Good Ways to Use Bible Bucks

I love behavior incentives and so do my kids but with all the stuff I carry in and out of kids church every week, I didn’t need one more thing to remember. Instead of handing out novelties and candy each week, I open the Bible Bucks store once a month and let the kids spend their well-earned Bible Bucks on all kinds of neat things.
During the rest of the month, kids earn this valuable currency. Besides raising the attendance, distributing Bible Bucks has helped me achieve other ministry goals too. The bucks aren’t just great for attendance, I use them to encourage all kinds of good things.
Bring your Bible: Before our Bible Bucks incentive began kids rarely brought a Bible to church. Now they have them every time we meet. This incentive also helped me see who doesn’t have a Bible. I had extras and was able to send several Bibles home.
Bring an offering: This incentive encouraged me to teach about how to bring an offering to God and encouraged kids to do so. I have an offering machine, which is basically a balance with two buckets on either end that moves when you add in coins. Every week we hold a girls against the boys contest and see who can get their bucket lower. I give every child a Bible Buck for bringing an offering. (I always keep change handy so no one is left out.)
Remember a verse: Each week, I send home a newsletter with the next week’s memory verse on it. When kids come back the next week and repeat the verse (in my ear) I give them some Bible Bucks.
Return a coloring page: Sometimes I include a coloring page on the back of the newsletter. If the kids bring it back the next week, I give them five or ten bucks. It’s a good way to keep kids encouraged.
Bring a friend: Who doesn’t want to grow their kids ministry? I know I do! When kids bring a friend to kids church, I give them 100 bucks! If the visitor goes to another class or is an adult, we give the kids 50 bucks to say thanks! Kid visitors get BBs too!
Participate in charity events: About four times a year, I hold a canned food, toy or Easter basket drive. During this time, any child that brings a donation gets a certain amount of Bible Bucks.
Attend special events: Kids who come to our movie night or crusades get extra bucks.
Reward the Kid of the Week: The Kid of the Week program is a big deal to our group. My volunteers and I look for one or two children every week who best exemplified the Golden Rule. Each Kid of the Week gets 50 BB!
Celebrate random acts of kindness: Sometimes kids amaze me with their generosity. Helping a friend who fell, sharing a Bible. When these random acts of kindness occur, it’s good to celebrate and reward.
If you have a reward program like Bible Bucks, consider using these incentives to keep your kids encouraged.
You might also want to check out My Bible Bucks 2.0 – it’s a way to use an online rewards system.