Even the most motivated and well organized adult can benefit from having a readily available and easy to use reminder system to keep track of their goals and progress. If adults have Fitbits and beeping pop-up reminders on their iPhones, why can’t children have something similar to help them meet goals and earn rewards?
Thanks to Amanda Naqvi of Shelton, Connecticut, they can! Naqvi knew that positive reinforcement is the best way to motivate children to learn good interpersonal behaviors and to be encouraged to reach their developmental goals. Like many other parents she had been using sticker charts to keep track of progress and rewards for her young children, but the chart was on the refrigerator at home. Every parent has to take their children to the store, the doctor, the park and to visit friends and relatives and Naqvi found it difficult to duplicate the positive effect of the sticker chart while outside of the home.
In 2008, while a stay-at-home mom, Naqvi had established her own graphic design business, which she could run from home. Eight years later, drawing on her determination and entrepreneurial spirit, her design business had moved into its own office space and supported a team of 13 people.
Amanda Naqvi was featured as “Mom of the Week” on PartywithMoms on November 28, 2016. She explained that she has always been an entrepreneur, even before she knew exactly what the word meant. She sold handmade bracelets for 25 cents during school recess, and by the time she was 18 owned her own craft studio. Naqvi’s design background, artistic drive and entrepreneurial spirit, along with her commitment to providing her children with the best possible upbringing, were the perfect foundation for the development of Kudo Banz so that she would have a “traveling sticker chart.”
Each brightly colored wrist band can hold three kudo charms, which are awarded for good behavior. The third charm is the magical one that gains the child access to the reward wheel on an app on the parent’s iPhone or other device. Rewards can be pre-programed by the parent and child so they are customized to the particular situations and behaviors desired. The charms come in numerous design collections (dinosaurs, princesses, cats, superheroes, etc.) so they appeal to the child’s interests. Each starter kit comes with a special story book that introduces a child to the concept of using the Kudo Banz. The bands are designed to be used by children three years of age and older.
The Kudo Banz was officially launched on Facebook in late May of 2017 and interest spread quickly. Within only a few weeks, the Kudo Banz was awarded “product of the year” by Creative Child Magazine and a short time later was named a 2017 Parents’ Favorite Products Winner by Tillywig Awards. In August 2017 Naqvi and her sons were invited to appear on their local news station on live TV, and the Kudo Banz was awarded the Mom’s Choice Award Seal of Approval. In October of 2017 the Kudo Banz was presented at the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas and was an “Award of Distinction” finalist. Kudo Banz debuted on Zulily in November of 2017.
In February of 2018 Navqi displayed the Kudo Banz at the New York City Toy Fair to positive response, and in March the entire family auditioned to appear on Shark Tank. In an article by Maria Sciullo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on March 28, 2018, Amanda Navqi explained the importance of positive reinforcement because it is “about building a kid up instead of breaking him down!”
