Fundraising Ideas for Daycare and Playgroups

Playgroup and daycare fundraisers earn money to buy new toys and consumables, refurbish their buildings or pay for other upgrades. Here I look at some fundraisers which are particularly relevant to, and profitable for parents of very small children.

Write your own Playgroup recipe book

Playgroups and daycare centres have a high percentage of new parents, making them a perfect market for baby and toddler recipe books. Book fundraisers are easy and highly profitable, and every member usually knows plenty of other parents outside of the group who also have young kids. Recipe book fundraisers are straightforward – they don’t melt and have longevity (ie they can be used for more than one child).

You can custom-make your own recipe books, using tried and tested recipes from your own families. With only one or two people required to manage the process, members of the playgroup simply upload their recipes and pictures to a secure online website with easy to use software. Theme your cookbook such as Toddler and Baby Foods, Sugar-free Party Foods, Freezer-Friendly Foods, Toddler Lunchbox Ideas. Find out more here on how to make your own recipe book.

Start a School Journal

There are a lot of journals in the market that allow you to record your child’s journey from Kindy all the way to Year 12. They will have special pages dedicated to awards and excursions, first day of school photos, your child’s thoughts and memories and much more. These make a great fundraiser for ‘graduating’ families whose children are about to start school, and are profitable as well.

Artwork on plates, tea-towels and products

By the time children are old enough to hold a crayon, they are old enough to design their own plates and cards, especially if they have a little guidance from a patient parent.

There are plenty of companies who can turn your child’s masterpiece into permanent works of art – bags, tea-towels, plates, tiles or gift cards. Usually a picture is drawn on a specially provided piece of paper and then sent back to the company for printing on the chosen item. These fundraisers tend to be very easy and parents love them because they capture their children’s art in a permanent (and practical) way.

Find out more about companies that can help turn children’s artwork into meaningful keepsakes.

A Playgroup Party Plan Expo

This is a great idea especially if there are parents within your Playgroup who have their own business. There is a small degree of organising here, but the beauty of this event is that it is a fundraiser, a social event, a great way to learn about new products as well as supporting local and small business. Party plans don’t usually get invited to markets and fetes, so it would be a good opportunity to try something different within the community.

Simply invite representatives from all your local Party Plan groups to set up a stall at an evening (or day time) Expo held at your Playgroup (or local community space). Each business will donate a $10-$20 (or more) entry fee, plus a percentage of their sales on the day (optional). Charge a gold coin donation for entry and advertise not only to the Playgroup members, but to the wider community as well.

Each stall can be provided with a table and chair, but otherwise it is up to the business to bring their own products and signage. All your Playgroup needs to do is provide the space and advertise.

To help attract customers, consider asking each company to donate something that will go into a raffle or door prize.

Local Party Plans you might consider include:

Tuppaware

Enjo

Bodyshop

Jamberry

Lingerie

Bump Packs and First Aid

A first aid kit is not something brand new parents automatically think of buying, and it is only by the time kids are in playgroup that it becomes pressing that parents are well prepared. As such, first aid kits are great fundraisers for this group, particularly when run in conjunction with a child-focussed first aid course. It is also helpful to remind neighbours and family that first aid kits have use-by dates, and increase your potential customer base.

Personalised Name Labels

By the time children are at Playgroup they are old enough to leave their hat/jumper/drink bottle lying around. This is why it is a good time to buy name labels, especially in preparation for Kindy/Pre-school in the near future. Personalised labels are easy fundraisers and many companies offer passive fundraising that can operate all year round.

Author: Shannon Meyerkort