ADHD info for teens
Positive parenting strategies, such as reward coupons, can help children thrive and lead to long-term benefits.
This article provides clinicians with an overview of reward coupons as a behavioral intervention tool, along with examples of rewards to guide caregivers in using them with children.
We’ve included a free downloadable reward coupons for kids handout to save to your electronic health record (EHR) and use in your practice.
What are reward coupons?
Reward coupons are a positive parenting strategy that uses rewards to reinforce desired behaviors. Based on the principles of operant conditioning, using rewards creates motivation to shape certain behaviors and habits, such as getting good grades, doing chores when asked, and completing homework, by providing immediate and tangible incentives.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), positive parenting strategies, like rewards, have several benefits, including:
Enhanced self-esteem: When children hear negative feedback, such as “no” or “stop,” they may learn boundaries, but this can also have a negative impact on their self-esteem. However, a positive approach, such as earning a reward, teaches children that they are doing something right, which in turn builds their self-esteem.
Improved relationships: Reward systems foster a positive relationship, which in turn creates happiness between the caregiver and child.
Rewards encourage good behaviors: Children learn that certain behaviors result in positive outcomes and are more likely to repeat them.
Clinicians can introduce reward coupons for kids as a tool for caregivers to use at home to reinforce positive behaviors, such as completing chores when asked or getting ready for bed without being asked. Alternatively, they can be used in schools as part of a teacher's classroom management strategy.
Example reward coupons for kids
Share these example reward coupons with caregivers as a starting point:
One-on-one time with a caregiver doing an activity the child chooses
Giving praise, like saying "Good job" or "Way to go"; caregivers might also reflect aloud on the specific behavior they liked, for example, saying "Thank you for playing quietly while I was working at home today"
Reading a story together
Selecting a family activity
High fives
Extra screen time
New toy
Stickers
Craft supplies
Summer camp
Treats, like ice cream or candy
Monetary rewards
Game time
Solo activity
Showing affection, like hugging, a pat on the back, or holding their hand
Sleepover at a friend's house
Dinner of choice
Movie night
Extra TV time
Later bedtime
Skipping a chore
Breakfast in bed
Choosing a new restaurant to try
A special family outing, such as going to the zoo or the beach
How to create a reward system
Identify the target behavior: Help caregivers define the specific behavior, habit, or milestone they want to reinforce. Encourage specificity (e.g., "completes homework without prompting" rather than "does better in school") so progress is measurable.
Select rewards collaboratively: Guide caregivers and children to jointly generate a list of meaningful, age-appropriate incentives. Involving the child in this step increases buy-in and reinforces autonomy.
Set clear expectations: Coach caregivers to explicitly define how the reward is earned, including frequency and any conditions, so the contingency is unambiguous to the child.
Build engagement: Suggest caregivers create and decorate the reward coupons for kids together with the child, then display them somewhere visible (e.g., on the refrigerator) as a consistent visual cue.
Reinforce immediacy: Emphasize the importance of delivering the reward as close as possible to the target behavior, consistent with operant conditioning principles—delayed reinforcement weakens the behavior-reward association.
Monitor and adjust: Recommend caregivers track progress using a sticker system or a behavior chart. Periodically revisit the system in session to retire mastered behaviors and introduce new targets, keeping the intervention responsive over time.
How to use the reward coupons handout
You can download and use the reward coupons for kids handout in several ways:
Use the worksheet to provide psychoeducation to parents about the benefits of rewards.
Give the clients a copy of the handout to take home.
Ask the family to try using reward coupons between sessions and report their findings at their next therapy appointment.
Collaboratively create therapist coupons to reward therapy engagement.
Combine this worksheet with other kids-focused or behavioral worksheets, such as our token economy chart, boundaries worksheet for kids, stress worksheets for kids, and feelings wheel for kids.
Share the worksheet with coworkers or leave copies in your waiting room.
Use this worksheet to provide training to interns or supervisees on reward-based behavioral strategies.
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Tips for Using Rewards.
Jonker, N. C., Timmerman, M. E., & de Jong, P. J. (2022). The reward and punishment responsivity and motivation questionnaire (RPRM-Q): A stimulus-independent self-report measure of reward and punishment sensitivity that differentiates between responsivity and motivation. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 929255.
Kubanek, J., Snyder, L. H., & Abrams, R. A. (2015). Reward and punishment act as distinct factors in guiding behavior. Cognition.
UC Davis Health. (n.d.). The power of positive parenting. UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
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