Alternatives to sweets as rewards?

[SawdustInMyHair]

I do not like giving out sweets as rewards/prizes but it seems to be fairly standard as I've even been told to get some to have to give to the kids when term starts 'to get to know them'!

I'm not at all comfortable with this. Food-as-reward isn't a healthy way to think about food or treats, and I have dentists in the family who would be livid if they knew! Makes me wonder if all the parents they get saying "Oh but she never has sweets!" are telling the truth and the kids are getting them at school instead... Also a lot of schools won't let children even bring in sweets in their lunch.

Anyway does anyone have ideas or use alternatives? Obviously small and cheap is an distinct advantage!

I love the raffle idea - also a way to teach probability

It is primary, but I think it's lovely that secondary doesn't remove thier desire for tat!

I raided the party section of KMart today as they had a sale on. Lots of packs of 4-6 for $1 or $2 Australian dollars. The glow stick items are particularly popular in my class: bracelets, wands, even found some glow stick yo-yos today. Sharpeners, erasers, pencils with bobbly bits on the end, the little paracute army men. Oh, and bouncy balls. Always the bouncy balls!

DS's year 2 teacher had a lottery system.

If they did something really good (for them) they won a lottery ticket. On Friday afternoon, they could choose a small item from her pencil case. The items included the likes of novelty erasers, pencil toppers, bouncy balls, etc.

If the DC were really good, they had more chance of winning, obviously. But even if they'd been a shit all week had a difficult week, but did one good piece of work, they were in with a chance.

She was an excellent teacher.

Oops! Next time I'll RTFT!

You could get one of these packs of. Piñata fillers there's 100 in them and should keep you going a while. Get a bag or box they have to put there hand in so it's like a lucky dip.

Wow I'd completely forgotten about collecting the balls from fountain pen cartridges. Blast from the past!

I have a box of "wondrous tat" which I use to bribe encourage the children. I also have a little engraved trophy which one child gets to keep for a week. I'm amazed at how excited and motivated they are at the prospect of just having a crappy little trophy on their desk.