Reward Charts are powerful motivational tools that help children set goals and receive rewards when goals are met. Parents have improvised or purchased charts to hang on their refrigerators or wall as a constant visual reminder of goal achievements. With the popularity of mobile apps, now parents can set goals on the go. How effective is this reward system?
In researching this topic, I came across three iPhone apps that take “low tech” reward charts to a “high tech” level. Reward Charts provide parents with a behavior modification tool that emphasizes good choices, responsibility and rewards them for their effort. Parents who use this method of motivating their kids, have discovered that encouraging good behavior, such as potty training, completing chores, being polite, etc., is more effective than simply punishing a child when they misbehave. Reward Charts help children set goals and reward them when certain goals are met. The best part about reward charts are the visual representation of seeing the progress the child is making. 
Reward Charts also teach accountability starting at a very early age. It provides concrete proof that goals are being met and good behavior has been learned. Mobile Reward Chart apps take this one step further. These apps go wherever you go so that you don’t miss an opportunity to reward your child in the moment. They are convenient, highly visual, customizable and also calculate payout when goals are met. Parents have a variety to choose from in the iPhone App Store. Here are three:
iEarnedThat, by Kidoc, is a motivational app for children and according to the developer, “it’s not your typical star chart”. Parents take a picture of the reward their child is trying to earn and the app transforms that picture into a 3D jigsaw puzzle. As a child works toward the reward, they earn a piece of the puzzle, which is divided into the number of goals they need to achieve. When the puzzle is complete, they have won the prize. This interactive tool allows a child to become part of the process and visualize their goals.
iRewardChart, by Gotoclues, takes a different approach to rewarding children for attaining goals. Children work toward earning a number of stars to cash in points and choose from several reward options. The app provides a suggested list or parents can customize their own rewards. Abstract goals such as “patience”, “sharing with others” can be added to teach moral values. When a child accumulates a number of points via stars, the program calculates the reward payout and the child can choose which reward they would like based on the number of points.
iReward, by Grembe, pairs goals with rewards. Parents choose the behavior they are trying to reinforce and pair this behavior with a reward. Next, they decide the number of times the behavior needs to be met before the reward is earned. This app also uses photographs or pictures of the reward to add a visual motivation reminder of the the goal. Customization is the key here and this app works on achieving several goals at once.
Do reward systems have an impact on good behavior? This is up to you to decide and determine which method “low tech” or “high tech” motivates your children. We encourage you to let us know your secret to success in instilling positive values and good behavior.
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Great listing!
There is always a discussion around whether reward charts should be used or not, and I think the answer is, ‘depends’! Its a great parenting tool, if used appropriately, but there is a remote chance of misusing it. I personally think, rewards should be more intangibles such as more family time, picnic, trip to circus rather than money. Rewards such as pocket money, while easy to implement, should be avoided if possible.
The idea here is to create a task which you can enforce for few weeks, once that has become a habit, then you move on to some other tasks and rewards. This is where these mobile apps that are customizable comes handy. Magnetic charts are so twentieth century
Thanks for the great article. We are very happy to report that iEarnedThat Lite has just hit the app store and can now be tried out for FREE ! Take a look.
http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/iearnedthat-lite/id372315067?mt=8
As the parent of two young kids, I think that reward charts are a great way to motivate and encourage good behavior. I’ve been using homemade charts on our fridge for some time with my five-year-old and was so happy when I discovered the app version. We were so low tech with our chart that I didn’t even have a sticker or magnetic chart!
We’ve been using iEarnedThat at home for a few weeks now and it’s been a great motivational tool for my oldest son. I’ve take pictures of the various rewards that I have stashed away and create separate rewards to encourage him to read, try new food, be nice to his little brother etc. The visual reminder of the reward and sense of achievement he gets when he gets a puzzle piece really motivates him. We were losing some of the motivation with our chart on the fridge because we’d forget to add points and there was no visual reminder of what the prize would be. It was also one big chart for everything because I didn’t have the time to create separate ones. The first time we set up a reward chart (for reading) on my phone, my son was so motivated when he saw the prize (one of the many unopened presents he’d received for Christmas from Grandma that I stashed away for a rainy day) that he read 5 books to me in one night!
In risk of not being popular – maybe it’s a cultural thing, a mentality but I find the whole reward system a bit twisted.
I’m not saying that what I say is right and this is wrong – there is no ultimate truth and each parent can do whatever they please but, being a father to 2 girls (3,7) I feel that talking to them, showing them how to take responsibility for their actions – works best in our house then punishments and reward systems.
Again, maybe it’s us (our 7 year old goes to an open school) maybe it’s our kids, but the thing is that I find the whole cultural difference is taking it’s place also by the products that are endorsed by parents.
Why should someone feel bad for not doing something that we feel is the right thing ?
What values do we give to our kids by telling them that there is a price over the rainbow if they do so and so.
Sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes doing something good for someone else without looking for rewards will lead to better values and thinking about the other.
This is something to think about and I believe that even though my opinion might not be a popular one – it’s worth a thought.
Great post. My kids and I both love iRewardchart. My kids 6 and 9 year olds are really into earning points. They will run and do stuff I use to have to remind them 5x times to do. I have to do less nagging and my kids just do it without the whining. Love it!