Participation medals are rewards given to children who participate in sporting events or competitions but do not place. Although some people believe they set unrealistic life expectations and decrease the motivation to succeed, they may actually provide important advantages for kids. Here's why you should reward children with sports medals for participation.

How Participation Medals Benefit Kids

Children who play sports put a considerable amount of work into becoming good athletes. They sacrifice much of their time outside of school to attend practices and games, which shows commitment and passion. 

Participation prizes can reward this effort and encourage kids to keep trying. Additionally, they may function as physical symbols of the value of being part of a team and simply enjoying the experience of playing a sport.

Although participation rewards may offer a sense of satisfaction, they don't necessarily make children less motivated to win. Kids can tell the difference between rewards given for participation versus larger trophies and prizes given to those who place first, second, and third. When a child receives a participation prize, it can cause them to feel simultaneously less ashamed about not winning and more determined to work harder to earn the bigger prize.

Participation rewards may also show kids that there's more to playing sports than winning and losing. When everyone on the team gets a sports medal, it can create a more egalitarian atmosphere that may reduce signs of unhealthy competition, such as bullying or throwing tantrums in response to losing. 

How to Find a Middle Ground 

You can give prizes for participation while still recognizing individual achievements by customizing them to reflect success in specific areas. For instance, you might offer awards for improvement and good sportsmanship alongside prizes for getting the most points or goals during a game. These more personalized tokens of participation can provide kids with useful feedback about their performance and serve as positive reinforcement that inspires them to excel even further as athletes. 

When you want the kids on your team to reap the benefits of receiving participation rewards, order from Trophy Outlet. They provide sports medals in addition to personalized trophies and engraved plaques to clients throughout Wentzville, MO, Keokuk, IA, and the surrounding areas. Call (636) 283-6167 to get started on custom designs for your medals, or visit the website to browse gifts and accessories.