SparkleGet SparklePractical guide · Updated 4 October 2026
A simple reward chart for kids: start with three tasks.
A reward chart connects a clear task with visible progress and a reward agreed in advance. You can use stickers, a paper chart or an app. The useful part is the agreement: everyone knows what counts, how progress is recorded and what they are working toward.
This guide comes from Anka TMS, the team behind Sparkle. The example works without downloading anything. Adapt it to your child, family or group rather than treating the star values as fixed rules.
Choose something specific to practise
“Be good” is difficult to understand and measure. “Put the drawing supplies back after using them” is concrete. Start with two or three tasks that are achievable with the support your child needs. Decide what completion looks like together, including when help is allowed.
For a group, let each participant have an appropriate task and their own progress record. Shared rewards can be useful for a shared project, but avoid turning individual progress into a competition.
Customize a free printable reward chart
A reward-chart example you can print
Copy this chart onto paper or print this page from your browser. Tick a box for each completed task and total the stars. The columns are a paper planning aid; Sparkle itself does not schedule tasks for particular days.
| Task | Stars each time | First try | Second try | Third try |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read or share a book for 15 minutes | 2 | □ | □ | □ |
| Prepare the school bag together | 1 | □ | □ | □ |
| Put activity materials away | 1 | □ | □ | □ |
Our reward: choose a family game to play together. Our target: 8 stars. Our review: after one week. There are 12 possible stars in this example, so the reward does not require every box to be ticked.
Task ideas for different stages
Age is a starting point, not a rule. Choose according to ability, interest and the help available.
- Starting with adult help: put toys in a basket, choose tomorrow’s clothes, or put a cup by the sink.
- Building independence: pack a bag using a checklist, read for a short period, or set the table.
- Longer projects: practise an instrument, prepare materials for a club activity, or complete a small stage of a shared project.
For timed activities, agree on the duration before starting. A short, achievable session is a better first experiment than a target that causes repeated frustration.
Rewards that do not need a shopping trip
- Choose the game for a family games session.
- Pick the story for an extra reading session.
- Plan a picnic or a visit to a favourite playground.
- Choose a recipe to cook together.
- Take turns choosing the music during a shared activity.
- Build a blanket den together.
- Choose a creative activity for the weekend.
- Pool stars for a shared film or games evening.
Keep rewards within what you can reliably offer. Regular care, affection, food and necessary rest should never depend on earning stars.
Review the plan, not the child
After a week, ask: Were the tasks clear? Was enough help available? Did the reward still matter? Was the goal within reach? Change the next agreement together if needed. Do not increase the price of a reward after someone has already saved toward it.
Acknowledge the effort in words as well as stars. When a task becomes comfortable, discuss taking it off the chart and keeping the chart for a new challenge. There is no guaranteed timetable for forming a habit, and a reward chart is not a treatment or a substitute for individual support.
Paper chart or reward-chart app?
Paper keeps the first experiment simple. An app is useful when you want separate profiles, automatic star balances and a record of approved tasks. In Sparkle, participants complete tasks, the person managing the group approves them, and stars can be exchanged for rewards you have agreed together.
Sparkle runs on iPhone and iPad. No Sparkle account is required, and there are no ads or tracking tools. Data stays on the device, with optional private iCloud sync between devices using the same Apple Account. Sharing between different Apple Accounts is not currently supported.