Constructive Classroom Rewards: Promoting Good Habits While

Protecting Children’s Health

Rewarding children in the classroom need not involve pizza parties, candy, and other foods that can undermine children’s diets and health and reinforce unhealthful eating habits. A wide variety of alternative rewards can be used to provide positive reinforcement for children’s behavior.

“It’s just a little treat”: the harm in using food to reward children

Schools should not only teach children how to make healthy choices and to eat to fulfill nutritional needs, but also should provide an environment that fosters healthy eating. Providing food based on performance or behavior connects food to mood. This practice can encourage children to eat treats even when they are not hungry and can instill lifetime habits of rewarding or comforting themselves with food behaviors associated with unhealthy eating or obesity.

Awarding children food during class also reinforces eating outside of meal or snack times.

Since few studies have been conducted on the effect of using food rewards on children’s long-term eating habits, the best policy is to not reward children with food at all. At minimum, children should not be rewarded using low-nutrition foods.

The value of rewarding children (with non-food rewards)

As teachers know, classroom rewards can be an effective way to encourage positive behavior. Children, like everyone, alter their actions based on short-term anticipated consequences. When trying to foster a new behavior, it is important to reward a child consistently each time he or she does the desired behavior. Once the behavior has become an established habit, rewards can be given every now and then to encourage the child to maintain the preferred behavior.

The ultimate goal of rewarding children is to help them internalize positive behaviors so that they will not need a reward. Eventually, self-motivation will be sufficient to induce them to perform the desired behavior, and outside reinforcement will no longer be necessary.

State policies

Few states address the issue of using food as a reward. Only Alabama and the District of Columbia prohibit the use of food to reward children for good behavior or academic performance. Seven other states (Alaska, Arkansas, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) discourage this practice. Thus in most states, policies regarding classroom rewards are determined at the local level by individual school districts, schools, or teachers.

Physical activity and food should not be linked to punishment

Punishing children by taking away recess or physical education classes reduces their already-scarce opportunities for physical activity. Another counterproductive punishment is forcing children to do physical activity such as laps or pushups. Children often learn to dislike things that are used as punishments.

Thus, penalizing children with physical activity might lead them to avoid activities that are important for maintaining wellness and a healthy body weight.

In addition, food should not be withheld as a means of punishing children.

Examples of beneficial (and inexpensive) rewards for children1

v Social rewards

“Social rewards,” which involve attention, praise, or thanks, are often more highly valued by children than a toy or food. Simple gestures like pats on the shoulder, verbal praise (including in front of others), nods, or smiles can mean a lot. These types of social rewards affirm a child’s worth as a person.

v Recognition

§ Trophy, plaque, ribbon, or certificate in recognition of achievement or a sticker with an affirming message (e.g., “Great job”)

§ Recognizing a child’s achievement on the school-wide morning announcements and/or the school’s website

§ A photo recognition board in a prominent location in the school

§ A phone call, email, or letter sent home to parents or guardians commending a child’s accomplishment

§ A note from the teacher to the student commending his or her achievement

v Privileges

§ Going first

§ Choosing a class activity

§ Helping the teacher

§ Having an extra few minutes of recess with a friend

§ Sitting by friends or in a special seat next to or at the teacher’s desk

§ “No homework” pass

§ Teaching the class

§ Playing an educational computer or other game

§ Reading to a younger class

§ Making deliveries to the office

§ Reading the school-wide morning announcements

§ Helping in another classroom

§ Eating lunch with a teacher or principal

§ Listening with a headset to a book on tape or CD

§ Going to the library to select a book to read

§ Working at the school store

§ Taking a walk with the principal or teacher

§ Designing a class or hall bulletin board

§ Writing or drawing on the blackboard/whiteboard

§ Taking care of the class animal for a day

v Rewards for a class

§ Extra recess

§ Eating lunch outdoors

§ Going to the lunchroom first

§ Reading outdoors

§ Holding class outdoors

§ Extra art, music, PE, or reading time

§ Listening to music while working

§ Dancing to music

§ Playing a game or doing a puzzle together

§ “Free choice” time at the end of the day

§ A song, dance, or performance by the teacher or students

§ A book read aloud to the class by the teacher

§ A field trip

v School supplies

§ Pencils: colored or with logos or other decorations

§ Pens

§ Erasers

§ Notepads/notebooks

§ Boxes of crayons

§ Stencils

§ Stamps

§ Plastic scissors

§ Bookmarks

§ Highlighters

§ Chalk (e.g., sidewalk chalk)

§ Markers

§ Coloring books

§ Rulers

§ Glitter

§ Pencil sharpeners, grips, or boxes

§ Gift certificate to the school store

v Sports equipment and athletic gear

§ Paddleballs

§ Frisbees

§ Water bottles

§ NERF balls

§ Hula hoop

§ Head and wrist sweat bands

§ Jump rope

v Toys/trinkets

§ Stickers

§ Yo-yos

§ Rubber balls

§ Finger puppets

§ Stuffed animals

§ Plastic or rubber figurines

§ Toy cars, trucks, helicopters, or airplanes

§ Plastic sliding puzzles or other puzzle games

§ Slinkies

§ Gliders

§ Magnifying glasses

§ Spinning tops

§ Marbles

§ Jacks

§ Playing cards

§ Stretchy animals

§ Silly putty

§ Bubble fluid with wand

§ Balloons

§ Capsules that become sponges/figures when placed in water

§ Inflatable toys (balls, animals)

§ Small dolls or action figures

v Fashion wear

§ Temporary tattoos

§ Hair accessories (barrettes, elastics, or ribbons)

§ Bracelets, rings, necklaces

§ Sunglasses

§ Eyeglasses with nose disguise

§ Hat or cap

§ T-shirt

§ Sneaker bumper stickers

§ Shoe laces

v Miscellaneous

§ Key chains

§ Flashlights

§ Cups

§ Magnets

§ Crazy straws

§ Backscratchers

§ A plant, or seeds and pot for growing a plant

§ Books

v A token or point system, whereby children earn points that accumulate toward a bigger prize. Possible prizes include those listed above and:

§ Gift certificate to a bookstore or sporting goods store

§ Movie pass or rental gift certificate

§ Ticket to sporting event

§ Puzzle

§ Book

§ Stuffed animal

§ Magazine subscription

§ Board game

§ Step counter (pedometer)

§ Sports equipment, such as tennis racket, baseball glove, soccer ball, or basketball

Children can be given fake money, tokens, stars, or a chart can be used to keep track of the points they have earned. Points can be exchanged for privileges or prizes when enough are accumulated.

A point system also may be used for an entire class to earn a reward. Whenever individual children have done well, points can be added to the entire class’s “account.” When the class has earned a target number of points, then they receive a group reward.

For more information, visit www.cspinet.org/schoolfood/

or contact CSPI at <nutritionpolicy@cspinet.org>.

Alternatives to Food Rewards

Food rewards can be an easy way to bring about an immediate behavior change in students. So why change a reward system that seems to work? Rewarding children with food can contribute to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. It also interferes with learning to eat in response to hunger and fullness cues. Giving donuts and soft drinks to students may seem like a harmless treat for a job well done, but rewarding children with unhealthy food can develop habits that stay with children throughout their school careers…and their lives.

Elementary School Students

• Trips to a treasure box filled with nonfood items such

as stickers, play tattoos, bubbles, jump ropes, puzzles,

key chains, yo-yo’s, spider rings, charms, trading cards,

pencil toppers, coupons for extra credit, etc…

• Bank system (earn play money to be used for privileges)

• Play favorite game

• Extra recess

• Make deliveries to office

• Sit by friends

• Help teach class

• Eat lunch with teacher

• School supplies

• Show-and-tell

• Paperback book

Middle School Students High School Students

• Sit with friends • Extra credit

• Listen to music while working at desk • Fun video

• 5 minute chat break at end of class • Reduced homework

• Reduced homework • Coupons to video or music stores

• Extra credit • Donated movie coupons

• Fun video • Drawings for donated prizes for

• Computer time students meeting a grade standard

• Eat lunch or have class outside • “Free Choice” time at end of class

Food for Thought:

“Rewards can be abused and overused. Too often students come to expect something in return for behavior or good grades when in reality, they should do the behavior for its intrinsic value.” ~Middle School Teacher

Adapted by ADADC from a Lexington-Fayette County, KY Health Department Flyer