School fundraisers that don’t need lots of volunteers

[ivelostmytrousers]

As part of a very small PSA, I’d like to run a small event at our primary school around Christmas, partly because it feels a nice thing to do and partly to raise some money for the school. The problem is we really struggle for helpers so need a few activities that bring fun to lots of kids but ideally only need minimal people. We’ve had success with treasure hunts that kids can do with their parents but don’t need people except to set-up, for example. But I can’t think of anything else like this! Has anyone got any advice?

How about film night? Fairly easy way to raise money and you just require some volunteers for the door/sell sweets & popcorn.

Similar to the treasure hunt, 12 days of Christmas put up in volunteers homes and then sell maps for the kids to do the route with the parents.

Disco?
Entrance tickets cover the cost of the disco.
Make your money on glow sticks and sweets?

Thanks everyone! Really good ideas! We want it to be located at the school so a festive film or disco is a great idea! We have tried the windows one before but had a few problems with people taking their numbers down! It’s a great idea when you have more reliable people though!

Our school does a disco charges £2 a ticket where they get a packet of crisps (from a multipack from a wholesaler) and a juice cup (think they’re called big t - a 24 pack for about £3) we charge £3 if we decide the disco is also giving out glow sticks, glow in the dark tattoos or stickers though! We have x3 teacher volunteers, one on the door, one on the music and one floating on the floor alongside 5 parents. Money made back is also a high turn out. We don’t decorate the school hall just have disco lights on and main lights off. If children want more drinks they get a cup of water from a decanter that they can do themselves and we use the school cups to save on money rather than buying single use plastic cups. It’s literally a 10 min set up and 10 min pack away. Disco is usually 1 hr for ks1 then 15min after that’s ended ks2 is for an hour too! A projecter works well for dance videos the children can copy otherwise you get them all running around screaming!

I’ve just stepped down as Chair of PTA for a very small school.
Our volunteer light, fundraising heavy events are:
Bingo
Sponsored matchbox challenge
Sponsored sticky facts
Christmas Shopping. Donations from all families. All children allowed to buy 5 gifts at £1 per item. Older children help the tinies wrap.
Ice cream Fridays.

Thanks@stampledo you do all year groups together for the disco (we have 3 classes per year) or separate?

Beetle drive or bingo night

Oooh @Bohemond23I love the idea of Bingo! Maybe the answer is to combine a kids Xmas movie in one hall and adult bingo in another hall….

I think disco requires a lot of volunteers especially if you’re 3 form entry. You can’t have all of ks2 at one disco - that’s 360 kids!! (Potentially)

Our school is 2 form and disco is split into 4 groups across 2 nights (eg night 1 redemption then y3/4, night 2 y1/2 and y5/6). They have lots of teacher stay to help and ask for parents too (they do run a bar for parents though so that requires extra helpers and sell glow sticks, snacks etc).

Low effort options are often best done in school time…non uniform, crazy hair or break the rules days. But of advertising and kids bring in a few quid. Or both schools I’ve worked in and where mine go have done Xmas cards where kids design a card then parents can buy cards, wrapping paper etc of their design.

I think at a summer fair we also sold kids raffle tickets to win prizes such as a film afternoon for their class, be head teacher for the day, PJ day for their class, non uniform day for their class etc. very easy and cheap to run but very popular.

Not festive but look into bags2school for fundraising.
Also are you signed up to one of the charity cash back this schemes so when people shop instead of them.earning the cash back the school does. Easyfundraising is one are school PTA uses.
Non school uniform day/ Christmas jumper t-shirt etc... is another one our school does.

Thanks all, really appreciate the ideas, agree some of the off-line fundraisers are probably more effective but we were hoping to do something in person, but so hard to know how big to go…really helpful ideas here, so thanks all!

Second hand lucky dip organised by and manned by year 6. Get everyone to bring in stuff they no longer need, wrap it up and put it in a big ice bucket (get majestic to lend you one) filled with shredding. On the day it is easy for yr 6 to man it. Keeps tat out of landfill so not looking to parents to buy a load of plastic.

Thanks @Londonmummy66that sounds like a great way to clear out our mounds of party bag tat we’ve built up over the years as well! Thanks for responding!

Christmas family quiz night

School is small so only one year group per year… that’s why ks1 first then ks2 afterwards. In a school of say four classes per year it could get difficult as you may have to spread the discos over the week. Or just do first come first served discos tickets. A parent literally makes the tickets online, prints, hands to office and office sell them from there

Thank you @sciaticafanaticaand @stample