Encouraging Intrinsic Motivation: Play for Joy, Not Reward

BY NICOLE LAU

Childhood Internal Locus Building: Ages 0-12

Intrinsic motivation - doing something for the joy of it, not for external rewards - is internal locus in action. When children play, create, learn for the pleasure of the activity itself, they develop internal drive. When they do things only for stickers, praise, or rewards, they develop external locus. Your job is to protect and nurture their natural intrinsic motivation. Avoid reward systems that undermine it. Let them discover the joy of doing for its own sake.

Why Intrinsic Motivation is Internal Locus

Internal Drive: "I do this because I enjoy it, I'm curious, it's interesting." This is internal locus - motivation comes from within.

Self-Directed: Intrinsically motivated children choose activities based on interest, not external pressure. This is agency and internal locus.

Sustainable: Intrinsic motivation lasts. External rewards stop working when rewards stop. Internal joy sustains.

Builds Mastery: Children engage deeply when intrinsically motivated. This builds competence and internal locus.

The Undermining Effect of Rewards

Research shows external rewards undermine intrinsic motivation:

The Finding: When you reward children for activities they already enjoy, their intrinsic motivation decreases.

Example: Child loves drawing. You start giving stickers for drawing. Child's love of drawing decreases. They now draw for stickers, not joy.

Why: Rewards shift locus from internal ("I draw because I love it") to external ("I draw to get stickers"). This is external locus.

How to Encourage Intrinsic Motivation

1. Let Them Choose

What It Means: Offer choices. Let child follow their interests.

Examples:

- "What do you want to play?"

- Offer options, let them choose

- Follow their lead in play

- Don't force activities

Why: Choice builds intrinsic motivation. Forced activities build external compliance.

2. Focus on Process, Not Product

What It Means: Celebrate engagement, not just results.

Say: "You're really enjoying that!" not "Good job!"

Why: Process focus keeps motivation internal. Product focus makes it external.

3. Avoid Unnecessary Rewards

What It Means: Don't reward activities they already enjoy.

Don't: Give stickers for playing, reading, creating

Do: Let natural enjoyment be the reward

Why: Rewards undermine intrinsic motivation.

4. Support Their Interests

What It Means: Provide materials, time, space for their interests.

Examples:

- Child loves dinosaurs → provide dinosaur books, toys

- Child loves building → provide blocks, time to build

- Follow their passions

Why: Supporting interests nurtures intrinsic motivation.

5. Allow Boredom

What It Means: Don't constantly entertain. Let them find their own engagement.

Why: Boredom sparks creativity and intrinsic motivation. Constant entertainment creates external dependency.

When Rewards Undermine vs When They Don't

Undermining (Avoid):

- Rewarding activities child already enjoys

- Expected rewards ("If you draw, you get a sticker")

- Controlling rewards ("Draw this way to get reward")

Not Undermining:

- Unexpected appreciation ("I loved watching you create!")

- Information ("You worked hard on that")

- Natural consequences ("You built that tower!")

Practical Intrinsic Motivation by Activity

Play:

❌ Sticker chart for playing

✅ "You're having so much fun!" Let joy be the reward

Reading:

❌ Rewards for reading books

✅ Provide interesting books, read together, let them discover joy of reading

Creating:

❌ Prizes for art

✅ Provide materials, celebrate process, let creation be rewarding

Learning:

❌ Rewards for learning

✅ Make learning interesting, follow curiosity, celebrate discovery

What About Necessary Tasks?

Some things aren't intrinsically motivating (cleaning up, etc.):

Build Intrinsic Reasons: "We clean up so we can find our toys tomorrow" (logical reason, not reward)

Make It Engaging: "Let's see how fast we can clean!" (game, not reward)

Work Together: "Let's clean up together" (connection, not reward)

Natural Consequences: "If toys aren't put away, we can't get new ones out" (logical, not reward)

The Bottom Line

Encourage intrinsic motivation - doing for joy, interest, curiosity, not for external rewards. Let them choose, focus on process, avoid unnecessary rewards, support their interests, allow boredom. This builds internal locus - motivation comes from within. External rewards undermine intrinsic motivation and create external locus. Protect their natural love of learning, playing, creating. Let joy be the reward.

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Childhood Internal Locus Building series: Practical guidance for raising children with inherent worth.

— Nicole Lau, 2026