If your Parent Teacher Group isn’t setting up a fall carnival this year you may be looking for other ways to celebrate this season of giving. From fun to fundraisers, here are five fall activities you can do to celebrate autumn and all it has to offer.
A Fall Activity to Open Hearts and Minds
The Thanksgiving season is the perfect time to take a lesson of gratitude and generosity. As the weather cools and the days become shorter, indoor activities are more common. What time is better to curl up with a fun book than autumn?
To encourage reading and compassion, host a book drive at your school. Encourage families to donate children’s books that they no longer use. Ask your local book stores and libraries for book donations. To make the book drive more fun, make book donation bins for each class and have classes compete to find out which class can donate the most books. The book donations can then later be used in a future book exchange so every student at your school is able to enjoy the holidays with a good book.
A Fall Activity for the Community
It is never too early to begin teaching kids the importance of community service. Celebrating the giving season by organizing a canned food drive is one of the easiest ways to do just that. Not only is a canned food drive good for the community and for students, but it is has a straight forward goal that kids in all grades can participate in.
For a little extra fun, the canned food donations could be used as points; now classes or grades can compete for the most points to win a prize of your Parent Teacher Group’s choosing.
A Creative Fall Activity
Carving pumpkins maybe a bit too messy to have at school. However, a fun and exciting way to allow kids to explore their creativity is to have a pumpkin painting contest. This fall activity calls for lots of pumpkins! Asking parents, or local stores and farmers to donate pumpkins could be helpful. Bigger pumpkins can go to older kids and younger students can paint miniature pumpkins.
These fun gourds can decorate the halls of your school. A few members of your PTA, PTO, Booster Club can act as judges and give out 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons. Each grade can win ribbons for the most creative, unique, brightest, silliest, or any other fun award you can think of.
The Most Treasured Fall Activity
Take advantage of the cool fall weather with one of the season’s most treasured fall activities, a Turkey Trot 5k or fun run. Organizing a Turkey Trot 5k can take months to plan. You’ll have to get in touch with the city to discuss which permits you’ll need, what routes are available, and if roads will have to be blocked off.
For an event this large, consider purchasing Event Insurance. Trips, tumbles, and twisted ankles are not uncommon for an event involving large groups of people running. Gaining sponsors may allow you to do more for the race, such as creating a fun run/Turkey Trot 5k t-shirts, food and drinks at the event, and promotions. Make the event more enticing and get your principal involved with a fun challenge; if you reach a certain number of sign-ups or donations, your principle will run some distance dressed as a turkey.
A Creative Fall Activity
How about a fall activity for yourselves? Parent Organizations work hard all year long to service the school in many ways. Parents and Teachers alike deserve to be recognized for their efforts. With Thanksgiving coming up, hosting a Thanksgiving potluck of appreciation is a good way to celebrate. Parent Organizations can provide plates, warm drinks such as coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Ask that each member brings in one dish and soon you’ll have a feast. Don’t forget to create a Thanksgiving potluck signup sheet; this will ensure that you don’t end up with 12 pumpkin pies. Some districts and counties have specific guidelines about home-cooked goods; be sure to check with your school just to be sure!
While everyone is gathered, your PTA, PTO, or Booster Club members can give out certificates to recognize parents that have gone above and beyond. This fall activity will not only allow for friendships to grow, but for members to feel appreciated for their continuous support.
AIM is here to help your organization succeed. Check out our other blogs for fundraising inspiration, tips, PTA, PTO, and Booster Club guidance, and more!