Everyone who has done something as a kid has been given a participation award. Something that says, “Congratulations, you did something,” but it is not actually meaningful. Participation trophies are a way to make kids feel better about themselves. Parents and children’s competitions justify this in several ways: some arguments include points such as awards based on winning can make kids resent sports if they do not receive one. 

Participation trophies do have some merit, as they have made many people want to participate in sports despite not doing well. Others argue that instilling a need for competition is better than telling everybody they are doing a good job. 

Either way you look at it, participation trophies can be useful to inspire kids to pursue their dreams and passions without the need to succeed being held over their heads. Envy is an ugly thing, and having participation trophies mitigates that early by making every participant have the same reward. They are ultimately a good thing that allows kids to pursue their passions without the need to do more for less. That is why I am of the opinion that participation trophies are good because they allow children to develop a genuine love for an activity and not just a love for winning, or an obsession with needing to win.