Rewarding Kids for Helping Around the House: The Ant Award {Free Printable}

We’ve struggled in the past with how to {or if we should} reward our boys for doing simple chores around the house – making their beds, changing out the laundry, helping clean up the table, picking up toys, etc.  We weren’t ready for a full-blown allowance system, and we didn’t want to reward their efforts with sugar, as tempting and effective as it may be.

However, after reading Proverbs to the kids at bedtime recently, Brad came up with an award for their diligence and good attitudes when being asked to help. We call it “The Ant Award”.

Proverbs 6: 6-8 “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander,no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.”

Although ants may be small, they are extremely wise in the way they labor. {Proverbs 30: 24,25} There is so much we can learn from this small creature -  teamwork, persistence, and initiative. All things I want to teach my children and practice myself! 

ant_award

{Click Here to Print}

Brad made this printable image of Flik, from Disney Pixar’s A Bug’s Life and covered it with a layer of clear tape, so that we could use dry-erase markers to add and erase names. It’s a great visual reminder on our refrigerator.

It’s amazing how effective and motivating this small reward has had so far.  {Let’s hope it continues for a while!} Once they all received the award we promised them a small prize {ice cream sundaes, a trip to the Dollar Store, a visit to the pet store, etc.}.  

I love to see them spur each other on and take ownership in helping our house function more smoothly, but  most of all I love to see them applying Scripture to their own lives.

What reward/chore system has been effective at your house?  Please SHARE!