Looking for ways to celebrate your elementary students? If so, you’ve landed in the right place.
Here you will find a list of the best prizes for students in elementary school.
Let’s face it. Students sometimes need an extrinsic incentive in order to meet targeted goals.
That’s where these student reward ideas come in.
Use these fun prize ideas to keep elementary students motivated in putting forth their best efforts in the classroom.
Whether you’re seeking small, bulk, or individual rewards for students, this list includes a variety of good prizes for students in elementary school.
Prizes for Students in Elementary School
Following you’ll find lots of individual reward ideas for elementary students that they’ll absolutely love.
No Homework Pass
Give your elementary students a pass to not do homework one time or for an entire week.
Read In the Library
Allow students to read in the library at a time that’s normally off-limits to other students. Of course, coordinate this with the librarian.
Keychains
Once students achieve a goal, give them a cool keychain that will serve as a reminder of their good behavior.
Principal Reads to Class
Have the principal make a surprise visit to the class to read aloud a favorite book.
While there, you could even have students show off some of their best work to the principal.
Extra Computer Lab or Tech Time
Schedule a time for your elementary students to work with iPads or to spend an extra block of time in the computer lab playing online games of their choosing.
Mystery Prize
Gift students an unexpected surprise they’ll love.
Tangible rewards work great for this as they motivate extrinsically and serve as cheap prize ideas for students.
Teacher Assistant
For a day or a class period, students help the teacher with light administrative tasks such as taking attendance, helping navigate tech stuff during instruction, sending notes to the office, etc.
Read to the Class
During literacy block or at the end of the school day, have a student read his or her favorite read-aloud book to the class.
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Student Mentor
The student reads a story or completes a fun arts and crafts project with a younger student.
Help Design Bulletin Board
Students will help design and decorate one of the classroom’s bulletin boards.
Bookmarks
One of the most useful prizes for students in elementary school is cool bookmarks.
Create a set using Google Documents or Word. Consider adding a cool quote, positive affirmation, or meaningful image.
Special Seat
Whether it’s the teacher’s chair or a special chair that is normally designated to a specific task, consider using that space as a prize idea.
Dress Up Day
Choose a fun theme, and students come to school dressed appropriately.
Some ideas include dressing as a favorite author, a person from a certain decade, an object/character related to a current unit of study, or as a teacher.
Arts and Crafts
There is often little time in class for art activities. So why not make it one of your class prizes?
This prize for elementary students need not be complicated.
Painting, drawing, beginner’s origami, and simple arts and crafts projects with step-by-step instructions attached make great reward ideas for students.
Special Note Home
Parents will love receiving a positive message about their child. Even better is to hand-deliver the note to parents with the child present.
Choose a Classroom Job
For a specific time period, students get to choose whichever classroom job they would like to perform.
Alternatively, you could create a special classroom job that is only given to students as a prize.
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Lanyards
Lanyards make fun prizes for students in elementary school because they serve as a keepsake and collectors of more cool prizes.
What’s more, it can be used to encourage students to keep track of important, personal items.
Listen to Music While Working
Give students the opportunity to use headphones or earbuds while working on class assignments.
A second option is to have a student-friendly music playlist playing in the background while students complete activities in class.
No Shoes
For a class period, the student is allowed to take off his/her shoes while completing class work.
Eat Candy or Chew Gum
Allow students to eat a favorite candy or chew bubblegum while working on class assignments.
You could even give candy or bubblegum as a prize.
Classroom Cheer
For those students who appreciate public praise, perform a fun classroom cheer and clap in their honor.
Prize Box Trinket
If you have a prize box, students can draw a prize from it.
Trinket ideas include slap bracelets, pencil toppers, cool erasers, stickers, yo-yos, and key chains.
Find tons of ideas for filling your prize box over at the Oriental Trading Company.
Extra Recess
Most elementary kids love their outdoor time, so leverage this preference by carving out some time in your school day to provide students with extra recess as a class prize.
It’s a win-win for you and them. They get more time to play outside plus some needed sunshine and you get a breather from the four walls of the classroom.
Lunch With the Teacher
This reward is arguably one of the most popular prizes for students in elementary school.
How special some students feel having lunch with their teacher!
To make the event even more awesome, allow the student to invite a friend plus share a special edible treat with them.
Reward Coupon Book
You can create this one and then use the template again and again.
Make a booklet of reward and prize coupons that your elementary students can redeem throughout the school year.
Journals
Encourage students to keep a growth mindset by gifting them with a journal that they can use daily to record their ideas and thoughts.
Write On the Whiteboard
Students love drawing and writing on mini whiteboards.
To use as a prize, simply provide a board and a dry-eraser and let students doodle to their hearts’ delight.
To make the prize even more exciting, allow students to sit with a friend.
Prizes for Students in Elementary School: Q & A
What prizes can I give to elementary students?
For elementary students, you can give tangible prizes such as a certificate, trinkets, bookmarks, special pencils, or yummy treats.
Alternatively, you can give non-tangible prizes such as a classroom cheer or a positive phone call to parents.
What if I want to use a classroom prize box? What do I put in it?
A classroom prize box may be filled with goodies such as stickers, pencil toppers, party favors, bouncy balls, yo-yos, candy, and erasers.
Final Thoughts: Prizes for Students in Elementary School
Now you’re all set to recognize the accomplishments of your class using these fun prizes for students in elementary school.
See also … more great prize and reward ideas for students in elementary.