We are all looking for positive parenting solutions, and we have a unique way to motivate good behavior and reward it, using a marble jar. This works great for preschoolers and elementary aged kids.
How to Use a Marble Jar to Reward Good Behavior In Kids
Most parents can remember being in elementary school and moving a paperclip labeled with their name up and down a behavior chart. It might have been in the shape of a traffic light or a banner of color blocks.
The traditional idea was to encourage positive behavior and discourage negative behavior. Instead, behavior charts publicly shame children, and many parents and schools have left them behind.
Rather than measure your child’s behavior with a context-less chart, build your child’s sense of initiative and encourage those positive behaviors with a behavior marble jar.
First, Create the Behavior Marble Jar
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You can have a marble jar with a lid, or a marble jar without one. It’s totally up to you.
Although if you have little ones at home you’ll definitely want a marble jar with a lid. But, you can have your kids help you with the planning of the type of marble jar you are going to use as well. The more you can involve your kids in the planning of the positive reward system, the better.
Using a marble jar reward system at home requires little more than a bag of marbles and a few glass jars from your local dollar store or some like these from Amazon.
You could even use a large glass fish bowl for the majority of the marbles, and then move them to a smaller jar as they earn the reward. Each child should have their own jar, too.
Small clear vases or even clear candle holders are also perfect for this.
I even found this adorable marble jar reward system on Amazon that includes everything you need!
So, Here’s How to Use the Marble Jar Reward System At Home To Reward Positive Behavior
Make the marble jar a game
A behavior marble jar is all about positive reinforcement, so marbles go in and don’t come back out until the end of the day. For preschoolers, just getting up for the day could earn your child a few marbles. This helps symbolize that we all start off each day with a fresh start and a positive outlook.
The best part is that you get to determine how many marbles your child will receive for their different positive behavior.
As your child practices positive behaviors, they earn marbles that they can then add to their marble jar.
Watching their little jar fill up throughout the day is half the fun and helps encourage your child to continue practicing those positive behaviors and earn rewards.
Here are a few examples of Positive Behaviors to Reward for Preschoolers
- I remembered to brush my teeth after breakfast
- I put my things away
- I was kind to my brother/sister
- I helped a friend at preschool today
- I was kind to someone who needed it on the playground
- I put away my shoes
- I helped set the table for dinner
- I helped mommy vacuum or do laundry
- I made my own bed
Here are a few examples of Positive Behaviors to Reward For Elementary Age Kids
- I put out all my things the night before school
- I helped put away my own laundry
- I helped make dinner for the family tonight
- I finished my homework without being asked
- I was kind to the new kid in class
- I helped my brother/sister with a difficult task at home
- I read to my brother/sister
- I shared my toys with my brother/sister
- I waited patiently for mom/dad’s attention
- I tidied my room without being asked
- I wiped down the table after meal time
- I took out the trash
Create Some Marble Jar Reward Ideas With your Child
The marble jar isn’t about earning a specific amount of marbles before a reward can be received (unless you think a goal will motivate your child). It’s best to set a reward that can be earned daily and the quantity increased or decreased. You should sit down with your child and brainstorm marble jar reward ideas.
If your child is involved in choosing the reward they are more likely going to want to reach their goal.
Parents can create a reward tied to dessert where the amount of marbles earned that day equals the number of pieces of candy. Or if you don’t like using food as a reward, you can reward with a special activity with mom or dad.
Your child’s reward might be minutes of free play before bedtime where the number of minutes equals the number of marbles.
Let your child choose their favorite game to play with you, or maybe they earn screen time as a reward for good behavior.
You can also use the marble jar with friends and make it a little competition with each child choosing their own reward.
Did you know that you can use a virtual marble jar as well?
Perhaps you have a child, like mine that loves to get on the computer, well, believe it or not, there’s an online marble jar tool that you can use as well. While I don’t recommend this for preschool age children, it might be a good idea to keep in mind for motivation for a child that is having a bad day and needs a little extra push to change their negative behavior.
Can you use something other than marbles in your marble jar?
Yes! While marbles are what makes the marble jar, you can also create jars full of literally anything as your reward. But, the reason why marbles are so much fun for the kids is because of the PLUNK! sound they make when they get dropped in the jar. However, if that sound drives you nuts, there are certainly plenty of other reward system jar ideas you can implement.
One of my favorites is a warm fuzzies jar. You can fill it with pom poms for every time your child does an act of service for someone else in the family. This is a great way to foster family service at home.
Never Use The Marble Jar As A Form of Punishment
The most important thing about using a behavior marble jar to encourage your child’s initiative is to focus on rewarding those positive behaviors you want your child to repeat without using the jar as a form of punishment.
That’s why I think it’s so important that marbles aren’t taken out of the jar. But you can always remind them when they make a bad choice, that if they had made a different choice, they would have received a marble in the marble jar.
This method allows children to be rewarded for their achievements while learning that making mistakes does not detract from the progress they’ve made.
MORE POSITIVE PARENTING IDEAS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- 17 Positive Parenting Techniques to Start Right Now
- Chore Zones: A Way to get LITTLE kids to clean up their BIG messes
- 9 Uplifting Things To Say To Your Kids Every Day
- 15 Things To Do Every Day That Will Show Your Kids You Love Them
YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THESE OTHER KID IDEAS:
- 15 Spring Kids Crafts
- 20 Kid Activities To Do Indoors When The Weather Is Bad
- Easy Popsicle Stick Bunny Craft for Easter
- Yellow Homemade Playdough Recipe; Perfect For Easter
MY FAVORITE RESOURCES FOR ALL PARENTS:
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- Help your kids by helping yourself – get my favorite parenting book
- All of my favorite products on Amazon
I used the marble jar for both my amazing daughters – now in their twenties. I disagree that marbles should not come out for poor behavior. They both had melt downs the first time I took out marbles and I almost gave up on the marble jar concept – but I didn’t. The most valuable lesson learned was that their actions had repercussions. Throughout their life, I have been told (mostly by teachers) that my children are one of the few that get that their behavior has consequences and am asked how I taught that… The answer partially lies in the withdrawal of marbles from their jar.