Running a Parents Association with fellow parents is rewarding but sometimes it can be hard to keep ideas fresh. Over the years, we’ve tried and tested lots of ideas for fundraisers, social gatherings, and community-building events in our school. Here are some of the ones that have worked best – and could inspire your own school’s calendar this year.
I know a lot of parents hear the words Parents Association and instantly think of politics, stress, or never-ending meetings. When I joined our school parents association, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. But the reality is, being part of the PA isn’t about that at all — it’s about helping to create those fun, memorable little moments that makes school extra special for our kids. Whether it’s a Halloween disco, pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, or seeing their artwork on the cover of a school calendar, these are the things they’ll always remember. And being part of making that happen? It’s actually really lovely and rewarding.
So, if you’re looking for some inspiration for your own school, here are a few of the events and fundraisers that have worked really well for us — simple to organise, fun for the kids, and a great way to bring the whole school community together.
🎃 Parents Association Seasonal Fun
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Halloween Disco – We did this last year and the dress up element made it really fun. We had prizes for best dancers, face painting, treats, colouring tables for kids who weren’t into dancing and it was a great success. Fellow Parents Association members all brought Halloween decor from home to decorate the room and keep costs down. We had a drop and go system where kids were signed in at the door and picked up afterwards. A nice way to raise funds for your school whilst the kids get to have an unforgettable spooky night. 💡 Tip: Keep it short (1.5–2 hours is plenty)
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Trunk or Treat – We have done this for the last two years and it works really well. Parents Association volunteers decorate their car boots and park in the school car park or outside the school. The kids then come down class by class for a spooky walk and get to pick up a treat, stickers, spooky tattoos and crisps. We usually have some Halloween tunes blasting to add to the spooky atmosphere and of course Parents Association members dress up too. We run this on the last day of term, the day they get their holidays for mid-term break when they are all in costumes for Halloween. Again this is low-cost, safe, and really fun.
🎄 Parents Association Festive Fundraisers
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Christmas Fair – An opportunity to organise an event that allows parents to meet with other parents in the school along with kids. There is huge scope for this kind of event. Kids can sell their festive crafts/decorations, look for face painting volunteers and charge €2 per child. Organise a bake sale of festive treats and add in some carol singing. We also usually organise a “Santa visit” for extra magic where every child gets an opportunity to have their photo taken with friends or siblings..
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Late Late Toy Show Treat Bags – We did these last year – a bag for everyone in the audience. Every child got a candy cane, a chocolate bar, bag of popcorn and the makings of hot chocolate in their bag along with some activity sheets. You can either have families pre-order their bags, or kids bring in anywhere between €4-€7 euro (whatever feels appropriate for your school or fundraising goals) to buy their goody bag to enjoy during the Toy Show. 👉 Tip: Buy items in bulk to keep costs down and add a small mark-up for funds. Often times special offers in Supermarkets with coupons work out cheaper than cash and carry wholesalers. So do your research and figures before going out to shop for supplies!
📚 Parents Association Learning & Literacy Events
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Book Exchange – Encourages reading, while giving books a second life. Each child in the school brings in a book they are finished reading along with a €2. Every child get to pick a new book to bring home. This project requires a little organising and splitting donated books into age appropriate bundles. Books are then laid out for the different classes to come and browse. The funds raised from this project can then be used to fund new books for the school library for the children to enjoy.
- School Art Competition– Pupils are given a theme each year and asked to create art work around it. We usually run this competition in early November for 2 weeks. 2 winning pictures are chosen from each class and feature on the cover of the annual school calendar that is sold in the run up to Christmas. The winners also win a small prize (e.g. markers, set of colouring pencils).
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School Calendar – Each year a dedicated member of the parents association goes into the school (usually in November) and takes class photos. We then gather all the photos we have taken at school events throughout the year. We designate a class photo per month and photo collages for the remaining months. We get a local printer to print them for us (shop around to find the best price) and then sell them for approximately €12 or 3 for €30. They make great Christmas gifts for grandparents and it’s always nice to have one at home. The cover is made up of the winning art from the school art competition which is really nice.
🍰 Food & Fun
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Bake Sales – Simple but effective. Kids love to get involved in the baking and bringing in a few coins to buy classmates tasty creations. A festive bake sale and a second sale around Easter usually works out well. Find some recipe ideas here.
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Pancake Tuesday – A fun, tasty way to raise money (who doesn’t love pancakes?). Ask Parents Association members to make a certain number of pancakes each (number of students divided by number of volunteers). Ask each student to bring in a coin on the day. Be mindful to check for allergies/gluten intolerance ahead of the day to ensure you have appropriate options for all kids to make sure everyone is included.
🎉 Family & Community
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Family Bingo/Quiz Night – Brings parents and kids together, with raffle prizes adding fundraising power. These can be stand alone events or linked in with community groups.
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School Céillí / Dance Night – Encourages cultural fun, bringing the school community together whilst also boosting funds. Where possible it would be lovely to incorporate a visiting dance teacher as part of PE in school to learn a few traditional dances for everyone to take part in on the night.
🏆 School Spirit
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Crazy Hair/Hat Day – Kids bring €2 and show off wild styles. Whether it’s glitter, hair crayons, or plaits and mohawks – this is a fun and creative way to allow kids to express themselves whilst raising funds for the school.
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Wear Your PJs to School Day – Another low-effort, high-fun day where kids dress up in their PJs and bring a coin.
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Jersey Day – Kids bring €2 and wear team jerseys, supporting school spirit and fundraising.
🐑 Local Links
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Farm Partnership – Linking with a local farmer (maybe she’s called Mary) to bring a few spring lamb to school! Afterwards have a “Guess the Weight of the Lamb” competition where kids bring in a €1 to guess and the winner gets a small prize. Unique, educational, and fun.
Parents Association Fundraising: Final Thoughts
These are just some of the events we’ve found to be successful in fundraising to cover some of the essential day to day running costs in our school. Things like sponsored walks, talent shows and colour runs are other ideas to consider. The key is mixing small, easy wins with a few bigger anchor events across the school year! Different schools will have different fundraising goals. We’re always trying to come up with new fun events to add to our school calendar so I hope you find this list useful. Along with fundraising we do try to run some educational talks and workshops for parents throughout the year. Grants, additional supports and resources may be available in some schools that others can’t access – so how many or how often you need to hold fundraising events will vary from school to school.
