Reward chart maker: free printable sticker chart for kids

The short answer

A reward chart, or sticker chart, lists one to three behaviors your child is working on, written as what to do, with a box for each day. Add a sticker right after the behavior, agree on a small reward for a set number of stickers, like a park trip, and phase the chart out once the habit sticks.

How to use a reward chart: 6 steps

1. Pick one to three behaviors. The CDC suggests starting with a couple. More than three at once is hard for a young child to keep in mind.
2. Write them as what to do. “Put toys back in the box” tells a child exactly what earns a sticker; “Don’t be messy” does not. Make each one small enough to succeed most days.
3. Agree on the reward together. Children care more about a reward they helped choose. Write it on the chart: “When I reach 20 stickers: a trip to the park.”
4. Give the sticker right away. Immediate rewards work best for toddlers and preschoolers, so add the sticker as soon as it happens, with specific praise: “You put your shoes away by yourself.”
5. Never take stickers away. Earned is earned. Handle bad moments separately so the chart stays about what went well.
6. Fade it out. Once the behavior happens most days without reminders, reward less often, then switch to praise alone and start a new chart for the next thing.

Seeing progress helps too: in a review of 138 studies, recording progress toward a goal improved the chance of reaching it, especially when it was written down or displayed. Put the chart where your child can see it, such as the fridge or their bedroom door.

Reward chart ideas by age

For very young children, shorter is better: a reward at the end of the day keeps the link between the behavior and the prize clear. The AAP notes that stars and stickers suit early school-age children, while older kids often prefer points and a simple written agreement.

What rewards work best?

Small, frequent and mostly not food or money. Good choices are time together and small privileges:

• Time together: an extra bedtime story, baking cookies, a board game with a parent, a walk to the playground.
• Choices: picking dinner, the movie for family night or the weekend outing.
• Small privileges: staying up 15 minutes later on Friday, a friend over, choosing the music in the car.
• Bigger goals: a trip to the zoo or a new book after a 30-box goal line.

Praise matters as much as the prize. The CDC calls attention and praise free and often more powerful than material rewards, and parent training programs that build positive time with a child show larger effects on behavior. Across 128 experiments, expected tangible rewards reduced interest in activities people already enjoyed, while praise tended to increase it, so keep charts for new or hard behaviors rather than things your child already loves doing.

When a reward chart stops working

Most charts stall for one of four reasons: the behavior is too big (split “clean your room” into “put toys in the box”), the reward is too far away (lower the goal or add a daily mini reward), stickers come late (add them on the spot) or the chart has become a punishment tool. Change one thing at a time. For routines rather than single behaviors, a picture morning routine chart or bedtime routine chart often works better, and for regular jobs around the house use the chore chart maker. For a calm start to the day, read our morning routine for kids guide.

This page gives everyday parenting ideas, not medical or psychological advice. If behavior worries you, talk to your pediatrician.

Frequently asked questions

How does a reward chart work?

You write the behavior you want to see, your child gets a sticker in the box each time it happens, and a set number of stickers earns a reward you agreed on in advance. The sticker is the immediate reward and the prize at the goal line keeps it interesting.

What are good rewards for a reward chart?

Small, non-food rewards your child helped choose: extra story time, picking dinner, a trip to the park, baking together or a later bedtime on Friday. Time with you often works better than toys, and praise alongside each sticker matters as much as the prize.

How many stickers should it take to earn a reward?

Few enough that your child reaches it while they still care. Toddlers and preschoolers do best with a reward after 3 to 5 stickers or at the end of each day; school-age children can work toward 10 to 20 over a week or two. Use the 10, 20 or 30-box goal line for longer goals.

What age is a reward chart for?

Sticker charts suit roughly ages 3 to 8, when stars and stickers feel like a reward in themselves. For older children, the AAP suggests points and simple agreements instead, which this chart can do too: switch to the goal line and write a points goal.

Should I take stickers off for bad behavior?

No. The CDC advises never taking away a reward your child has earned, and the AAP recommends avoiding penalties and demerits, which can discourage a child from trying at all. Deal with misbehavior separately and keep the chart for what went well.

When should I stop using a reward chart?

When the behavior happens most days without reminders, or when your child stops asking about stickers. Fade it gradually: reward every other time, then once a week, then just praise. If the chart stops working sooner, change the behavior or the reward instead of adding rules.

What is the difference between a reward chart and a behavior chart?

People use the names for the same thing. Some behavior charts also record bad days or use color levels; a reward chart records only what went well, which is what the CDC and AAP guidance recommends.

Is my chart saved?

Yes, in this browser on this device, including the stickers, so your child can add more tomorrow. Nothing is sent to our server and there is no sign-up. Print it or save an image to keep a copy.

Sources and evidence

1. CDC: Tips for using praise and rewards (Essentials for Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers) — Start with a couple of specific behaviors, give the reward right after the behavior, reward often at first, and never take away a reward your child has earned. Attention and praise are free and can work better than material rewards.
2. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Positive reinforcement through rewards — Stickers or stars suit early school-age children and points suit older ones; let children help choose rewards, avoid penalties and demerits, and phase the chart out when your child loses interest or forgets to ask for points.
3. Kaminski et al. (2008): A meta-analytic review of components associated with parent training program effectiveness — Across 77 evaluations of parent training programs, programs that taught parents to increase positive interactions with their child and to respond consistently were linked with larger improvements in child behavior.
4. Deci, Koestner and Ryan (1999): A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation — Across 128 experiments, expected tangible rewards lowered later free-choice interest in activities people already enjoyed, while verbal praise tended to raise it. A reason to use charts for new or hard behaviors, not for things a child already likes doing.
5. Harkin et al. (2016): Does monitoring goal progress promote goal attainment? — Across 138 studies, monitoring progress improved goal attainment, more so when progress was physically recorded, as with stickers on a chart.