We have done the wristbands and the redemption center as well.
For the wristbands it was just for the infatables, bungee jump and the train. Food and games were tickets. The parents could buy just tickets if the wanted and then we charged 6 tickets for the "rides". Our tickets were $.50 each. WE sold the wristbands for $15.
We used tickets for our redemption center, but we are going to try the card idea next year. We had multiple items for each prize amount. 5 tickets, 10 tickets, etc. We got the kids excited by telling them they could save their tickets and choose their prize like Chuck E. Cheese. We have done it for 2 years now and the parents love it.
Ok, I get it. We obviously never used a redemption center either. I wonder how that would go over. I am going to suggest these ideas at our meeting and see if people are receptive. Thanks for the input. I am always looking for ideas from people who have tried other things with success.
I'm off to search more haunted hayride ideas. Thanks again.
If you charge a flat fee, the free stuff is of course still free, you put a maximum number of times the kids can use things like the "rock wall" and after that they have to buy tickets (which were an option but almost, practically EVERYONE went for the bracelets). Let's say with a bracelet you get two "free" rock wall" climbs. When they go on the climb, the attendee puts a red round dot on the bracelet. When they have 2 dots on there, sorry buddy, move along or bring back some tickets.
Sell the tickets and the bracelets at the entry point. One stop shopping for money and ticket money. don't worry about fewer tickets and more tickets. If they play and they win with our system they got value points that were registered on a card. We used a score board around their child's neck (hard postercard with numbers stung on yarn) where the attendant marks off value spots. For instance a hard game where the child wins they get 3 spots on their prize card marked, if they just play they get one spot. At the end of the day they go to a central redemption point where the number of marks on their card equals the size prize they receive (or prizes if they have multiples). That way you have one station that has all the prizes manned by a few volunteers and the parents aren't carrying around a million little toys during the event.
The bracelet idea is an interesting one. But can I ask a few questions? We have about 12 games, like the wheel of chance, plinko, crazy ball game, ring toss (with pumpkins), ping pong ball in the corn stalk (bucket) etc. We usually do tickets. But different amounts of tickets depending on the prizes. For example,smaller prizes, fewer tickets to play. Larger prizes, more tickets. Than we have rides. Moon bounce, rock wall etc. Those we charge cash. Activities like 3 legged race, donut eating etc. free of charge. Food is cash also.
I would love to get rid of the tickets and have fewer people handle cash, but how would we do it with bracelets? I'd love your input.
Try Bracelets...WAY easier than tickets and you can provide a marker for those things that you don't want kids going through over and over again (like the cake walk). We sold bracelets for 12 dollars a piece unlimited play (it was a huge fair with lots of blow ups, petting zoo, helicopter etc) and the parents LOVED it way more than tickets. On the limited play items they received a star on their bracelet that told us how many times they'd gone through....
Our School is about the same size as yours, We sell tickets for the kids to use when they play a carnival game. We sell advance tickets 5/$1.00 and 4/$1.00 at the door the night of the carnival. Each game requires 2 tickets to play. We sell a lot of ticket!!! We also have a concession stand it brings in about$500 dollars and all the food is donated. Also are biggest attractions are the Bingo and Cake walk. We get donations from local merchants for our bingo prizes and we ask parents to donate the cakes. We have about 20 teachers and each one in responsible for hosting a game and putting it together the night of the carnival and PTO provides small prizes which every participants recieves for playing. We have 3 levels of prize per game. For example we have a golf game if they make a hole in one they win a level 1, if the make it on the 2nd try they get level 2, and everyone gets a level 3 prize for playing. We order all our prize from O.Trading Co. Good Luck!! It is fun and the community loves bringing their kids to a Safe Place. We raise about $2500.00 profit and only Host the Carnival for 2 hours.
