We have done Ornament Night at our school just before Christmas. It is our most popular event. The PTO & teachers plan about 8-12 ornaments and the PTO pays for all the supplies. We usually plan for 150 ornaments per table plus get snacks & drinks and can usually keep our budget at about $500-600. The kids have lots of fun!

Our K-Grade 5 school has over 700 students. We ask parents from each grade level to host a Gym Night using all the balls, scooters, bowling pins, jump ropes already at the school. We explain all the options to the students. If the gym teacher would not allow you to do it, it cannot be done. We let the students choose whatever they want to do, do not have timed sessions at each option. Parents are more or less spotters for the evening.
It is for the specific grade level and a parent, not a family event. This gives a chance for students to connect with all their friends. It runs from 6:15-7:30pm. If a parent cannot attend, the parent can contact a friend in that grade level and the friend would bring that student. We do not serve refreshments. We encourage students to bring water bottles.

Paula would love to touch base with you about a Nascar night and any other nights you may have had success with. How can I contact you? Ill from ideas in Illinois.

We do a real fun night every January. It is called BOOK BINGO. Families are invited to attend this free family night to play bingo and the prizes are gently used books, dvds, games brought in by the families participating. This is a great opportunity for families to clean out their closets, get rid of old no longer read or played books or games. It is always a great hit with over 100 attendees. An left over books are recycled into our student run used bookstore known as "New to You" Bookstore.

We are currently planning a math night and closer to the end of the school year we will do a science night with help from the local high school science department. Everything is planned and run by our group. We have a hard time getting our parents to participate, but for some reason they will come to the family events.

At my daughters school, we have a hard time getting parent involvement. I decided to start Family Nights by myself last year. We have done movie nights, reading night, and mother/daughter spa night (big hit). This year we are doing an Our Lady of Guadalupe night, craft night, movie nights, game night, and the mother/daughter night again. I have had some parent involvement this year and all who attend love it. We don't charge for anything. We either have a potluck for the food or the PTO pays for everything. This is our thank you to all the parents who support our school by sending their children to Holy Trinity. I am always up for more ideas for family nights because I feel they play a very important role in our children and parents lives who let it!