How to raise the most amount of money for your PTA with the minimum outlay? Schools need increasing amounts of money these days to pay for equipment and outings so it is very important to come up with ever more imaginative ways of engaging children and parents to raise funds.
I have just joined a PTA at my son’s school and working in the toy industry should come in handy as I already have tons of great ideas. Hopefully, this means that our PTA will be able to have a record-breaking year!
Firstly here are some of the well-known, traditional methods of fundraising at summer fairs.
Face Painting
Children of all ages (and some adults too!) love to have their faces painted. There are lots of different designs to choose from depending on your skill level but the basic tiger and butterfly will normally suffice. Wholesale Face paints are so cheap these days that if you charge 50p or £1 you are sure to make a good profit. Just make sure you buy good quality face paint from a reputable importer. The packaging should carry the CE mark, the full ingredients list, and the name and address of the import company. If the pack you find doesn’t carry all three of these then DON’T BUY. The last thing you want is a pack of irate mums after you because their kid’s faces have had allergic reactions!
Popcorn & Candy Floss
Machines can be hired relatively cheaply these days and who doesn’t love popcorn and candy floss? The margins for both these snacks can be very healthy so definitely a must for your sweet-toothed guests.
Count The Candy
Fill a big jar full of smarties or other small sweets and charge people 50p to guess how many are in there. The winner at the end of the fair with the closest guess wins the lot.
Cake Stall
A summer fair would not be complete without a good array of homemade cakes. Ask parents to bake a small cake for you to sell or why not turn it into a competition and have your mini bake-off?
So there are some of the more traditional ideas for summer fundraising but if you want to make your event stand out then it is all about the quirky fun factor. Parents and children alike will be enthralled by some of the weirder events out there and the odder the better. So here are a few ideas.
Pirate Treasure hunt
Give each child a pirate eye patch and a treasure map that leads them to various clues hidden around the event. If they find them all and work out the location of the treasure then they win a prize. Great fun that can keep them entertained for 20 minutes or more.
