Magnetic chore boards, reward charts and sticker packs: what to buy

Paper first, board second

Print a paper chart and run it for six weeks. That is the test. If the chart is still working on week six, a board is worth buying. If it fizzled by week two, a board will fizzle too, only it will cost more and take up fridge space.

The paper chart tells you three things before you spend money. First, how many kids are on it. Second, whether your child likes stickers or magnets. Third, where the chart has to live. A board is the same idea made permanent, so get those answers right first.

Who should not buy a board yet? Families who have not kept a paper chart for six weeks, kids under three, and anyone who is hoping the board will fix a habit that has not been named yet. Go print a chart and start tonight.

If you need a chart to print, the chore charts hub has one-page PDFs for every age and job. The reward charts hub has the same for stickers and stars.

Magnetic chore boards

A magnetic chore board is a dry-erase board that sticks to the fridge. You write the chores once with a marker, and the child moves a magnet when a chore is done. No printing, no taping, no redoing the chart every week.

This board suits a family with one or two kids, ages six and up, who can read a list. It also helps if you are tired of reprinting the same chart because the child keeps changing jobs. The board lets you erase and rewrite in seconds.

The downside is real: no stickers. The reward line is just words on dry-erase, so it gets wiped clean. If your child needs to see a growing pile of stars, this is not the one.

See the reward ideas page for non-sticker rewards that pair with a dry-erase board.

Magnetic reward charts with star magnets

This board has slots and a set of star magnets. The child moves a star from the bottom to the top of the board when they earn it. It is the the same as a paper sticker chart, but nothing gets thrown away and you never buy stickers again.

It suits ages three to seven, one child per board. The stars are chunky and easy for small hands. The board hangs on the fridge or the wall, and the magnets hold the chart in place, so you do not need tape.

The downside: magnets go missing. A star slips behind the fridge, a magnet sticks to the washing machine, and suddenly you have eight stars left. Keep the box or a small bag near the board.

The magnetic star jar is the smaller version. It is a jar-shaped board with a lid that holds stars. You screw the lid on to keep the stars safe, and it takes less fridge space. Same idea, smaller footprint.

For more reward ideas that do not need a board, visit the reward ideas page.

Pocket charts and dry-erase pockets for a classroom

A pocket chart is a hanging chart with clear plastic pockets. You slide cards in and out, one per child or one per job. It is built for a classroom, but a family with four kids can use it on the back of a door.

A dry-erase pocket is a single plastic sleeve you slide a paper chart into. The child marks on the plastic with a dry-erase marker, and you wipe it clean. It suits one child who keeps ruining paper charts.

The table below sorts the boards by what your paper chart taught you. Use it to pick the right one.

The classroom page has more on using pocket charts with groups.

Pocket charts and dry-erase pockets are the clasroom option, but they work at home too. Pick the one that matches your child count and your fridge space.

Sticker packs to go with a board

Some boards still take stickers, and for those you want the right pack. Gold stars and round labels come in packs that fit the boxes on our free charts and on the boards that use the same 1.5 inch circle or 1/2 inch star.

Buy sticker packs only after you know your board takes stickers. The board listing will say the size. Match it to the sticker pack and you are set. The stickers page has the full list of what fits what.

Or keep printing

Here is the honest case for paper: it is free, you get a fresh chart for every new habit, and the child's name goes right on the chart. A board is one idea made permanent. Paper lets you change the idea every month.

The sign-up builder prints the child's name on a sticker sheet, a star chart, and a chore chart. It takes two minutes and it is made in your browser. Use it before you buy anything.

Print a responsibility chart for a tween who is too old for a board. Print a family chart when you need all hands on deck. The downloads page has every chart in one place.

If you are still deciding, read why stickers work before you open Amazon. Then buy the board that matches your paper chart, or keep printing and skip the board entirely.