people to help them do a job better, learn more effectively or acquire good values takes time, thought, effort and courage. Doing things to people, such as offering them a reward, is relatively undemanding for the rewarder, which may help to explain why carrots and sticks remain stubbornly popular despite decades of research demonstrating their failure.” Do you agree? Share your thoughts.

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

205 Rewards for Yourself Ideas & Examples for 2024

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Does this sound familiar?

You start a new habit , only to quit in frustration a few days later.

Unfortunately, this is a common experience for many people who want to lose weight , increase productivity , or stick with a new exercise routine .

Why does this happen?

Well, one reason folks struggle is because it’s really hard to stay consistent when they don’t see immediate results from their behavior change.

Fortunately, there is a simple way to stick with your habits, goals, and tasks:

Reward yourself whenever you reach an important milestone or achieve a specific goal.

The logic here?

Having something to look forward to makes it easier to stick with a habit when you’re feeling a lack of motivation (or when you’re simply too tired to get started).

In this post, I’ll go over 205 rewards for yourself when you complete an important habit, task, or goal .

But first, let’s answer a simple question:

Table of Contents

Why Should You Reward Yourself?

Almost anyone you ask is probably trying to form a new good habit or improve something about themselves, and a large group of those people will often talk about how much they struggle to do so.

As an example, every year on New Year’s Eve we make “resolutions” of something we want to do better, but if you ask most people, they have probably given up by March. This could be partly due to them not rewarding themselves!

As you work towards a goal you can give yourself rewards for completing milestones to help avoid burnout and stick with your new routine or habits.

It’s important to recognize your own progress, so that you do not become drained by the effort you are putting into a new habit. Rewards help to give you small incentives along the way and remind you why you are working so hard. 

Studies show that giving yourself healthy treats is important for achieving your goals and will make a big difference in how you feel about your goals. Though some may think of rewarding yourself as frivolous, it really is key to forming new habits.

There are many benefits to rewarding yourself, rewards can:

• Make you feel cared for.
• Re-energize you so you can stay consistent.
• Help you feel content with your progress.
• Reduce resentment towards your new habit or goal.
• Increase willpower.
• Help you break up goals into smaller milestones so that they feel less intimidating.
• Give you a small break so you can stay focused.

By giving yourself small rewards or healthy treats, instead of resenting each step of your journey, you can instead look forward to milestones, by giving back to yourself along the way.

Read on for 205 ideas on how to reward yourself so that you can achieve anything you put your mind to!

Entertainment Rewards for Yourself

After a long hard day of working towards a “better you”, it is nice to treat your senses to some good old entertainment. Whether it is art, music, television, or a live performance, giving your brain a creative break is the perfect way to reward your efforts.

• Do a fun activity with your kids.  ( Here are 88 enjoyable activities you can do with your kids .)
• Enjoy a laugh at a local comedy club. (In fact, watching successful comics is a great way to improve your humor skills .)
• Go to a carnival, festival, or arts and crafts show.
• Go to a concert.
• Go to an art gallery.
• Indulge your senses with a season pass to the theater or opera.
• Learn a new skill. Sign up for a class to learn a skill you’ve always wanted to learn.
• Listen to an awesome podcast. Here are 23 motivational podcasts , 17 meditation podcasts , 27 funny podcasts , and 19 happiness podcasts that you can check out.
• Listen to music that motivates , energizes, or relaxes you.
• Marathon your favorite show on Netflix.
• Plan a night out with your friends.
• Play a Wii game.
• Play your favorite online game.
• Attend a drag show. Check out a drag show in your area because why not? Read this first though: How to Attend a Drag Show for the First Time
• Attend a sporting event.
• Subscribe to a premium Spotify membership.
• See a movie in the middle of the day when the theater’s not full.
• Sing karaoke. Check out karaoke channels on Youtube.
• Take a cooking/pottery/photography class.
• Throw a big party.
• Visit the museum. Start with the “free” museums .
• Watch (or re-watch) a movie at home. ( Here's a list of our favorite philosophical movies. )
• Watch all the cute animal videos on YouTube you want.
• Watch bloopers and funny videos on YouTube.
• Read a few chapters from a new book, or re-read one of your favorites.
• Buy a new board game to try at home.
• Challenge yourself to an escape room with friends or family.
• Watch some inspirational TED talks on your break.
• Write down a funny story you have and switch with a friend or colleague.
• Get a new toy and play with your pet (like a laser pointer!).
• Work on a puzzle.
• Paint a picture, try a paint-by-number if you want something more structured!
• Tune into a live stream from your favorite Youtuber
• Find a fun DIY craft that you can do with stuff around the house.
• Go to the zoo for the day and enjoy all the animals with childlike wonder!

Food Rewards for Yourself

Food is an important part of culture and the human experience, so giving yourself a special food treat can be a great way to re-energize and keep yourself motivated!

WARNING: One thing before we get started, any reward you choose shouldn’t derail your goals or habits. For instance, if you’re focusing on weight loss and you achieve a breakthrough, don’t pick a food reward, because that completely defeats the purpose of your accomplishment. Keep this rule in mind as you go through this list. For example, if you are working towards weight loss and you treat yourself with unhealthy food every time you lose a certain amount of weight, or go a certain amount of time eating good foods, this can set you back instead of helping you achieve your goal. You should find a different type of reward to help you stay focused on eating well and staying consistent with your diet.

• Enjoy this green superfood drink in the morning .
• Buy your favorite pastry or cake.
• Cook your favorite dish. Use all those expensive ingredients.
• Treat yourself to a meal kit delivery service for a few weeks instead of cooking.
• Drink a glass (or two!) of wine.
• Eat at your favorite restaurant.
• Give in to your sweet tooth by buying your favorite candy.
• Enjoy your lunch outdoors.
• Make a gourmet dessert.
• Make your own chocolate fondue.
• Take a break from work and buy your favorite ice cream or frozen yogurt.
• Treat yourself to a smoothie or milkshake.
• Buy some fancy cheese and crackers.
• Go for a nice coffee or hot chocolate in a cafe.
• Invite some friends to go try a new cocktail in a nice bar.
• Have a family BBQ with your favorite meats and/or vegetables.
• For a big milestone go to that expensive restaurant you have always wanted to try.
• Have pancakes for dinner with fun toppings!
• Buy yourself a nice bottle of your favorite liquor to enjoy with someone you love.
• Try a new food from a different country you have never tried before – it is almost like traveling!

(If you're looking for the opposite, here are some rewards that don't involve any food .)

Free Rewards for Yourself

Rewarding yourself doesn’t always have to be expensive, in fact, there are many rewards you can give yourself for FREE. Here are some of our ideas for awesome free treats to celebrate any milestone.

• Call (or spend a day with) a friend or family member who makes you smile.
• Color. ​ Check out these fun adult coloring book options .
• Create a private space at home where you can relax.
• Dance and sing.
• Designate a lazy day and do absolutely nothing.
• Do a crossword puzzle or word search.
• Draw or doodle.
• Do a little gardening.
• Enjoy a bubble bath or a long shower.
• Enjoy an at-home spa day .
• Go screenless for an hour –specifically take a break from social media .
• Host a game night and play classics such as Pictionary, Twister, and Charades with friends.
• Knit, crochet, cross stitch, embroider, or sew.
• Lie in a hammock.
• Light candles and relax or, better yet, light scented candles.
• Play poker or another card game with friends.
• Re-organize your closet.
• Sit on a porch swing.
• Take a selfie.
• Take a short break during the workday.
• Take photos.
• Visit the library or bookstore all by yourself.
• Volunteer at the local shelter.
• Write a note to a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. Include a note about how you're thankful for how they've positively impacted your life. ( Here's a simple process for writing a great thank you note .)
• Let yourself sleep in.
• Make (or watch) a funny TikTok or reel.
• Search for free local plays, exhibits, or shows and go enjoy them!
• Go to a local make-up store where they give free makeovers.
• Take a moment to share your success on social media to get external motivations from mutuals.
• Watch a live concert of your favorite band on Youtube.
• Build a blanket fort to play with your kids or just to feel like a kid again!

Self-Care Rewards for Yourself

In the hustle and bustle of every day we often don’t take enough time for ourselves. Self-care is not only important for your overall well-being, but can help you get the break and self-confidence you need to keep working toward your goals.

• Book a session with a personal trainer.
• Get a manicure or pedicure (or both).
• Get a new hairstyle or try a fresh hair color.
• Get a new tattoo or piercing.
• Get fitted for a new outfit or undergarments.
• Get fitted for workout shoes at a running store.
• Get some new shades for outdoor exercise.
• Get yourself a bottle of fancy shower gel or lotion.
• Head to a salon to get your eyebrows waxed or threaded.
• Hire someone to clean your house.
• Invest in some moisture-wicking workout socks to avoid sweaty feet!
• Invest in a fitness tracker to motivate you even more.
• Put off today’s to-do list until tomorrow.
• Meet a friend on a Saturday morning for a cappuccino or brunch.
• Pamper yourself with a week at a luxury spa.
• Practice mindful writing .
• Sign up for a charity walk or running event.
• Sign up for a healthy subscription box.
• Sign up for a Sumba or pole dancing class.
• Take a day off work for no reason at all.
• Take a five-minute self-esteem breather.
• Take a guilt-free nap.
• Take time to do your hair and makeup.
• Take your car for a detailing.
• Treat yourself to a massage or facial.
• Try a new mindfulness exercise ( Here are 71 great suggestions to get started .)
• Try aromatherapy —a safe and natural way to treat various ailments.
• Watch a YouTube makeup tutorial and experiment.
• Wear a new scent that pleases you.
• Wear something that makes you feel confident.
• Work on your hobby or a craft project that you enjoy. (You can get started with these 55 hobbies for women and 60 hobbies for men .)
• Write in your journal. ( Here are 33 journaling ideas to get you started .)
• Schedule a professional portrait shoot.
• Go to sleep early .
• Buy a package for laser hair removal.
• Purchase some natural products for your hair or facial hair.
• Get your teeth whitened.
• Buy yourself a more ergonomic desk chair.
• Take a break and go to a yoga studio or do yoga at home.
• Take a quiet moment to meditate.
• Try a DIY facemask for relaxation and healthier skin!

Shopping Rewards for Yourself

Buying something new is a great way to reward yourself! A new purchase can be functional or simply something you enjoy, but either way it is sure to give you a boost in your mood and inspire you to keep working on your new habits.

• Begin a “rewards savings.” Reward yourself with money. Every time you reach a goal, add $5, $10, or $20 to your “rewards savings” account.
• Begin a collection—be it stamps, action figures, sports memorabilia, etc. Enjoy the thrill of seeking, owning, and growing your collection.
• Brighten up your goal calendar with stickers. Use stickers to highlight achievements and emphasize deadlines.
• Browse a flea market, antique shop, or thrift store. Maybe you'll finally find that one piece of furniture you've been looking for.
• Buy a car or home stereo, or a big screen TV. Reserve this splurge for when you achieve big goals.
• Buy a fancy new water pitcher or bottle —a perfect reward for meeting a fitness goal.
• Buy a lottery ticket.
• Buy a new painting for your living room or bedroom to brighten up your surroundings.
• Buy a new app. Whether it be a game app or something related to your goals, buy that premium app you’ve been wanting for a while.
• Buy a new book and read it. Buy a hardcover copy of a book on your reading list and schedule uninterrupted time to read it. ( We have an ever-growing list of over 250 books that we recommend checking out .)
• Buy a new purse or laptop bag. This is another splurge reward you can give yourself when you achieve a significant milestone.
• Buy a new workout DVD. Give yourself permission to try a new workout once you reach a previous goal. This also helps keep exercise interesting.
• Buy a new workout outfit—a perfect reward for meeting a weight goal.
• Buy a plant for your bedside table or garden. Plants in your workspace promote happiness and productivity.
• Buy a small personal blender for smoothies and protein shakes.
• Buy and hang a bird feeder and sit and watch the birds.
• Buy one thing off of your Pinterest boards .
• Buy or make a special piece of jewelry.
• Buy something that will make your workspace more enjoyable, like a new picture frame or a desk toy.
• Buy yourself a fresh bouquet of flowers to display in your home.
• Buy yourself a nice journal to write reflections, emotions, goals, and dreams in.
• Buy yourself a pretty scarf or hat and wear it to motivate you.
• Give someone an unexpected gift to show gratitude.
• Buy a magazine about a topic you like.
• Buy some brand-new makeup.
• Buy a pair of high-end wireless headphones.
• Buy colorful shoelaces to perk up your walking shoes .
• Redecorate your bedroom.
• Shop sales racks for discounted clothes and accessories.
• Buy a new set of pots and pans to make your cooking more enjoyable.
• Get a fancy coffee maker to start your days with great coffee!
• Buy a nice new mug you can drink out of while you work.
• Buy a new cookbook with fun new recipes to try / this can convert to food rewards later!

Travel & Outdoor Rewards for Yourself

Getting outside is really important for mental health, and rewarding yourself with the time to get out and explore nature or travel is an excellent way to celebrate milestones and rejuvenate your mind and body. 

• Adopt a dog, your new walking buddy.
• Build a fire and enjoy its comforting warmth.
• Discover a local hot spot or tourist site you’ve never taken the time to visit.
• Enjoy a leisurely morning walk at the park .
• Take a nice hike by yourself or with friends.
• Enjoy the flowers at a botanical garden.
• Find a peaceful place outside to sit and do nothing for a while, soaking up the sun or feeling the gentle breeze.
• Fly a kite.
• Go bowling with friends.
• Go camping and enjoy some fresh air.
• Go canoeing, paddle boarding, kayaking, or surfing.
• Go for a nice bike ride.
• Go for a swim.
• Go geocaching.
• Go horseback riding.
• Go star gazing.
• Go to the mall and window shop (or people watch).
• Have a picnic for some quality family time.
• Plan a weekend getaway with your significant other.
• Plant a tree in your backyard.
• Play frisbee.
• Sit at the beach when it’s empty because everyone else is at work.
• Spend a Saturday night at a quaint bed-and-breakfast .
• Spend a week visiting your favorite national park.
• Take a cruise to Hawaii and learn to snorkel.
• Take a joyride with friends or family.
• Take a mini-vacation.
• Take a riverboat or sailboat ride.
• Visit a pick-your-own farm or orchard and harvest sunflowers, strawberries, apples, and other homegrown treats.
• Visit a winery, take a tour, and sample the product.
• Visit the dog park.
• Watch the sunrise before you even think about work.
• Go to a special high point in town to enjoy the sunset.
• Go birding in urban parks or further from the city.
• Explore your garden or park to see what interesting insects you can find.
• Volunteer with a parks organization to help with park maintenance and learn new things!.
• Drive to nearby towns and walk around to get to know the area.
• For a large milestone, plan a trip to another country you have always wanted to visit.
• Go outdoor climbing, sign up for a class if you are new!
• Find a local spot where you can fish or just enjoy the water.
• Take the time to practice photography in your local park.
• Block off the time to visit a friend or family member who lives in another city. 
• Buy yourself a nice outdoor chair to sit on in the mornings while you have your coffee.

Check out this list of outdoor hobbies you might like to try!

Final Thoughts on Rewarding Yourself

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to reward yourself. Some are small rewards that are a few minutes long and don’t require any money, while other rewards can be both costly and life-changing (in a positive way).

And remember, when using this list, make sure that the rewards match the accomplishments and you stay consistent .

If you are working hard to make better habits for yourself but could use some more ideas, check out our article on How to Build Good Habits !

2 thoughts on “205 Rewards for Yourself Ideas & Examples for 2024”

Travel rewards are my biggest incentive. I love driving out with my husband to a nearby beach and having a picnic. I would literally do that every single day if I could because it feels so good to get out and be in nature.

Thanks for this list. t’s really helpful. I find that if you buy something small but don’t let yourself open it until your done, you look forward to use it afterwards. Like a pack of nice markers, paint or a good binder.

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Dad Fixes Everything

65 Reward Ideas for Kids (And brain-science explained)

I may receive a commission for purchases made through product links on this page, but I always stand by my opinions and endorsements!

Parenting isn’t all that hard.

(Sarcasm incoming!)

There’s really nothing to it except:

• Keeping your child alive
• Making sure they’re properly fed
• Getting them enough sleep
• Helping them do well in school
• Teaching them to be good, moral people

You know. Just those couple of little things .

And when it comes to getting your child to do, or not do, the things you need them to on their way to becoming fully-functioning and healthy adults, you often need a two-pronged approach.

You can use rewards, and you can use punishments or consequences.

When it comes to rewards for kids, what are some examples of good rewards you can use at different ages? Do rewards actually work? What’s the difference between a reward and a bribe?

We’re going to get into all of that below from a scientific standpoint.

(By the way, my favorite way of tracking good behavior and progress toward rewards is this adorable magnet chart from Melissa & Doug on Amazon.)

Scroll down for:

• Do rewards for kids actually work?
• Rewards vs punishments according to science
• The difference between rewards and bribes

Examples of reward ideas for kids

• Free rewards for kids
• Rewards for teenagers or older kids
• Ideas for tracking reward progress (charts, jars, etc.)

Do rewards for kids actually work? What does the science say?

First, let’s actually agree on what a reward is.

The idea comes out of the notion of operant conditioning.

Operant conditioning associates a certain behavior, good or bad, with a certain consequence, good or bad.

A typical example might be your child’s behavior (whining) is associated with the consequence of you yelling at them. That’s a negative reinforcement or a punishment.

(Whether it actually works to reduce the behavior of whining might be another story, but we’ll get into that.)

An example of a reward would be your child asking nicely (saying please and thank you) for something and, in return, getting some extra screen time, dessert, or just verbal praise.

The idea of a positive reinforcement, or a reward, is to encourage a certain behavior.

Experts are mixed on the effectiveness of rewards for children. But in general, most scientific literature tends to show that rewards and punishments can both be effective when used properly in the right context:

For example, rewards and positive reinforcement are often best-used to encourage good or positive behaviors .

Punishments can be very effective at getting human beings, big and small, to stop or avoid negative behaviors .

The reason is the immediate connection between the brain chemicals released or overall feeling we get from a punishment or reward, and the action that initiated it.

Getting praise or positive reinforcement feels good! And when we can immediately connect that good feeling to the positive behavior, our brain will start to anticipate that good feeling and encourage us to continue that behavior.

The same works for punishments and feeling bad when we do something wrong.

It’s a little harder for our brains to make the connection between failing to do something good and getting punished, or not doing something bad and getting a reward.

There’s also some expert research and opinion that states rewards are best utilized to encourage the completion of mundane tasks or behavior that need to be done. (Getting your kids to take out the trash on time, brush their teeth , or say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ … for example).

Offering tangible rewards for a behavior that should be inherently fun, interesting, or rewarding (like playing nicely with friends) could have more negative side-effects than positive.

Now there are lots of caveats, pitfalls, and other factors to consider when talking about rewards.

There’s:

• Extrinsic vs intrinsic rewards
• Tangible vs verbal rewards
• The long-term effect on the ability to self-motivate
• Rewards vs punishments for different ages
• And the danger of accidentally turning rewards into bribes

In truth, it’s far more than we could possibly get into here.

But in general, it’s relatively safe to say that if you’re strategic about the way you implement rewards in your household, they can be a great tool for encouraging positive behavior out of your kids .

A word of caution from the experts

I spoke to Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore , the psychologist and parenting expert behind the book Kid Confidence (click to check it out on Amazon).

She advises that rewards for kids have their place, but they have to be used properly.

“A lot of times when parents offer rewards, they do it ineffectively,” she says. “They’ll offer a big reward, a material award, an award that comes a long way out, or rewards for things that aren’t entirely in the kids’ control.”

It’s hard for kids to tie the reward to the desired behavior when there’s too big of a time delay.

And when rewards are too tangible (toys, stickers, desserts), the incentive system can backfire.

“Offering rewards can sometimes lead to a very unattractive bargaining attitude with kids where they ask, ‘What do I get if I do this?”

Instead, Kennedy-Moore offers a few reward alternative that parents should consider before resorting to handing out lollipops 24/7:

Problem-solving

Rewards usually imply that the reason your child won’t do what you’re asking is simply motivation.

That’s often not the case, and there may be other factors (for example, if your child won’t stay in bed, they may be having anxiety from being left alone or simply aren’t sure how to go to sleep properly.)

Try getting them involved in the solution.

“Ask them, ‘How do we solve this?’ and see what they say,” Dr. Kennedy-Moore says. Their first suggestions may be unreasonable, but keep digging and workshopping with them until you can come up with a workable compromise.

“If the kid can think through the problem, understand someone else’s perspective, and weigh different alternatives, that’s a glorious thing.”

Set them up for success

“The weakness with rewards and punishments is that the behavior has already happened,” she says.

Can you alter your routine or the child’s environment to better encourage wanted behaviors or discourage unwanted ones before they happen?

If you know your child gets hangry and throws a tantrum before dinner, can you prepare for this ahead of time with a late snack instead of offering a reward for better behavior?

Offer choices

Kids, like all of us, crave control over their lives.

Instead of offering them a prize for doing what you want, perhaps try offering them a choice between two acceptable options.

“Do you want to brush your teeth before or after you put on pajamas?”

The fact that they will get in their pajamas AND brush their teeth is a given, but you can give them some control over how it happens and they’ll usually be more likely to cooperate.

As you read through this list of potential reward ideas for kids, keep these points in mind.

A small treat or tangible reward here and there isn’t the end of the world, but it often isn’t the best way to deal with bad behavior.

(Here are some good one-liner canned responses you can use to address bad behavior when you feel yourself getting frustrated.)

What’s the difference between a reward and a bribe?

This is an awesome question, and I was wondering the same thing doing this research.

The line is thin, blurry, and not always clear.

But there are a couple of key difference between a reward vs a bribe .

Typically, a reward:

• Is planned ahead of time
• Comes with clear expectations
• Is given after some positive behavior

Bribes, on the other hand, are:

• Often given spur of the moment
• Usually are a desperate attempt to quickly stop a negative behavior

The actual physical content of the reward doesn’t matter, it’s really all about the context and how it’s offered.

For example , say you’re on an important phone call for work and your toddler won’t stop yelling, grabbing at you, or playing too loudly.

You calmly explain that you need to finish the phone call and ask them to play quietly until you’re done.

But they don’t stop!

So you decide to offer them a piece of candy to quiet them down and get them to listen to your instructions.

That’s a bribe.

It’s a reward born out of a moment of chaos, not planned ahead, and in some ways, it’s actually reinforcing the negative behavior (yelling) and not the positive behavior of listening.

The same situation could be handled differently if:

• There’s a clear expectation that your toddler is supposed to listen to your instructions after the first ask
• When they do a good job, they might get a treat as a reward
• If they do this in the moment while you’re on the phone and listen properly, the candy works as a reward for the good behavior
• If they don’t meet the expectations, then they don’t get the reward

It’s kind of a subtle difference, and the piece of candy remains the same, but the context around how the candy is used completely changes the impact.

Just remember, if you feel like you just got tricked into giving your child a reward for bad behavior, and you worry you might be encouraging them to do it more…

Chances are you’re using bribes, not rewards.

However, bribery is best described as a pattern .

Offering up a candy bar or letting your kid use your cell phone to play a game when things are really hitting the fan isn’t the end of the world, but if it’s consistently your preferred way of handling a crisis, it may be time for a new strategy.

OK, let’s get into some actual examples you can start using in your own life and household

Rewards can take lots of different shapes, sizes, and forms.

There can be little, tiny doses of verbal praise for everyday behaviors.

Or you can build and build until your child earns a massive trip to Disney World.

It’s really up to you how you do it!

But below are dozens of ideas you can use, broken down into various categories:

Verbal and/or Praise Rewards

Rewards don’t have to cost anything.

Sometimes a simple pat on the back or some verbal recognition of the behavior is all it takes to encourage a kid to keep it up.

(Dr. Kennedy-Moore is a fan of specific, verbal praise. “Children love to please their parents,” she says. “We want to make sure we are pleasable.”)

(These are all 100% free, and so are many of the options further down the list.)

• Say “Good job”
• Give a high five
• Say “I’m really proud of you”
• Say “I appreciate your patience/hard work/listening/other behavior”
• Say “You’ve really made progress on (X behavior), good work!”

Food-Based Rewards

Foods, snacks, desserts, and treats can be amazing rewards for younger kids.

Young kids and toddlers don’t have a lot of control over what happens in their day, so when they get the chance to make a choice about what they eat, they can get really excited.

Again, it’s very important to use tangible rewards and treats properly and not as your primary means of teaching appropriate behavior!

• Let them choose what to make for dinner at home
• Let them choose where to go for dinner
• Let them choose a dessert to bake at home together
• Give them a small piece of candy
• Go out for ice cream
• Let them earn an indoor picnic
• Give a favorite snack of their choice (applesauce, crackers, etc.)
• Make hot chocolate together
• Make a special breakfast before school
• Give them a piece of their favorite fruit
• Have an at-home pizza party

Be careful forming a habit of using junk food as a reward or bribe too frequently!

But as a treat every now and then, it can be pretty effective.

Other Tangible (-ish) Reward Ideas

Especially when it comes to younger kids, there are all sorts of little small tokens, trinkets, and toys that get them really excited.

Plus, there are so activities they love, many of which you can do together.

(That makes it a reward for them AND you!)

Some of these might make excellent rewards:

• Buy them a new book
• Let them choose a movie to watch together
• Give a little bit of extra screen time
• Buy them a new craft or more art supplies
• Play a new or old favorite board game together
• Let them pick what to listen to in the car
• Allow them to get something from the coin-machine at the grocery store
• Take them to pick out a toy at the store
• Do an at-home science experiment together
• Bring them a new sports ball (soccer, frisbee, football, whatever they’d like!)
• Help them put on a temporary tattoo
• Let them stay up 15-30 minutes longer before bed
• Let them sleep in 15-30 minutes later, if they will!
• Help them build a fort
• Let them sleep in your bed or in the living room (if age appropriate… and just this once!)
• Take them to a new or old favorite playground
• Skip a chore of their choice

Big Reward Ideas

Sometimes when you’re trying to instill a habit, it helps to have something bigger your child can build up to after some number of successive days.

This could be something as simple as a fun dinner out, all the way to a family trip to Disney.

It’ll all depend on your budget and how important the behavior is.

(Sometimes parents break out the big guns to encourage the potty training process!)

• Take a beach vacation
• Take a kid-friendly cruise
• Go to an amusement park
• Buy them a new bike or tricycle
• Make a big upgrade to their bedroom (new bed, new paint color, etc.)
• Get them a new pet
• Buy them their own age-appropriate device (tablet, phone, etc.)
• Let them have their first sleepover at a friend’s house
• Go see a special movie in the theater
• Go to the zoo
• Go to a children’s museum
• Take them to their first professional sports game
• Give them chores or extra responsibilities (yes that’s right… Toddlers and younger kids crave more responsibility)
• Plan a scavenger hunt
• Camp out in the backyard
• Have a “Yes” day where you say Yes to whatever they want (within reason, budget, and safety)

Reward Ideas for Older Kids & Teenagers

Unfortunately, at a certain point stickers and pizza parties just aren’t going to cut it anymore.

Somewhere around middle school or high school, your reward strategies are going to have to evolve.

Here are some basic ideas to get you started with teenagers:

• Let them have a bunch of friends over to the house
• Start teaching them to drive
• Offer to let them take the car out
• Buy them tickets for a concert (without you!)
• Let them sleep in later
• Let them stay out later
• Buy them a cell phone
• Buy them a laptop or tablet
• Get them a new video game or video game system
• Let them play hooky from school with you and spend some quality time together
• Let them try a sip of beer or wine (I said A SIP… A SIP!!!)
• More screen time
• Give them a budget to makeover their bedroom
• Take them shopping where THEY want for some new clothes

How to keep track of chores and good behavior to earn rewards

The key difference between a reward and a bribe is that rewards are planned ahead .

There should be very clear expectations, known by all parties in advance, of what happens or what doesn’t happen when your child behaves a certain way.

It’s great to have conversations about this, but for a lot of younger kids and toddlers, it can be really helpful to have a system of some kind to track chores or good behavior.

Here are some examples that can get you started:

Chore & Behavior Chart

You can even make your own (you’ll get great ideas on Pinterest).

Essentially, this is a chart you hang in a prominent place, like the kitchen, that lists out the expected behaviors from your toddler.

The chart we use from Melissa & Doug gives you a ton of options you can swap in and out from:

• Getting ready for bed
• Helping with chores
• Stop whining
• Treat people with respect

When your toddler does a good job with any of the behaviors, they can get a magnet for that day.

The idea is to keep track of how they’re doing in a visual way, and you can use this to build up to a big reward.

(Sometimes we’ll offer a special treat if our daughter gets 10 magnets in a week, for example).

I really like this chore chart from Melissa & Doug (Amazon link) but you can find other good ones or make your own.

Reward or Consequence Jar

This is a cool thing I’ve seen around.

It’s not so much about tracking progress as it is adding a little bit of fun and unpredictability to your reward system.

(They say the most powerful reinforcement schedule for instilling a permanent behavior is variable ratio , meaning rewards are disbursed for good behavior at an almost completely random, unpredictable rate.)

With a reward or consequence jar, you write down as many of the ideas from above, plus your own, on little slips of paper and fill a jar with them.

When your child does something really good, they get to pick a positive consequence!

You can also do this with negative consequences or punishment, but that seems a bit sadistic for my tastes.

Check out a free printable reward jar template right here.

Marble Jar Reward System

This is a really cool idea that’s a lot more general in nature than the chore chart.

In the marble jar reward system, you simply set up a glass jar and a bowl of marbles or other small trinkets.

Every time your child follows directions or meets expectations, you can place a marble in the jar.

When it’s full, they earn a big-time reward!

Think a trip to the zoo, movie night, pizza party, or even a big family vacation.

(Depending on how big the jar is!)

It makes a big, but delayed, reward seem a little bit closer each day.

All you need is a big old jar and a large set of marbles (Amazon link) and you can start this behavior-tracking system in your own home .

Wrapping Up

Some parents worry that using rewards and reward system for kids will undermine their child’s innate desire to do the right thing.

In other words, they think using rewards too much might ‘ruin’ their kid!

That’s pretty unlikely.

There is some research that suggests over-relying on extrinsic motivation and tangible rewards can be a negative thing in the long run, but as long as you’re smart about it and doing plenty of OTHER things as a mom or dad to raise good kids , chances are you don’t have to worry.

The one thing to remember is that when you use rewards in unplanned moments of chaos, that’s probably a bribe!

And bribing your kids too often might lead to some unwanted behaviors.

Good use of rewards means:

• Setting clear expectations
• Having conversations ahead of time
• Sticking to your guns
• Being consistent over time

Other than that, how you implement rewards for your child is up to you!

Whether you want to use free things like verbal praise and high-fives, or let them “earn” their way to Disney World, there’s plenty of evidence that suggests reward systems can really work.

Hopefully the ideas above will help you get started.

Good luck, parents!

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What Really Motivates You at Work?

• Carrie Ott-Holland

To get the recognition that matters most to you, start by identifying exactly what that looks like.

When we work hard, we generally expect our efforts to be recognized by our employer. And most employers will do just that — showering someone with praise at a company meeting, taking a team to a nice dinner, or quietly delivering a cash bonus. But sometimes an employer’s broader recognition strategy does not align with what its individual workers want and need. Some workers may be incentivized by more paid time off, while others may appreciate a gift card to a local shop. And some workers may be motivated by monetary rewards, while others hope to be assigned the role of team lead on the next high-stakes project. In this article, the author offers five practical techniques you can start using today to increase the likelihood of getting the rewards and recognition you value most.

Most of us want to feel rewarded and recognized for a job well done. And most employers want to incentivize their workers to perform well and stay engaged. While these two things should align, employers unfortunately don’t always get it right. A team dinner can be a fun culmination of a group project, or it can feel like a frustrating stand-in if you were hoping for a monetary reward. On the flip side, a cash bonus quietly appearing in your inbox may feel strange if you expected public recognition for a heroic work accomplishment. Yet some people would rather call in sick than stand in front of their colleagues to receive an award.

• Carrie Ott-Holland works as principal people analyst at Klaviyo. She has worked in people analytics and talent management in the tech industry for the past decade and is an organizational psychologist by training.

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