Participation Trophies motivate kids to keep trying?
Everything that is learned during childhood remains with us for life. That is why participation trophies can motivate children (and later adults) to keep trying. Did you know?
Receiving an award trophy is a positive and joyous experience. When you first reach out to hold that prize in your hands you feel unique, special and capable of touching the sky with your fingertips. If you, as an adult, are excited to receive an award, can you imagine what it can do for a child?
What does science say about participation trophies motivating kids?
We have all heard of positive reinforcement but what does it mean? It is the stimulus that is received which encourages someone to continue with an activity, to strive to improve as an individual – and to work with others as a team. Positive reinforcement is also a thoughtful invitation to be kind to yourself and others, as every activity is not about winning.
Children will often be competing against more experienced participants. By presenting a trophy for participating, you are recognizing their effort, their value for being there, regardless of whether they win or lose. This, in the end, helps contestants stay motivated, making children push themselves until they are proficient and perhaps excel in activities they enjoy.
Kenneth Barish, professor of psychology at Weill Medical College, says that “giving trophies only to winners does not emphasize the other values that are important.” In other words, winning is not the only thing that matters.
When practicing a sport, “team players” do not seek only to show they are the best. For children, playing sports has a purpose, focused on developing communication and social skills, such as making new friends and working as a team.
That is why that first place trophy should not be the only goal, rather healthy coexistence and fun.
The importance of “keep trying”
Effort undoubtedly leads to success. However, it is easy for children to become demotivated. This is because they have not fully developed control of their emotions.
By bestowing a trophy for having participated in a cultural or sporting event, you are giving them an important message: keep attending, keep participating, keep trying, and you will know the satisfaction of doing your best and improving your skills.
Even more so than adults, children need to feel valued and admired in order to build confidence in themselves. This confidence will accompany them throughout the years, becoming part of their personality and, vitally important, for good self-esteem.
What happens when children grow up?
Participation trophies are very effective while children are young. We are talking about preschool ages up to 12 years old.
Between the ages of 10 to 12, participation awards become less important . While they are warmly welcomed, children have already developed the concept of competence and feel a genuine belonging to their team. At this age, they are committed to improving and being better than other players/teams.
Their confidence has been built on the work done during early childhood and is a consequence of the reinforcement that both parents and coaches give their children when they start in an artistic, cultural or sports discipline.
Give trophies or not?
For young children just starting out, participation trophies are a positive reinforcement of the importance of each child’s contribution to a group effort. Participation trophies can motivate kids to keep trying and help them develop positive images of themselves.
The goal of these trophies is to reward the work done and to recognize the dedication and positive attitude shown during the competition.
Find the best prizes and participation awards at The Trophy & Plaque Shack. Visit our catalog and find the ideal trophy for your competition and age of your awardees, or give us a call for a short consultation.
We have a wide variety of shapes, styles, colors and materials to meet virtually any need. If you wish, you can also design your own participation awards. Contact us for more information.
