The Reward Shelf shows children what they can work toward with S’mores.

A useful shelf includes rewards the family can honor and children actually care about.

Start small.

One easy reward and one larger goal are enough.

What a Reward Can Be

Rewards may include:

• Privileges
• Experiences
• Family activities
• Items
• Allowance or Cash-Out choices
• Extra time
• One-on-one time
• Special responsibilities

Examples:

• Choose the family movie
• Pick dinner
• Extra game time
• Stay up 15 minutes later
• Choose the weekend activity
• Save toward a book
• Family game night

A reward does not need to cost money.

Quick Start

1. Open the Reward Shelf from a parent profile.
2. Create a reward.
3. Give it a clear name.
4. Add a S’mores cost.
5. Choose who can see or use it.
6. Turn approval on or off.
7. Save it.
8. Show the child how to request it.

Exact reward fields and navigation should be verified.

Choose a Clear Name

Use a name the child understands.

Good examples:

• Choose Friday movie
• 30 minutes of game time
• Pick Sunday dessert
• Save toward a new book

Avoid names such as:

• Special reward
• Good behavior prize
• Parent choice

The child should know what the reward means before requesting it.

Set a Reachable Cost

A small reward should be reachable.

Example:

If the child earns about 50 S’mores per week, a 100-S’mores reward may feel possible.

A 5,000-S’mores small reward may feel imaginary.

Create different levels:

• Small reward
• Medium reward
• Larger goal

This gives children a reason to Spend and a reason to Save.

Choose Individual or Shared Use

S’moresUp does not currently have a true pooled Family Reward account.

For a reward used by one child, connect it to that child’s choices.

For a reward enjoyed by the whole family:

1. Choose one family member’s account.
2. Pool S’mores into that account if needed.
3. Redeem the reward from that account.
4. Use the reward together.

Examples:

• Family movie night
• Pizza night
• A family outing
• Game night

Make the funding rule clear.

Use Reward Approval

Approval gives the parent a chance to check:

• Does the child have enough S’mores?
• Is the timing appropriate?
• Does the reward affect money or the family schedule?
• Has the reward already been used?
• Can the family honor it now?

When approved, the required S’mores are deducted automatically.

When rejected, the deduction does not happen because approval is required before redemption.

Keep the Shelf Current

Remove or update rewards when:

• The child no longer cares about them
• The family cannot honor them
• The cost is too high or low
• The season changes
• The privilege no longer fits
• A larger goal is complete

An outdated shelf weakens motivation.

Let Children Help Choose Rewards

Parents keep control of the final shelf.

Children can still suggest:

• Privileges
• Experiences
• Activities
• Savings goals
• Family rewards

This creates ownership without handing over the whole reward system.

Avoid Making Every Choice a Reward

Children still contribute because they are part of the family.

Use rewards to:

• Support a new habit
• Recognize extra effort
• Build saving skills
• Make progress visible
• Add a little fun

Do not make every normal responsibility a negotiation.

Reward Examples by Age

Younger children

• Pick the bedtime story
• Choose the family song
• Extra playtime

School-age children

• Extra game time
• Choose dessert
• Pick the family movie

Tweens

• Choose an activity
• Extra creative time
• Save toward a hobby item

Teens

• Allowance Cash-Out
• Save toward a larger purchase
• Choose a family outing
• Extra independence tied to responsibility

Common Problems

Children ignore the shelf

Ask what they care about and replace old rewards.

Rewards are redeemed too often

Raise selected costs or reduce earning values.

Nothing feels reachable

Add one smaller reward.

Parents keep rejecting requests

Make the family rule clear before the request.

A family reward has no shared account

Pool S’mores into one member’s account.

Common Questions

Can children create rewards?

Parents create and manage rewards in the confirmed product model.

Can rewards require approval?

Yes.

Are S’mores deducted at request time?

They are deducted automatically when the reward is approved.

Can rewards be non-money?

Yes.

Does Reward Shelf require Premium?

Wallet is not behind Premium. Verify any individual advanced reward controls.

Best First Action

Create one reward the child can reach in a few days.

Set the cost, explain the approval rule, and let the first completed chores move them toward it.

Related Articles

• How Reward Requests and Approval Work
• How to Use Non-Money Rewards
• How Many S’mores Should a Chore Be Worth?
• How to Use Rewards for One Child or the Whole Family