My 6 year old grandsons enjoy a treat of going for tea in a local cafe every couple of weeks when I pick them up from school. The owner knows them now and greets them with the acknowledgement that they must have done something kind to earn their treat. There are table top wooden games like noughts and crosses for them to play and the remains of their cakes are put in little boxes for them to take home. A nice experience that they look forward to.
I pick up children's books and DVDs to have ready as treats for the younger grandchildren and keep their favourite ice lollies in my freezer. They don't have treats every time I see them, just intermittently. Sometimes, just spending time together is the treat, having pretend games and chatting whilst mum or dad gets on with chores.
Oldest grandson gets money every now and again, when I know he is going somewhere with his friends from school and would appreciate the cash.
As a child, I don't remember having many regular treats - a trip to the pantomime at Christmas, ice creams when on holiday, picnics in the summer, but parents and grandparents took the view that we should be seen and not heard, so no rewards for good behaviour. Wednesday was sweetie day - four of us shared bags of toffees - we got 4 ozs each and that was it for the week. My own children had a sweetie day, too - certainly no treats on a daily basis, but occasional ones like a trip to the cinema or a drive out for Sunday lunch with cousins.
When did treats become an almost daily expectation? Some children routinely get treats of sweets or little toys after school or whilst out shopping.