Bonus chores are optional extra jobs beyond a child’s normal responsibilities.

They give kids a way to choose additional work, help the family, and earn extra S’mores.

A Bonus chore should feel like an opportunity—not a regular chore renamed so the child has to earn basic family expectations.

What Makes a Chore a Bonus

A Bonus chore is:

• Optional
• Extra
• Available for a family member to claim or complete
• Connected to an additional S’mores value
• Separate from the normal assigned chore list

Examples:

• Organize the shoe area
• Help fold towels
• Sweep the porch
• Clean a shared shelf
• Help prepare for guests
• Wash the family car
• Sort a donation box
• Help a sibling with a family task

How S’mores Are Awarded

The person who claims or completes the Bonus chore receives the full S’mores value.

After the S’mores are earned, they can be allocated between that person’s Spend and Save accounts.

Example:

Bonus chore: Organize the game shelf
Value: 30 S’mores

Maya completes the chore and receives 30 S’mores.

If her allocation is 20 to Spend and 10 to Save, the earned amount is divided after she receives the full chore value.

Choose Useful Bonus Chores

A good Bonus chore:

• Solves a real household need
• Has a clear finish line
• Fits the child’s age and ability
• Has a fair value
• Can be reviewed easily
• Is not already expected as a normal chore

Bonus works well for seasonal work, family projects, and extra weekend help.

Keep Regular Responsibilities Separate

Children should know which chores are normal responsibilities and which ones are extra opportunities.

Regular:

• Put your own laundry in the hamper
• Clear your dinner plate
• Feed your assigned pet

Bonus:

• Fold a basket of family towels
• Organize the coat area
• Help clean the garage

If every normal responsibility becomes Bonus, children may start negotiating for S’mores every time they contribute.

Set a Fair S’mores Value

Bonus chores often earn more than a small daily chore because they require extra effort.

Consider:

• Time
• Effort
• Skill
• Family impact
• Whether the child can choose when to do it
• Whether approval or Photo Proof is required

A simple guide:

• 10–20 S’mores for a quick extra task
• 25–50 S’mores for a larger chore
• More for a special project, based on the family reward system

Keep values consistent enough that kids understand the system.

Explain How Claiming Works

Tell the family:

• Who can see the Bonus chore
• Whether one person can claim it
• What counts as completion
• Whether approval is required
• What happens if two people start at the same time

Exact claim behavior should be verified in the current app.

If the product does not reserve a Bonus chore during work, use a family rule to avoid duplicate effort.

Add Clear Instructions

Bonus chores should not be vague.

Instead of:

Help in the garage.

Try:

Put all sports balls in the blue bin and place the bikes against the wall.

Add a Smart List, photo, or Parent Approval when the result needs more structure.

Use Approval for Bigger Bonus Chores

Parent Approval can help when:

• The chore earns a larger amount
• Quality matters
• The work is new
• The parent is not nearby

When rejected, the chore returns to the assigned or completing family member so the work can be corrected and resubmitted.

S’mores wait until approval.

Use Bonus to Support Choice

Bonus chores give kids a way to decide:

• Whether to earn more
• Which extra job fits them
• Whether to spend or save the S’mores
• How quickly to work toward a larger Reward Shelf goal

This can make the system more engaging without turning every chore into a game.

Review Bonus Chores in Weekly View

Use Weekly View to notice:

• Which Bonus chores were completed
• Who is choosing extra work
• Whether values feel fair
• Whether one child is claiming everything
• Which chores never get chosen
• Whether the list needs fresh options

Remove Bonus chores the family no longer needs.

Common Questions

Is a Bonus chore the same as As Needed?

No. Bonus means the work is optional extra earning. As Needed means the work appears whenever the need comes up and can be completed repeatedly.

Can more than one child complete the same Bonus chore?

Confirm current claim and completion behavior. Use Collaborate if the job is meant for several people.

Should every child have equal access to Bonus chores?

Offer age-appropriate options so everyone has a fair way to earn extra S’mores.

Can Bonus use Parent Approval?

Yes, where supported.

Can Bonus chores repeat?

Confirm the available schedule and claim behavior. A recurring optional task may be better as As Needed in some cases.

Best First Action

Add one Bonus chore this weekend.

Give it a clear finish line and a S’mores value that feels worth the extra effort.

Related Articles

• Chore Types in S’moresUp
• How As Needed Chores Work
• How to Assign Chores
• Rewards and S’mores