Photos is a GREAT idea one thing you might try (I do it ALL the time) is borrowing a backdrop from the group that takes your school portraits.
Usually if it is a small event and not worth their time to send out a phtographer they will just lend you the back drop to do it yourself. When I first started doing this they even offered the cameras!! (I declined as that is TOO much responsibility for one PTO Mom!!)
We have done this so many times now and are getting good at it that the photo dept at Walmart actually questions us on them being professional or not! With a professional backdrop you could bump your pics up to $5.
Although it would be slightly messy I think it would be a great seller!!! I am drooling already.
NACHOS!!
All it would take is a big box of those nacho chips, and a couple of cans of nacho cheese in crock pots! The cost of the items to get this project going would be low for start up and easy to maintain on the funds generated.
I have been thinking about doing this on movie night at our school. Sam's Club or Costco would make this even easier!!
On the pictures you could always ask whoever does your school pictures if you could borrow one of their back drops. Ours lets us do it all the time!!
The number one answer is food and drinks for us. Pizza beat hot dogs. Check out if you district has contracts that require you to use Coke vs. Pepsi products. Also check on the district nutrition policies first and whether they apply to your events.
Glow sticks are big seller at our school. Ask to turn the lights down. Our DJ actually has dance lights he uses and the glow sticks really stand out.
How about mini-beach balls. I've seen a dozen cost $5 at various online party stores. Probably a bit corny - but recently we've had a big hit with yo-yos and hacky sacks. We are middle school too, so nothing too childish.
Someone suggested a photo booth; but what about selling instant cameras?
I forgot to add, we've done the photo station at our donuts with dad and muffins with mom event, plus our Halloween Dance and have made between 200.00-300.00 per event for pictures alone. Good luck finding something that works for you.
Have a photo station- make a generic back-drop that you can use at all the dances and either add a prop for a holiday theme or some other type of themed prop for each -- Kids love to take pictures, especially the girls-- charge 2.00 a picture and you can print them at Costco, Sam's or CVS-- the 1st 2 printing pictures are .15 cents each and CVS is .25-- .19 cents if over 50. You can also add a border and have them delivered the following week-- just promote that it's available and the cost so the kids can bring money to the dance for the pictures
