Rewards are the prizes earners can redeem with their points. They are organized into four categories to help set goals at different levels - from quick daily treats to big goals worth saving for.
The Psychology: Rewards make the point system meaningful. Without something to work toward, points are just numbers. With rewards, every task completed brings earners closer to something they want!
💡 Tip: Let earners help choose rewards! They are more motivated when working toward something they picked themselves.
How Rewards Look on the Dashboard
Rewards appear below each earner point total, organized by category:
125 pts
Small Rewards
🧸 Small Everyday Rewards
Medium Rewards
🌈 Medium Rewards
Big Goals
🏆 Big Goals
Quality Time
💖 Quality Time Rewards
Blue = Can afford it
Gray = Need more points
Reward Categories
🧸 Small Everyday
10-50 pts. Quick treats and privileges like extra screen time, pick the music, or choose a snack.
🌈 Medium Rewards
75-200 pts. Special activities like movie night, ice cream outing, or a small toy.
🏆 Big Goals
300-800 pts. Major rewards worth saving for - theme park, new video game, special outing.
💖 Quality Time
Variable pts. Special time with parents/admins - one-on-one time, breakfast in bed, "boss for an hour".
💡 Why Quality Time? Research shows kids often value time with parents more than material rewards. These rewards cost nothing but mean everything!
How Rewards Work
💰 Point Check
Rewards turn blue when the earner has enough points. Gray rewards need more points.
👆 Tap to Redeem
Tap a blue reward button to start redemption. Points are deducted automatically.
✅ Confirmation
Redemptions show a confirmation prompt before processing. Parents can monitor history in Settings.
♾️ Points Never Expire
Points never expire! Earners can save as long as they want for bigger rewards.
Redeeming a Reward
Here is how earners redeem rewards:
1Check Points Make sure the earner has enough points. Blue buttons = affordable.
2Tap the Reward Click the blue reward button on the dashboard.
3Confirm Redemption A confirmation dialog appears. Click "Yes" to redeem. Points are deducted automatically.
4Points Deducted Points are automatically subtracted. Deliver the reward!
💡 Tip: Make reward delivery a celebration! The excitement reinforces the connection between effort and reward.
Customizing Rewards Basic
Basic and Plus subscribers can customize rewards in Settings:
1Go to Settings Click the gear icon and enter your PIN.
2Find Rewards Section Scroll to "Rewards by Category".
3Edit Existing Rewards Click edit to change names or point costs.
4Add New Rewards Click "Add Reward" in any category to create custom rewards.
5Delete Unwanted Rewards Click delete to remove rewards your earners are not interested in.
💡 Tip: Adjust point costs based on your family earning rate. If earners earn ~50 points/day, a 500-point reward takes about 10 days of consistent effort.
Redemption History
View and manage all redeemed rewards in Settings, Redemption History:
🎁 Redemption History
Emma
🎬 Movie night
-100 pts
Jan 25, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Refund
Liam
📱 Extra screen time
-25 pts
Jan 24, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Filter by earner - View redemptions for all earners or a specific one
Refund button - Return points if reward was not delivered or was redeemed by mistake
Hide old entries - Clean up the list by hiding entries older than 30 days
Processing Refunds
If a reward was redeemed by mistake or cannot be delivered:
1Go to Settings, Redemption History
2Find the Redemption Scroll or filter to find the entry.
3Click "Refund" Points are automatically returned to the earner.
⚠️ Note: Refunded redemptions are hidden from the list but not deleted from the database. This maintains an accurate audit trail.
Managing Rewards
From Settings, Rewards, you can:
Edit reward names - Make them specific to your family
Adjust point costs - Balance difficulty vs. motivation
Everything in Basic, plus unlimited rewards per category.
Reward Ideas
🧸 Small (10-50 pts)
Extra screen time, pick the music, choose a snack, stay up 15 min late, no chores pass
🌈 Medium (75-200 pts)
Ice cream outing, movie night, small toy, sleepover, pick restaurant
🏆 Big (300-800 pts)
Theme park, new video game, special outing, shopping trip, concert tickets
💖 Quality Time
One-on-one date, breakfast in bed, "boss for an hour", camping trip, teach me something
💡 Pro Tip: Include a mix of instant gratification (small rewards) and delayed gratification (big goals). This teaches both patience and the value of saving!
Age-Appropriate Reward Ideas
Different ages respond to different rewards. Here are ideas tailored to each age group:
👶 Ages 4-6 (Preschool/Kindergarten)
🧸 Small
Stickers, extra story at bedtime, pick a stuffed animal to sleep with, special snack, 10 min tablet time
🌈 Medium
Trip to playground, bake cookies together, bubble bath with toys, new coloring book
🏆 Big
Zoo visit, new toy, pizza party, trip to bounce house, build a fort together
💡 Tip: Young children need rewards they can earn quickly. Keep small rewards at 10-25 points so they experience success often.
🎒 Ages 7-10 (Elementary)
🧸 Small
30 min screen time, stay up 15 min late, pick dinner, no chores pass, choose the movie
🌈 Medium
Friend sleepover, ice cream outing, small LEGO set, movie theater trip, mini golf
🏆 Big
Video game, theme park, bike, camping trip, birthday party upgrade
💡 Tip: This age loves earning toward visible goals. Consider a "savings tracker" poster where they can color in progress toward big rewards.
📱 Ages 11-14 (Middle School)
🧸 Small
Extra phone time, later bedtime on weekend, skip one chore, pick takeout restaurant
🌈 Medium
Movie with friends, new book/manga, small shopping trip ($15-20), arcade outing
🏆 Big
Concert tickets, new headphones, room makeover item, special outing with friends
💡 Tip: Tweens value independence. Rewards that give them autonomy (choosing activities, time with friends) often motivate more than material items.
🎓 Ages 15+ (High School)
🧸 Small
Extended curfew, car for errands, skip family event, sleep in pass
🌈 Medium
Gas money, dinner out with friends, streaming subscription month, small tech accessory
💡 Tip: Teens respond well to rewards that feel "adult" - money, privileges, and experiences. Consider letting them convert points to allowance at a set rate.
Setting the Right Point Costs
The key to a successful reward system is balancing effort with reward. Here is how to price rewards effectively:
📊 The Earning Rate Formula
First, estimate how many points your earner can realistically earn per day:
Light usage: 3-5 tasks/day = ~15-30 points
Moderate usage: 5-8 tasks/day = ~30-50 points
Heavy usage: 8-12 tasks/day = ~50-75 points
🎯 Pricing by Timeline
Price rewards based on how long you want earners to work toward them:
⚡ Same Day
10-30 pts. Earnable in a single good day. Keeps motivation high.
📅 2-3 Days
50-100 pts. Short-term goals that teach basic saving.
⚠️ Common Mistake: Pricing rewards too high. If a child earns 30 pts/day and the smallest reward is 100 pts, they will lose interest before reaching it. Always have something achievable within 1-2 days.
💡 Quick Pricing Guide
If your earner averages ~40 points per day:
Small rewards: 15-40 pts (same day)
Medium rewards: 80-160 pts (2-4 days)
Big rewards: 280-560 pts (1-2 weeks)
💡 Adjustment Tip: If earners are redeeming too fast, raise prices slightly. If they seem discouraged, lower them. The goal is steady progress with occasional quick wins.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ All Big Rewards
If every reward takes a week to earn, motivation drops. Include quick wins!
❌ Only Material Rewards
Experiences and privileges often motivate more than toys. Mix it up.
❌ Forgetting Quality Time
Kids often value time with you more than stuff. Add "date with mom/dad" rewards.
❌ Static Rewards
Update rewards as interests change. A reward they wanted 3 months ago may not excite them now.
⚠️ The Biggest Mistake: Not delivering rewards promptly. When an earner redeems points, deliver the reward as soon as possible. Delayed delivery breaks the connection between effort and reward.
Making Rewards Special
How you deliver a reward matters as much as the reward itself:
🎉 Celebrate Redemptions
Announce it to the family: "Emma just earned movie night!"
Take a photo of them with their reward
For big rewards, make the delivery an event
📈 Track Progress Visibly
Talk about how close they are to goals: "Just 50 more points until your sleepover!"
Celebrate milestones: "You are halfway to the theme park trip!"
🤝 Involve Them in Choices
Let earners suggest new rewards
Ask what they are saving for
Adjust point costs together if something feels unfair
💡 Remember: The goal is not just behavior change - it is teaching the life skill that effort leads to rewards. Make the connection clear and celebrate their success!
🎯 Tasks done. Habits built. Family organized.Start Free →