As a former teacher, and now mom of two toddlers, I know how well kids of all ages respond to positive reinforcement. However, even with the best of intentions, most of the positive reward systems we have set up have not lasted in our house. Whether it was a sticker chart or some other idea we saw on Pinterest, we couldn’t find the right fit for our family. That’s why I was so excited when I heard about Kudo Banz!
Kudo Banz is basically a sticker chart that goes on your child’s wrist. Each starter kit comes with two bands for your kids to wear and a set of 6 Kudo charms for them to earn. The kit also includes an amazing children’s book that explains in a fun and engaging way how kids can earn the charms. It also comes with a free app download so your kids can start redeeming rewards!
There are so many wonderful things to love about this program! Here are our top five favorite components of Kudo Banz:
- Kudo Banz offers kids a constant reminder. Kids and toddlers can have short attention spans and lose track of their goal. With Kudo Banz, the bracelet serves as the perfect reminder because they can wear it wherever they go. My older daughter has been struggling with taking a nap so we used the Kudo Banz to encourage her to rest. One day I found her sound asleep clutching tightly to her Kudo Banz!
- Kudo Banz gives instant rewards. With the Kudo Banz, it doesn’t matter if we are upstairs or downstairs, at the store or in the car, the girls can earn a reward at any time. We used to struggle with delayed rewards because we weren’t home and by the time we did get home, one of us usually forgot all about it. Without instant rewards, kids start to lose their motivation and struggle to stay on track.
- Kudo Banz encourages unique and fun rewards. One of my very favorite aspects of the Kudo Banz is the reward feature! Each time the child earns three of the Kudo charms, they get to spin their personalized reward wheel on the easy-to-use app. When we have done reward systems in the past, I have had such a difficult time coming up with rewards my kids will be excited about that don’t include lollipops or a trip to Disneyland (those are usually their unreasonable suggestions). Kudo Banz suggests things like getting to read an extra story, family dance parties and extra time outside. My girls love that it is a surprise every time they spin the wheel!
- Kudo Banz offers versatility to give parents lots of options. You can use Kudo Banz to eliminate a specific behavior like whining or picky eating. You can also use Kudo Banz to promote a specific behavior like sharing or taking a nap. You can use them daily or you can pull them out when you need to.
- Kudo Banz provides great resources. My girls love reading the book that was included in the kit. The book provides a detailed, but engaging overview of the program and every time we read it, the girls get a fresh reminder of how they can be successful. The Kudo Banz app also comes with a ton of parenting resources and tips.
As you can see, Kudo Banz can fit into any family at any time. We plan to really utilize the Kudo Banz when our Elf on the Shelf joins us this Christmas season. I know our girls will love to see that even the Elf wants them to earn rewards. And also when it is time for our Elf to head back to the North Pole, we won’t have to scramble for a new parenting tactic. Kudo Banz works year-round!
