Using a Treasure Box in Your Kindergarten Classroom

Suddenly, your principal takes the microphone at the end of the day and says “These past couple of weeks have been a challenge, but I have seen every single teacher in this building go above and beyond when needed. I’ve asked PTO to purchase lunch for all staff to show how much we appreciate you. Enjoy lunch on us tomorrow!” 

That would totally pick my spirits up! Just a little bit of positive reinforcement can go a long way. It’s powerful stuff. Receiving incentives and rewards can change your whole outlook on the task at hand.

The same concept works with even your youngest students. Just a little bit of positive reinforcement can be enough to push students through tough days and encourage the kinds of actions that can make your classroom a special place to teach and learn.

One way to provide positive reinforcement in kindergarten is to include a treasure box in your classroom management plan. When done well, a treasure box can be all the motivation your students need!

What is a Treasure Box in Your Kindergarten Classroom?

Motivating students in your classroom can be very simple. It’s no secret that kids love to be rewarded. Positive reinforcement is a key element in education.

A treasure box includes tangible (like toys and stickers) or intangible items (like tickets for rolling chairs and lunch fast passes) that students can use in or outside the classroom. Students reach academic, social, or behavioral milestones in the classroom and they earn trips to the treasure box. 

This can be done daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or semesterly. You can have one treasure box that works for all rewards or you can even have a few that represent different reward sizes.

Let’s take a look at the kinds of benefits you can expect to see once you have established your treasure box.

The Benefits of a Treasure Box in Your Kindergarten Classroom

Personally in my classroom, I implemented my treasure box with a PBIS points system using LiveSchool. By doing so, my students work harder, focus more, and are more inclined to follow classroom expectations.

Let’s take a deeper look into the benefits of using a treasure box in your classroom:

Collaborative Consistency

Think of it like working out. If you aren't consistent, you aren't likely to reach your goal. If you aren't consistent with reward usage in your classroom, it won’t be as effective as you'd like it to be.

The cool thing about the treasure box…your students will help keep you consistent! The treasure box is one of the very few classroom management tools that your students are likely to remind you to use!

Modeling Positive Behavior

Creating a positive classroom environment is what every teacher wants. When students feel “seen,” you are not only reinforcing their behavior…you are promoting that behavior to their peers.

The Positive Behavior Flywheel

Humans love being recognized and rewarded. When they are rewarded, they are more likely to show the preferred behavior again. This has a Flywheel Effect on your classroom that can sustain momentum throughout the school year!

How to Stock Your Own Kindergarten Treasure Box

Elementary school rewards do not have to be costly or complicated. What you fill your treasure box with is ultimately up to you! You can use things, privileges, or even events to motivate your students.

Tangible Rewards

Tangible rewards are physical things you place in the box that your students can grab, hold, and take with them. They cost money, but it doesn’t have to be yours!

Be Resourceful

If you prefer to stock your treasure box for your littles, use the resources you have! Communicate with families in your newsletter. When I am running low on treasure box items, I add them to the announcement section of my flyer. 

Contact your PTO and find out if there are any approved vendors/partners that can assist. Or you can start up a Donors Choose campaign. There are several routes you can take before using your own funds. 

Be Frugal

It’s no secret that teachers spend their salaries on items for their classrooms. I’m not arguing that you should…but there are many places you can purchase treasure box items without breaking the bank! 

For my littles, the Dollar Tree is my friend. I usually search for toy bundles there that have several in one pack so my dollars going as far as possible!

Know Your Students

Every single one of them. Know them. If you aren't sure what they would like...ask them! I ask my students after every quarter what things they would like to see in our treasure chest. 

The better you know your kids, the higher chance you have to fill your treasure chest with items they will be motivated to work for!

Intangible Rewards

Use Coupons

Instead of adding physical items to your treasure box, many teachers fill their boxes with student coupons. Coupons such as lunch reservations, teacher serenades, bringing your favorite stuffed animal for the day, or even a TikTok with the teacher! 

The list can go on and on. Working with littles is amazing because sometimes the best reward to them is just a little extra attention from you!

Use Experiences

The individual incentive is important, but so are whole group rewards. Events such as ice cream parties, partner work, snowball fights, and camp read away can be great rewards but even better community builders in your classroom.

Tips for Treasure Box Success in Kindergarten

Use Student Choice

Students LOVE to have a choice. In my classroom, specifically with challenging work, students have the option to be rewarded with LiveSchool points or the treasure chest. 

I like to utilize both of these rewards because in my experience allowing student choice leads to increased student engagement and better task performance. 

When you have increased student engagement, task performance, and excitement to learn…you have a classroom full of motivated kindergarteners!

Start a LiveSchool Store

Let me tell you…having a school rewards store has been a real game-changer for my school. We have a LiveSchool cart that comes around to each class and students cash out their LiveSchool points for items they would like. 

You can utilize this concept with your treasure chest. A student can “cash out” their LiveSchool points for an item in the treasure box.

You could also keep your treasure box and LiveSchool points separate by allowing students to use their points on school wide incentives or in a House Points competition.

Make Your Rewards Rock

LiveSchool’s website is designed for teachers like us. Use their FREE resources! They have a helpful page that gives educators ideas for rewards that rock.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve visited the LiveSchool site for inspirational ideas to reward my class. You search by grade, reward type, reward recipient, and even by the cost!

Student Success with a Kindergarten Treasure Box

Using a treasure box in the classroom contributes to student motivation and morale. When you implement a strong PBIS system in your classroom, classroom rewards can be a strong tool to use. 

While we still need more proven research on classroom management in kindergarten classrooms, there is one thing for certain: children thrive in school when they feel loved and motivated to learn.