We think it’s time to introduce a fresh batch of stall ideas for school summer fetes! Now that Classlist is helping school communities in more than 25 countries, we’re lucky enough to get a sneak peak at all the great summer fair stalls that parent associations favour worldwide.
We’ve picked eight fresh school fair fundraising ideas that are sustainable, healthy and just a little bit naughty…
If you have a large enough field, and a friendly dairy farmer, this charmingly silly idea is sure to get your children excited. Mark out an enclosed area with a numbered grid and leave your cow to roam around. Children can place ‘bets’ on where they think the cow will do their business.
Of course, it’s very likely your school isn’t rural and doesn’t have friendly cows to hand, so you can also do this with guinea pigs or rabbits. You’ll just have to be sure to stage it in an area where they won’t be distressed by the commotion.
Winners (and there will be many if you chose a rabbit!) could get a poo emoji cupcake. These are easy to make, simply top a cupcake with a swirl of thick brown icing and a pair of edible eyes.
Again, a stall that children will find hard to resist! Ask parents to donate old pieces of crockery - perhaps an inherited set of plates they never really liked - then set them up in a bookcase or set of shelves. Children have to don safety googles and, from a reasonable distance, lob cricket balls at the crockery. There’s an enormous satisfaction in hearing the smash! You could offer a small prize to anyone who breaks an item. Hit rate is likely to be high.
Children love anything that breaks the rules at school, so giving them permission to dye their hair all the colours of the rainbow will be a sure-fire winner! Buy hair spray or hair chalks in bright colours and let them choose their favourites. Older children (with adult supervision) could man the stall and go to town with the styling.
If your school isn't keen on going all out, simply offer french plaits or a 'style makeover' - just don't let them loose with the scissors!
Ask parents to donate good quality pre-loved clothing in the month leading up to the fair. Then ask the headteacher and staff to volunteer to ‘walk’ the show. Get the children involved in the music and lighting and you might even manage to make this an educational event too. Consider putting an Anna Wintour look alike in the front row! You’re bound to attract a big audience so stage this at the beginning of the day and make sure everyone gets there early to get a good seat! This way, your visitors will hopefully stay at the fair for longer. After the show, parents can browse the racks and pick up a bargain.
Invite the children to splat their teachers! The only way you’ll get this past the committee is by explaining that the teachers don’t actually have to stand there as target practice. Ask your teachers to pose for silly or angry-looking photos, print them out in large format and laminate. Stick these up on a target board and pupils pay to throw soaking wet sponges at them or (more controversial perhaps) - shoot Nerf bullets at them. No prizes for hitting the target - just the delicious feeling of doing something you shouldn’t!
Ask for bottle donations - this could be anything that comes in a bottle! Wine, beer, soft drinks, bubble bath, olive oil. Fill up a wheelbarrow with all the donations and sell raffle tickets using Classlist’s online raffle tool. This is an easy one for parents to take part in - all they have to do is bring one bottle to school. You could stuff the base of the wheelbarrow with straw or shredded paper and tie the whole thing up in a huge bow for added visual effect. Someone will be very happy at the end of the day!
Corn on the cob has to be one of the easiest and most healthy, packaging-free snacks around. A cob drizzled with butter and a sprinkling of salt and pepper is delicious and easy to create and eat! Simply boil up in huge vats at a stall over gas burners outside, or transport from the school kitchen, poke sticks in both ends (a mallet is a useful tool here) and enjoy! Delish!
Stewed vats of coffee and weak tea just don’t cut the mustard these days. Invite a retro coffee van to park up in the playground and take a percentage of their earnings. Offer a discount for people who bring their own reusable cup. The van owners will be delighted to meet a whole new crowd of potential customers for future events - they may even give you an extra donation at the end of the day.
Good luck with your summer fairs - let us know how you get along!