Behavior Chart
A weekly behaviour chart for a child: a few clear goals, a box for each day to mark with a star or sticker, and the reward.
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| Name | [child's name] |
| Week beginning | October 14, 2026 |
| Goal | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [one goal per line] |
What is a Behavior Chart?
A behavior chart is a weekly grid for a child: a few clear goals down the side, a box for each day, and a star or sticker whenever the child meets a goal. It makes expectations visible, gives the child a small win to notice every day, and links the week to a reward agreed in advance. Without a shared chart, expectations can shift from day to day and praise can depend on the adult’s mood. Fill in the behavior chart on this page, then print it and put it where your child can see it.
Parents use behavior charts to build routines, such as getting ready for school, bedtime, homework and tidying up, and to encourage behaviors such as sharing, using kind words and listening the first time. Grandparents, babysitters and other caregivers can follow the same chart, so the child hears the same expectations from everyone. Teachers use similar charts in class, and a chart can help during a change, such as a new school year, a move or a new baby. It suits young children who are motivated by something they can see and count.
Approaches differ between homes, schools and programs. At school, the teacher follows the school’s behavior policy, and a child with an IEP, a 504 plan or a behavior intervention plan may already have goals set by the school team, so talk to the teacher before starting a home chart and keep the two consistent. Licensed child care programs follow their state’s child care licensing rules on guiding behavior. If you are unsure whether a behavior is typical for your child’s age, or a chart is not helping, talk to your child’s pediatrician or the school counselor.
A behavior chart is a way to notice and encourage what goes well. It is not a punishment record: stars, once earned, stay on the chart, and misbehavior is better handled separately, calmly and briefly. It is not a diagnosis, and it will not solve problems that have a cause the chart cannot reach, such as poor sleep, worries at school or a learning difficulty. It is also meant to be temporary; as routines become habits, the chart can be phased out.
What to put in a Behavior Chart
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Child's name | For example: Aarav |
| Week beginning | Free text |
| Goals | One goal per line |
| Reward optional | For example: 5 stars this week = a trip to the park on Sunday |
How to use a behavior chart
Choose a few goals and say them positively
List one goal per line; three to five is usually plenty. Describe what you want to see, not what you want to stop: ‘Use kind words’ rather than ‘No yelling’, and ‘Put toys in the bin before dinner’ rather than ‘Don’t leave a mess’. Each goal should be specific enough that you and your child would agree on whether it happened that day.
Match the goals to your child’s age
A preschooler may manage one or two simple goals, with a picture beside each and a sticker straight away; a school-age child can handle a few more and wait for a weekly reward. Choose goals your child can already do on a good day, so the chart encourages doing them more often. Involve your child in choosing the goals and the reward, so the chart feels like theirs.
Agree on the reward in advance
Enter the reward and the target that earns it, such as ‘15 stars this week = choose Saturday’s family activity’. Keep rewards small and frequent rather than large and distant; time with you, a trip to the park or an extra story can mean more than a toy. Set the target so your child can reach it in the first week, then raise it gradually.
Mark the chart at the same time each day
Choose the Monday that starts the week, because the chart runs Monday to Sunday. Put it where your child can see it, and add the stars together at a set time, such as before bed, with specific praise: ‘You got dressed by yourself before breakfast.’ Make sure every adult at home uses the same rules. If a goal was not met, leave the box empty and try again tomorrow.
Review the week and adjust
At the end of the week, give the reward promptly if it was earned, and talk with your child about what went well. If a goal was rarely met, make it smaller or clearer; if it was met every day, replace it with a new one or drop it. As goals become habits, give stars on fewer days, then retire the chart altogether.
Behavior chart example
A week of everyday goals for a six-year-old, with the stars earned each day, the reward agreed in advance and a short review at the end of the week.
Behavior chart example: a week of routines
Behavior Chart
Name: Jamie · Week beginning: October 12, 2026
Goals, Monday to Sunday (☐ = not yet)
Get dressed before breakfast: ★ ★ ★ ☐ ★ ★ ★ (6 stars)
Use kind words with my sister: ★ ☐ ★ ★ ☐ ★ ★ (5 stars)
Put toys away before dinner: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☐ ★ (6 stars)
In bed by 7:30 p.m.: ★ ★ ☐ ★ ★ ☐ ★ (5 stars)
Total: 22 stars
Reward: 18 stars this week = Jamie chooses next Saturday’s family outing
Sunday review
Reward earned. ‘Use kind words’ was the hardest goal, so next week it becomes ‘Ask before taking your sister’s toys’, which is easier to see and praise.
Common mistakes
- Writing too many goals, or vague ones such as ‘Be good’, so the child cannot tell what earns a star and loses interest within days.
- Taking away stars the child has already earned as a punishment, which turns the chart into a source of conflict and makes the reward feel out of reach.
- Setting the target so high that the child cannot reach it in the first week, which teaches them that the chart is not worth the effort.
- Marking the chart only on some days, or letting each adult apply different rules, so the child cannot predict what earns a star.
- Promising a reward and then delaying it or forgetting it, which undermines the child’s trust in the chart and in the adult’s word.
Frequently asked questions
How do you use a behavior chart?
Choose a few specific, positive goals and write them on the chart with your child’s name and the week. Agree on a small reward and how many stars earn it. Each day, at a set time, add a star or sticker for every goal met, with specific praise. At the end of the week, give the reward if it was earned, talk about what went well, and adjust the goals.
What rewards can you use on a behavior chart?
Small rewards that can be given soon are easiest to keep up: choosing a family game or dinner, a trip to the park or library, an extra bedtime story, or an activity with a parent. They do not need to cost money, and time together often means more than a toy. Match the reward to your child’s age and interests, agree on it before the week starts, and give it promptly once it is earned.
What age is a behavior chart for?
There is no set age, but simple star charts tend to suit children of preschool and elementary school age. For a young child, keep to one or two goals with pictures, and give the sticker or small reward straight away. Older children may prefer earning points toward a privilege, or a written agreement they help to draft. If a chart stops interesting your child, it may have done its job.
What goals should I put on a behavior chart?
Pick a few specific behaviors that your child can manage on a good day and that you want to see more often: getting dressed before breakfast, putting shoes by the door, finishing homework before screen time, using kind words with a sibling or being in bed by a set time. Write each one as something to do, not something to stop, so you can both tell when it has happened.
Should you take stars away for bad behavior?
Generally, no. A behavior chart works by noticing what goes well, and removing stars that were already earned turns it into a punishment tool and can make the reward seem out of reach. Deal with misbehavior separately, with a calm, brief and consistent response, and let the chart keep counting the good moments. If difficult behavior is frequent or getting worse, talk to your pediatrician or the school counselor.
How long should you use a behavior chart?
There is no set length; use it while it is helping. When your child meets a goal almost every day, replace that goal or drop it. When most of the goals have become habits, give stars on fewer days and then retire the chart, ideally with a small celebration of what your child has learned. You can bring it back for a while during a change, such as a new school year.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.