WE JUST HAD OUR FIRST FAMLIY NIGHT THIS. WE HAD A BOOK SWAP,OPENED UP THE BOOK FAIRS, HAD CRAFTS FOR KIDS,ALSO A STORYTELLER. WE SEVERVED PUCNCH AND COOKIES WE ALSO POPPED POPCORN. WE SAT UP OUR SPIRIT SHOP {PTO}. WE HAD SUCH A GOOD OUR PRINCPAL LOVED IT AND IT WAS A GREAT SUCESS WE HAD OVER 250 PEOPLE THERE. U MIGHT WANT TRY IT AND SEE HOW IT WORKS. TRUST IF U HAVE FOOD THEY WILL COME
We've done both movie night and bingo night. Movie night is way easier for us. We sell concessions but the tickets are free (we have to limit them, though, due to space constraints). Our primary expenses are the license ($50),the dvd ($20) which we give away as a door prize, and the upfront cost of the concessions. We make up most of the costs on the concession sales, though we don't set it up as a fundraiser. The first year we did a movie night, we spent $50 to make a huge fabric screen. You only need a handful of volunteers to plan and run a movie night (like 3-5).
Bingo night is more work because you need many more volunteers (12-20)that night to check cards, distribute prizes, call nubmers, staff the food station, and clean up. We include a simple dinner with our bingo night so our costs are higher. In our state, we can't charge anything at all for the entry, or it is considered gambling and is illegal for minors. We can accomodate more people at our bingo night than we can for movie night becuase we don't have to keep people quiet and we use a larger space. The first year, we purchased hard slider cards (about $3 each), and annually we have to rent the lighted board ($100 or so). Our additonal costs are prizes and food. About half-way through the evening, we have cupcake eating contest, but that's the only other activity that night. Families have fun, the kids acutally sit with mom/dad/grandma, and it's pretty easy to do. Our new winter tradtion, thanks to the original idea we pulled from this website.
I'll second the bingo vote... at this point, I think I could do it blindfolded! We sell each card for 50cents. Then, the prize for each game is $5... with $10 for the blackout bingo at the end. We play 8 rounds and name each different game after a teacher... for example, Mrs. Bing's "O" (all of the numbers around the outer edge of the card.) In between games, we give out candy bars to the kids (We're looking for a 4th grader with I-22, for example.) This way pretty much every kids goes home a winner. We sell pizza, soda, popcorn, and ice cream for just a bit over cost for dinner. Usually, we end up making a profit on the evening... though that isn't our goal!
Craft Night has been easy for us... but it does cost more upfront.
Good luck with whatever you do, Writermom!!!
Kelley
Madison PTO
Mount Vernon, WA
Family Movie Night...we are doing one for Dec 02, 2005. We are not charging admission and we are allowing families to bring snacks/food. We will be selling concessions for a very reasonable price for those who chose to purchase snacks. We paid for the license $50.00 (one time use). We will be doing another in Spring if all goes well, it will be outside on our lawn then.
Our easiest family night yet was a bingo night. We had free admission but everyone was asked to bring some kind of snack whether it be baked or a bought munchie. We stopped 1/2 through and served the snacks. We sold soda (which we had, we always buy it when it goes on sale). We had prizes left from our cookie dough fundraiser but you could buy things from Oriental Trading. Every child got a prize. All the families seemed to love it. We also had an make your own sundae party this year. We got the ice cream donated and every family was asked to bring one topping. That was fun and easy too. We played some games after the ice cream and it was nice so the kids played outside.
We did a Family Fun and Games Night with the kit from PTOtoday. We had over 200 people attend! It was a huge hit and we're doing it again this year.
As for work, two of us coordinated the event. We got teachers and some highschoolers to run the games so all the parents could participate. On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the most work, I'd rate it a 1 1/2. We kept refreshments to veggie trays, grapes, crackers, chips, and juice-most of it donated. I think the whole night totaled less than $100 and actually cost us less than $10 because of the donations! We did surveys at the event and most people asked that we do a low cost meal for the next one, so we'll probably have pizza or hotdogs this year and just charge enough to cover costs.
Even if we had to pay for the whole night it certainly wouldn't have been cost prohibitive and I don't think you can beat an event like that for building goodwill and improving the preception of your group.
