If you're blessed with a child doing super well in school or at home, you might think they are due a little treat.
Typical treats and rewards cost money, but they don’t always have to if you know how to get creative.
If you're looking for a thrifty alternative that you can make cheaply or reuse in the future, you'll be interested to learn the many crafty rewards you can make yourself at home.
Pins
Teachers in schools aren't giving out single-use rewards every time they want to show a young person some positive encouragement—but wow, those pins do a lot to inspire children and make them feel recognized for their efforts. You can take a cue from the schools and inspire home-based rewards for the little people in your life.
Custom pins are a great way to show your child they've done an excellent job. It could be a pin that says “well done” or shows an object related to their accomplishment! Badges and pins let the child boast their pride and get recognition for being good little humans.
Since the backing on pins is harder to make, it’s best to design your own pins and then look for a shop to produce them. You could make a bunch of fun, inspiring designs for your little one.
Leader Boards
A spin-off from the badge idea is to use markers or badges on a leaderboard. Each badge would symbolize a member of the household. For every good deed, whether that's a chore or an act of helpfulness, you would travel one step closer to the big prize.
Big prizes could be extra time on electronics or whatever your child values.
You see this happen typically in school settings. A little competition doesn't hurt between students, especially if this encourages positive behavior in the classroom. It could work just the same at home.
Game Day
A great way to combine your love of crafts, spend time with the family, and work in some rewards is through games, treasure hunts, and obstacle courses.
Yes, your child would value extra time watching TV or the like, but spending quality time as a family is crucial for their well-being.
Wellness clinics tell us that time with family lowers the chance of behavioral issues in young people. They're more likely to perform well academically and learn effective conflict resolution.
The game day could be anything you want, and the reward can be more than just winning. The rewards could be baked goods made at home, face painting, and homemade medals. You could also craft your surprises for the treasure hunt by creating your clue cards.
Coupons
You can reuse homemade coupons a million times over. Each time your child cashes one in, you can keep it for next time. You can use coupons as an immediate reward or create a points-based system. Here are some ideas for your coupons:
- “This coupon is good for one family game night where you choose the game.”
- “This coupon is good for one trip to go and get ice cream.”
- "This coupon is good for choosing what we have for dinner tomorrow."
- “This coupon is good for choosing your favorite cereal on our next grocery trip.”
- “This coupon is good for getting out of your chores the entire day.”
- “This coupon is good for staying up 60 minutes past your bedtime this weekend.”
If you opt for a reward system, you could assign each of these a set number of points. The more points they save up, the bigger the value of what they receive at the end. The reward system teaches them to work toward something and even save for a larger reward.
The Wall of Fame
You may already display your children's art and collages on the fridge but having a special wall that houses the ‘star work of the week’ is a great motivator to get your kids more interested in the arts. Research shows that continual motivation helps children continue an activity deemed as positive.
It needn't be limited to drawings and painting. If your child comes home with a certificate or the like, the wall of fame is a great place to display their achievement for the whole household to see.
The wall of fame lets you combine your love of crafts and urge your children to show their artsy side. Go a step further and craft a frame to showcase the achievements.
Get Crafting
These super fun ideas will keep you busy making thrifty rewards for the little people in your life. We're sure they will love them!