Sentry Page Protection

Tip Store: Education: Fundraising

​Crazy Hair Stall

At our school fete we had a stall that was very popular with the children. The stall was called Crazy Hair and the children (or adults) lined up to get their hair sprayed a vibrant colour. You can buy the cans cheaply at the $2 shops and all you need are chairs, shade, lots of coloured hair spray and old towels or capes to protect clothing. The cans can cost $2 - $4 and you can get a few heads out of one can and plan your price accordingly. You will also have lots of older students who want to volunteer to man this popular stall.
​- Contributed by Kate, Hinchinbrook, 22nd February 2010

Student Art Show

Ask the teachers if they could get all the kids at school to create handmade birthday cards to sell at a stall... the school will have all the supplies already, the kids will be proud of their creation and you can guarantee they will all sell because no-one's Mum will leave their little darling's masterpiece as unsold!
- Contributed by Bel Bird, 13th February 2010

Community Entertainment Adds to Fete Atmosphere

Invite community groups to perform during the fete. Not only will the entertainment encourage people to stay longer, but family and friends of those performing will come (and buy) too.
​- Contributed by Kerri Morgan, 13th February 2010

​Personalised Badges and Magnets

What about hiring or borrowing a kit to make badges and magnets? The people bring photos along and you make them into magnets or badges - a nice item that sells well and is not too pricey either.
​-Contributed by Janis Bryden, 12th February 2010

​Surprise Jars

My daughter's school does a surprise jar - you use a empty jam jar and each student is asked to fill it - craft, lollies, soaps, toy - whatever they choose and then they are sold for $2 - great for pocket money purchases.
- Contributed by Janis Bryden, 12th February 2010

​Stall Ideas for a Successful Fete

For lucky dips go to a $2 shop or discount store where things go very cheaply. In the school staff room sell tea and coffee with scones (with jam and cream)or fancy biscuits if you know a good cook. Here's an activity from when I was at school many moons back: buy some apples or doughnuts. The kids stand with their hands behind their backs and they try and take a bite out of the apple or doughnut which is tied to a string and hung up. You usually give a prize or the apple or doughnut to the winner. The cost: around 50 cents per go for older kids. Also a car wash at $2- $3 per car is a good money spinner too.
​- Contributed by Wendy Duncan, 12th February 2010

An Easy Stall for Younger Grades to Run

I remember when I was in Year 2, for our class stall we all brought in a packet of poppers. The teacher brought in some ice and an esky and we sold them for about $1 each. It worked well just having one product with one price for the younger kids to be able to sell easily. If 30 students each brought in a packet of six poppers and they sold for $1 each it works out at $180. Also it is easy for the parents to donate as its cheap at about $2.50 a packet and the parents can just grab a packet when they are doing their groceries.
​- Contributed by Haley Pearcey, 11th February 2010

All Activities Just $1

I have been to several school fetes in my time and one always stands out. The kids and myself had a great time together. All activities were $1. They had a lot of items donated by parents and they only did one fundraiser for the year, so all planning was around the one event. They had things like glass jars filled with many things that parents wouldn't want but kids love like McDonalds toys and toy cars and small dolls with lollies and balloons. All the jars were different shapes and sizes. Each jar was numbered and it was a lucky dip into a big barrel to pull out your number. If every family brought a few filled jars it wouldn't take long to have heaps, especially if you did it at the same time each year and parents had time to clean out toy boxes. The other idea they did was to place straws in the sandpit, again with numbers on the ends buried in the sand. They would receive different prizes depending on the number on the bottom of the straw. They used some donated items that kids really wanted in the mix. They had a board with all the numbers and prizes listed on it, things like vouchers and swim passes, t-shirts and hair things etc. The kids just kept wanting to try it again to see if they could get something really cool. We had a great time and it really didn't cost heaps. The kids all came away with something. Plus you can recycle the items again the next year.
​- Contributed by Janelle Porter, 11th February 2010

Lucky Icy Pole Sticks Sell Well

Try asking some of the local businesses, especially the $2 shops, as they will often donate things for lucky dips. Lucky icy pole sticks and the prizes can be icy poles. Get the grade sixers involved, they have great ideas such as face painting or nail polish painting. Decorating Marie biscuits with home made icing and lollies and 100s and 1000s is a good stall. Get each student to donate an item for a themed food hamper raffle. We received so much stuff we had 17 prizes and some leftovers for special prizes for the fishing game a wading pool with home made paper fish with paper clips on their heads, the fishing poles had magnetic attached to try and catch the fish with).
​- Contributed by Janine Benson, 11th February 2010

Theme Unites Stalls for Fete Success

​The best stalls are the ones that give you a sense of value for money, don't charge too much as the aim is to have nothing left. If you can put a theme to them that unites them all, then so much the better. Include cake stalls, jam and preserve stalls, second hand book stalls (ask for them to be boxed or bagged by category to put on the appropriate table), white elephant stalls, Christmas decoration stall, sausage sizzle, curry stands, pony rides, kids petting zoo, face painting, cool drink stall (cans and frozen cordial cups with a pop stick), fire truck rides from the local volunteer services, kids, babies and toddlers used clothes stalls. Ask local community groups (arts and craft) if they want to exhibit and sell stuff so as to add variety and bulk out the fete. Chocolate wheels and the lucky bottle stalls are also fun.
​- Contributed by Julie Ismail, 11th February 2010

​Sell Lolly Trees at a Lolly Tree Stall

As I am a teacher I have been involved in many a school fete. From experience lolly trees are always popular. They are made from styro foam balls ( medium size), dressmakers pins ( with a ball end), lollies with wrappers ( such as Minties, toffees etc) and a glittery pipe cleaner. All you do is pin the lollies around the ball working up from the base (it will form a triangle shape)then once the ball is covered in lollies, shape the pipe cleaner into a star and stick into the top. (We had a Christmas fetes so it was like a Christmas tree). These were always popular and sold for $3.We were always the first stall sold out. We always had parents donate the items as Crazy Clarks etc sell these items quite cheaply. The students made them with the help of parent helpers. Other popular things were coloured hair spray in hair for $2, chocolate wheel and glow sticks if it's a night time fete. Hope this helps.
​- Contributed by Emma Stewart, 11th February 2010

​Have a Bottle Stall

​At our school, one of the ideas is a bottle stall. Each child brings a bottle or jar filled with something. A number is placed under the bottle and you pay for a ticket with a number on it and then when you match it with the bottle you get to keep it. Ideas to put in them are lollies, cotton balls, marshmallows, sauces etc. Also, for lucky dips eBay has a good selection under toys under wholesale lots. Also if you Google lucky dips there are Australian sites that sell bulk lucky dip items. Pancakes and donuts are always popular, hotdogs are easy to do. Or spiders with soft drink and ice-cream.
​- Contributed by Sonai Tsaousoglou ,11th February 2010

​Pick Up the Aldi Discounted Items for Superior Lucky Dips

In regards to items to add to your fete for lucky dips I would keep an eye out on Aldi. Many items are heavily reduced after a week or more and you can pick up lots of bargains. Items can include toys, make-up, specialty chocolates and lollies, home items. The list is endless.
​- Contributed by Megan Hall, 11th February 2010

​Bundles of Books Prove Popular

We had a very popular stall for our church fete. Beg your friends (especially the ones who cook and buy the more expensive food magazines) for some of their old magazines. Make them up into bundles of 6 and tie with gold ribbon from the $2 shop. You can sell them for about $5.00 as each are usually worth from $7 - $9. Good luck.
​- Contributed by Helen Oxley, 11th February 2010

​Have Each Year Level Responsible for One Fete Stall

The local school has done this for 30 years. Each year level brings in certain items i.e Prep balloons, Year 1 stickers or finger nail stencils ($1 at cheap shops), Year 2 rubbers and pencils etc. We also do the lucky bag stall- instead of bottles (no glass on the oval). I put handmade vouchers in the ziplock bags - $1 voucher towards a bottle of water or BBQ stall run by the school - children get food cheaper and will spend the voucher anyway. Also have a stall where Year 7 "babysit" shopper's bags of plants and food etc for $2. People hate lugging heavy items around. Also have a can day every 2 months - everyone at the school donates a can of food - dog or cat food, baked beans etc - towards the fete day and you have instant hampers to make up and raffle off. Every donated can supplier goes into the draw for the class to have free time or an extra book from the school library.
​- Contributed by Selena Cosgrove, 11th February 2010