SCHOOL CHRISTMAS FAYRE!!!! - HELP!!! - Any ideas for stalls??

[gemmumofthree]

Hi all, this is the first time I have used mumsnet, it has been highly recommended by friends of mine! I am looking for fresh new ideas for stalls at our school christmas fayre this year. This is the third year I have organised the fayre and having 3 children to run around after means I have little time to be creative and invent new stalls! This is where I thought members of mumsnet may be able to help me! Please post any ideas for stalls based within the age range of 4 - 12 year olds. Many thanks, look forward to using mumsnet on a regular basis!!

Hi,

We did this one last year and it was very popular...if not noisy!

Blow up balloons and tie up, but put a slip of paper inside each balloon saying what prize they have won. Depending on how much you spend on the prizes, charge say 50p. Child picks any balloon and has to pop it to see what they have won.
takes a lot of puff to set this stall up.

Hi,

We did this one last year and it was very popular...if not noisy!

Blow up balloons and tie up, but put a slip of paper inside each balloon saying what prize they have won. Depending on how much you spend on the prizes, charge say 50p. Child picks any balloon and has to pop it to see what they have won.
takes a lot of puff to set this stall up.

oops, sorry about that.

Thanks for that, in my experience the fayre is noisy enough, so a few balloons going bang will probably go unnoticed anyway! Sounds a fun stall - bit like a lucky dip - thanks again!

We had a room where only children are allowed in and they pay £1 or 2 and choose a present for their mum or/and dad. The present is then wrapped by staff/older children manning the room.

Donations of gifts are requested in the run up to the fayre and then it's decided what gifts go to which stall, things like chocolates or bubble bath make good secret presents.

Last year ds, who was then 4 chose DH and I a jumbo tube of smarties!

Bless - I wonder who ate the smarties

We ran that stall last year, seemed a lot of effort for little profit toward the school funds!

I can't believe how quickly people respond on mumsnet, it is fantastic - thankyou and keep up the good work!

Also reindeer food is good and also exciting to sprinkle on the garden on christmas eve

That chocolate on a card is always popular with kids.
lay one pack of cards on a table put a sweet/choc/larger choc bar/box of chocs on each card and the kids choose a card from another pack and win whatever is on the same card.

Can I ask how much you charged per go for the chocolate on a card game? Also did it make much profit?
I haven't heard of this game and it sounds fun!

chocs all come from donations (where possible) and use mainly minature heros/similar.10-20p a turn and its all profit!Kids love it as they always win and its cheap enough for pocket money

Have six cards numbered with large numbers 1 - 6, a large dice and lots of small prizes (small toys, sweets, pens and pencils etc). Put a prize on each numbered card. Child rolls the dice and wins prize on card with same number as dice. Work out how much to charge per go by how much prizes cost and extra to make profit. Loads of fun. One tip - make sure you have loads of prizes because this stall will be busy and there will be a winner every time.

Thanks. I'm going to suggest it to the committee tomorrow.

Are you doing it all in house or are you renting out to local companies?

I meant renting stalls

What about the money tree.

tuck shop stall. Drinks/crisps/sweets/fruit etc..

kids tombola - all prizes are aimed at children.

adults tombola - prizes for adults.

decorate and ice biscuits, gets messy but kids love it.

Adopt an animal is a great money spinner we made £200 pure profit last year. Find the wine $1-- profit. STraws in the sand. Santas workshop (craft room) this year plaster of paris model painting, hama beads, necklaces and lace christmas cards

Wow, thanks for all the info! I am busy making notes ready for our meeting next wednesday! In answer to an earlier question our fayre is all in-house, we rented out stalls to outside companies last year, however, I don't think they sold much at all, so we have scrapped that one this year. Keep the ideas coming - they are great!!!!

Adopt an animal and the Money Tree both sound interesting, could you guys elaborate on these for me please

adopt an animal is fab takes a bit of work beforehand but virtually pure profit. Basically get donations of good quality used soft toys, if they are a bit grubby stick them through washing machine and tumble dry them (they go really fluffy!) put a name tag round their necks with a brightly coloured ribbon and put all the names in a hat. charge a £1 a go the kids pull out a name and then win the coresponing animal. I also take the animals photos and produce a mini adoption certificate for each animal as well with their name, birthday, likes & dislikes. The kids go mad for them sells out within first hour

Money tre is anothe pure profit send home envelopes and ask parents to donate a small amount of change normally get between 20p and £1 in each envelope. Then punch a hole in each envelope and hand on a small christmas tree with coloured ribbons. Charge 50p per envelope, somethimes they win more than that sometimes less and again the kids love it and it sells out really quickly

And just how much fun did you have there Bucksmum! Will remember that one for when my DD starts school next year.
How about cookie mixes in jamjars with instructions? Just weigh out the dry ingredients and layer them in with a funnel. lots of recipes on US fundraising websites. Buy Tesco's own or from a scoop&weigh shop and charge £2.

There are usually enough Phoenix Cards traders in any square mile to get a different one every year. Even if you had one last year and she's reluctant, she'll know someone else who would be up for it. The cards are very cheap and everyone always needs Xmas wrap.

Hamper tombola, ask for donations of luxury type foods and ethnic foods, use these to make up hampers e.g jar of indian spice mix, some poppadoms, chutney, rice (for an indian hamper). Then run like a normal tombola, I think they charge at least £1 a ticket, very popular with the adults and this stall has made hundreds of pounds at our fayre.

Love the adopt an animal idea. We do a Teddy Tombola but could sort out the better ones and do as you said.
Also on the money tree idea (another good one) how do you determine which envelope they get?
Is it random by picking a ticket or do they get to choose?

money tree they just pick an envelope of the tree