7 Preschool Fundraising Ideas

Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders and preschool-age children are at their most impressionable. Why not include them in your fundraising efforts? It’s never too early to teach them about responsibility and philanthropy. Including them in the fundraising process teaches the core values of generosity, hard work, teamwork, kindness, and creativity, while keeping them engaged with fun activities.

There are a number of fundraisers that are suitable to use with preschoolers. These activities are designed to prepare them for future success with marketable skills. Pick the idea that best fits your school’s culture, families, and community. Below are seven ideas to help you get started on your next preschool fundraiser.

Gardening

Gardening has been a well-known hobby for many households, and what can be a better way than to use it as a fundraising idea? Gardening is not a difficult task and can be fun as well as educational.

It is an innovative and eco-friendly idea where the children can learn basic plant cultivation techniques and grow vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce, and more. Once the plants grow, set up a vegetable stand where parents can pick up fresh fruits and vegetables grown by their own children.

Through this initiative, children will contribute to a greener world and help minimize global warming. It will also help them understand the importance of recycling and conservation. Being part of the growing and harvesting process gives children knowledge of where their food comes from and may make them more willing to try foods they wouldn’t normally eat.

Caroling

You do not need much of an introduction to this musical and fun-packed fundraising idea. This seasonal fundraiser can generate donations from a wide range of audiences depending on how it is organized.

Start practicing singing carols in the weeks before Christmas so that it is well-rehearsed. The kids can then go to every house down the lane in the school vicinity accompanied by the school choir or arrange for the class to perform at local businesses. Make sure to have a bucket or basket for the collection of donations.

Pizza Night

No one can resist a slice of hot, cheesy pizza! That’s why hosting a pizza night is an ideal way to raise money for kids. Pizza night is a delicious idea that is always a crowd-pleaser.

Keep your costs low by partnering with a local pizza shop. Many pizza providers have charitable programs that will donate pizza or a percentage of the earnings. If there is a popular pizza joint in town, try a discount card fundraiser deal.

If you are not able to collaborate with a pizza shop, you can host a make-your-own pizza night for added fun in your child’s school or your home. Since this requires a suitable facility, buy several large pizzas and charge by the slice for a fun-filled night!

Community Resource Fair or Festival

A community resource fair is a great way to raise funds with a fun focal point attracting a larger audience. This fundraiser is ideal for appealing to an entire community, giving the school exposure to a wider audience. Bonus! As an added bonus, these types of events tend to become annual traditions and can continue to help raise money for the school for many years to come.

To raise funds, charge fees to vendors by selling booths to exhibit and sell their merchandise, include vendors with services such as:

1. 1. - Bake-sales
    - Ticket sales
    - Contests and grants
    - Merchandise
    - Tutoring services
    - Food and drinks sales
    - Daycare and Babysitting services
    - Silent auction
    - Games and prizes

Choose a weekday or a weekend and set up the event inside or outside the school. Advertise the invitation to your community members. This type of event is great at generating community buzz and is exciting for the students to participate. Use these ideas as a starting point and get creative with your event. Include activities that appeal to everyone from students to grandparents and even the vendors. The key is to make the event fun for all.

Silent Auction

Auctions are a popular activity for both the buyers and sellers as they believe in attaining a good deal. When bringing the idea to the preschool level, it is best to make it a silent auction. Since there are students from different economic backgrounds, silent auctions make them comfortable in participating.

The main challenge you may face when organizing a silent auction would be finding an appealing item. You could ask local businesses and individuals to donate items for the auction. Popular items that are present in many auctions are gift cards, gift baskets, and more.

Another challenge is monitoring the auction process. Thanks to this digital era, you can use mobile bidding software. They help you monitor the attendees, volunteers, bids, and auction items.

Teachers in Jail

This fundraiser is suitable for all ages. Send a teacher to jail for a day. Ask the students and parents to help raise money to get the teacher out of jail. Set an attainable goal and be cognizant of the economic situation of the students who are participating.

Incentivize the class with a reward such as a special snack, pizza party, or extra playtime. Consider creating tiered rewards so the more money raised, the more rewards the class gets. You could even have different classes compete to see who raises the most money to get their teacher out of jail.

Yard Sale

Many children probably have a lot of items around their house they no longer use. If they’re still in good condition, why not sell them in a yard sale to raise money?

Encourage kids to gather the things they want to sell and ask family and community members to donate their items as well. Display all the collected items in a highly visible area to attract interested buyers. Make sure to set a reasonable price to ensure items sell.

If you want to draw more attention to your yard sale, promote your idea using flyers and posters. It is best to be done a week before the sale.

Conclusion

Preschool fundraising can be a difficult task, but there are creative and fun ways to include preschool students that are effective, educational and most of all, FUN! One last tip to help ensure a successful preschool fundraiser is to clearly communicate the goal and what the money will be used for. Creating a case for why the money is essential is crucial to supporting your fundraising initiatives.