Pompom JarReward jar vs sticker chart: which works better?
Sticker charts, marble jars and pom pom jars are all token systems: a child earns something small for a behaviour you want to encourage, and enough tokens add up to a reward. They work the same way underneath. The differences are in how easy they are to see, keep going and share.
At a glance
| Sticker chart | Marble or pom pom jar | Pom pom jar app | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Daily routines with fixed steps | "Catching" good behaviour any time | Families with several children or carers |
| How progress looks | Rows of stickers | A jar filling up | A jar filling up, with physics and sound |
| Works away from home | No | No | Yes |
| Several adults can add | If they're at home | If they're at home | Yes, from their own phones |
| Ongoing cost | Printing and stickers | None after the jar | None (Pompom Jar is free) |
| Things to watch | Can feel like a checklist | Pompoms get lost or topped up | Screen time, if you let children tap |
When a sticker chart is the better choice
A sticker chart suits a fixed routine, like a morning or bedtime checklist, where each step gets ticked off every day. Children can see exactly which steps they've done.
When a jar is the better choice
A jar suits noticing good moments as they happen: kindness, patience, trying something new. There's no grid to fill in order, so every pompom feels like a little celebration, and young children instantly understand "when it's full, we celebrate". It's also why teachers love a classroom pom pom jar for the whole class.
Tips that work whichever you choose
- Be specific about the behaviour, and agree the reward up front.
- Make the first goal easy to reach, so the system earns trust.
- Praise out loud when you add a token; the attention is part of the reward.
- Prefer shared experiences over toys as rewards.
- Keep it positive: adding is more powerful than taking away.
Trying a jar
You can start with any jar and a bag of pompoms. If you'd like one on your phone that the whole family shares, Pompom Jar is a free reward jar app for iPhone and iPad: a jar per child, chore or habit, fluffy pompoms that tumble in, confetti when it's full, iCloud family sharing and an optional parent PIN. Read more about how a pom pom jar works.
🫙Coming soon to theApp Store