The key is to make children aware of what they’re doing well – or where there might be room for improvement – to help them grow.
Receiving recognition from a teacher can really fill a student with pride, boost their confidence, and brighten their day. It can provide them with a drive to continue to do well.
One way a lot of teachers choose to give praise is through classroom awards.
These can be used to highlight the best performers or even make light of a trait some of the students are known for.
Below, we’ve listed some of the best award ideas guaranteed to make your class laugh and smile.
The Best Classroom Awards To Make Your Students Laugh
We think these awards will get a giggle from the whole class:
“Classroom DJ” Award – For the student who’s always humming or singing a tune.
“Class Clown” Award – For the child who never fails to make everyone howl with laughter.
“Energetic Energizer” Award – For the student who never seems to run out of energy.
“Champion Chair Tilter” Award – For that student who can’t seem to sit on all four chair legs.
“Wriggly Worm” Award – For the student who can never sit still.
“Shoelace Specialist” Award – For the student always tying their shoes (or someone else’s).
“Dancing Queen / King” Award – For the student who can’t resist a good groove.
“Walking Encyclopedia” Award – For the one who’s full of (often random) facts.
“Most Dramatic Yawn” Award – For the student with the most exaggerated yawn.
“Sleepy Head” Award – For that student who is always tired.
“Lost & Found VIP” Award – For the student who frequently visits the lost and found.
“Head In The Clouds” Award – For the student often lost in thought, staring out the window.
“Fashionably Late” Award – For the one who has perfected the art of strolling in right after the bell.
“Homework Archaeologist” Award – For the student who digs through their bag for ages to find their assignment.
“Debate Team Captain” Award – For the student who can turn any statement into a discussion or argument.
“Most Likely to Have a Snack” Award – For the one always munching on something.
“Indoor Meteorologist” Award – For the student who gives unsolicited weather updates.
“Time Keeper” Award – For the one who always asks how much time is left.
“Dramatic Entrance Expert” Award – For the student who always makes a memorable entrance.
“Desk Doodler” Award – For the budding artist whose canvas is the edge of their desk.
“Paper Airplane Pilot” Award – For the best (or most frequent) paper airplane maker.
“Chaty Kathy” Award – For that child who can’t resist a good chat – even when they’re supposed to be working.
“Hobby Horse” Award – For the student who always likes to talk about their hobbies.
“Wreck-it Ralph” Award – For that student who always seems to break something.
“Sass-quatch” Award – For the sassiest student in class.
“Budding Botanist” Award – For the student who shows a keen interest in plants or always takes care of the classroom greenery.
“Gum Guru” Award – For that student who always seems to be chewing gum.
“Napping Ninja” Award – For the student who has mastered the art of the discreet desk nap.
“Expressive Eyebrow Expert” Award – For the student whose eyebrows convey more than words ever could.
“Professional Puddle Jumper” Award – For the student who can’t resist jumping into every puddle after it rains – an award to make Peppa Pig proud.
“Unplanned Percussionist” Award – For the student who unwittingly creates drum solos with pencils and desk items.
“Mismatched Marvel” Award – For the student who boldly wears mismatched socks and makes it a fashion statement.
The Best Classroom Awards To Make Your Students Smile
Receiving any of the below awards is sure to make your class smile and fill the recipient with pride:
“The IT Guru” Award – For the student who is always able to help the teacher – or other students – troubleshoot their technology problems.
“Homework Hero” Award – For the child who always completes their homework on time.
“Academic Hero” Award – For the top performing student in the class.
“Best Whiteboard Writer” Award – For the student who excels at writing on the whiteboard.
“Hands Up” Award – For the child who never fails to put up their hand to answer a question.
“Brilliant Bookworm” Award – For the student who has read the most books during the semester/school year.
“Ray of Sunshine” Award – For the student who always brightens up the room with their positivity.
“Kindness Captain” Award – For the child who consistently demonstrates acts of kindness.
“Super Sharer” Award – For the student who is always willing to share supplies.
“Stellar Storyteller” Award – For the student who tells captivating stories during sharing times.
“Classroom Cheerleader” Award – For the one who encourages and cheers on classmates.
“Friendship Fairy” Award – For the student who always makes new students feel welcome.
“Shakespeare” Award – For the one who pours their heart into their writing assignments.
“Picasso” Award – For the child who showcases exceptional artistic skills.
“Eco Warrior” Award – For the student who always reminds others to recycle and care for the environment.
“Mozart” Award – For the student who showcases their love for music and their talent for instruments.
“Gratitude Guru” Award – For the student who always remembers to say ‘thank you’ and show appreciation.
“Cutest Pet” Award – For the child with the cutest pet – it’s best to get the class to vote on this one, or it might be a bit controversial.
“Best Of Friends” Award – This is another one you can put to the class vote. Ask the kids to vote for the person who is the nicest friend.
“The Busiest Bee” Award – For that student who is always beavering away at their tasks.
“The Mad Scientist” Award – For the child who excels at science class and experiments.
“The Mathematician” Award: For the student who always does well in math.
“Perfect Attendance” Award – For the student who always attends class.
“Next Level Listener” Award – For the student who has the best listening skills.
“Light Bulb Moment” Award – For the child with the best ideas.
“Champion of Change” Award – For the student who easily adapts to new situations or changes in the classroom routine.
“Resilient Rockstar” Award – For the student who bounces back from challenges with a positive attitude.
“Terrific Team Player” Award – For the student who works well in group activities and is always considerate of team members.
“Caring Companion” Award – For the student who is always there to lend a comforting word or gesture to classmates in need.
“Master Of Maturity” Award: For the child who has shown the most maturity in class.
“Boundless Believer” Award – For the student who inspires others with their unwavering faith in everyone’s potential.
“Empathy Excellence” Award – For the student who understands and respects the feelings of others.
“Pro Peacekeeper” Award – For the student who helps resolve conflicts and promotes harmony.
Top Tips For Giving Awards To Students
When
Doing an award ceremony at the end of the school year can be a lot of fun, but it can be even more rewarding to give them more regularly – perhaps at the end of each semester.
Knowing that there are new awards up for grabs each semester gives the children something to look forward to and something to aim for.
Setting The Scene
For the more serious awards, it’s the perfect time to shine a light on those students who have been doing well – and allow the rest of the class to see their success. This can inspire other students to work towards their goals.
For the humorous awards, it’s important that the class knows that these are presented in good fun – and no one is laughing at anyone in a mean way.
Instead, it’s an opportunity to have a giggle as a group and recognize what some students are known for – acknowledging their quirks – and present it in a positive light.
What To Do With The Awards
Some children might like to take their awards home to show their parents – this is particularly true of the best awards being offered.
However, you could also create an ‘awards board’ in your classroom, which is updated every semester.
Having the awards up on the wall in the classroom serves as a constant visual reminder of your students’ achievements.
In Summary
Having class awards can be a great way to bring your students together and help them recognize when they’ve done a good job.
This form of praise works really well in elementary school, but it can also be adapted for middle school and even high school students.
Presenting awards can also give the children something to look forward to and to aim for.
Having a balance of serious awards and funny awards keeps children engaged and can be a real source of joy.
Whichever awards you choose to present, remember to keep it light and positive. And most importantly, have fun.
Looking for more ways to grab your students’ attention in the classroom? Take a look at our call and response prompts.
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