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How much to spend on a teacher gift, plus how to ask other parents

How much to spend on a teacher gift, plus how to ask other parents

Every class gift starts with one parent writing the ask (and since you’re here, we’re guessing it’s you). The trickiest line is the amount, so here it is: $25 to $30 per family for a holiday teacher gift and $35 for the end of the year. Those numbers come from more than 4,000 teacher gift payments on Cheddar Up, so you can hit send with confidence.

Start about three weeks out and plan on a gift card, the gift teachers ask for most. The rest of this guide covers how much to spend on a teacher gift in any situation, from a preschool room to the whole school staff, plus a letter you can borrow for the other parents.

Each amount is one family’s share of a class gift, not the size of the gift. If 15 families each give $25, your teacher gets a $375 card.

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30 Classroom Party Ideas: Easy Games, Snacks, and Themes Kids Love

30 Classroom Party Ideas: Easy Games, Snacks, and Themes Kids Love

If you are looking at a sign up sheet right now and thinking, “Okay, which class party ideas will keep a room full of kids happy for a whole hour?” then you’ve come to the right place! The best classroom party ideas depend on the season and type of party you’re trying to throw. You also have to consider which snacks to bring and games to play.

In this all-inclusive guide, we’re going to give you the most exciting, fun-filled classroom party ideas that will keep the kiddos giggling all day. Don’t worry, these ideas are all budget-friendly and easy for teachers and parents to set up and host!
Every great class party should start with a quick chat with administration. Whether you’re a teacher or a parent volunteer, it’s always a good idea to ask how long a classroom party can run, where it should take place, and which food and decoration rules your school follows.

For instance, some classrooms allow store-bought snacks only, and some skip food altogether.

Speaking of snacks, this next step is super important.

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Last-Minute Teacher Gift Ideas for the Holidays and the Last Day of School

Last-Minute Teacher Gift Ideas for the Holidays and the Last Day of School

You need teacher gift ideas, stat. Lucky for you, the gift teachers want most takes almost no effort. (Hint: it’s a gift card.)
The last-minute teacher gifts below work for winter break and the end of the school year, and none of them look last minute. Each one can turn into a class gift you pull together quickly.
The fastest last-minute teacher gift is a group gift card. Families pay through one link, and you give the teacher one gift instead of a stack of small ones. We surveyed teachers across grade levels about what they’d most like to receive, and 85% picked gift cards. If you’re stuck on a store, start with the gift cards teachers ask for most.
Cheddar Up is an online tool groups use to collect money and information. You can build a collection page in less than a minute and set a per-person amount, or let families choose what to give. Text the link to the class, and parents can pay right away without an app or an account.

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10 Booster Club Fundraising Ideas + Easy-to-Use Templates

10 Booster Club Fundraising Ideas + Easy-to-Use Templates

According to Cheddar Up’s 2026 State of Booster Club Fundraising survey, 59% of the 125 booster club leaders surveyed say the programs they support are underfunded or have limited funding. That’s where booster club fundraising comes in.

To help you raise more, we’ve rounded up fundraising ideas based on what booster club leaders say works best. From tried-and-true favorites to fresh ideas, you’ll find plenty of inspiration to make your next fundraiser a success. The best booster club fundraisers do two things: get families excited to participate and raise money without overwhelming your volunteers. That could mean selling spirit wear, hosting an event, or securing local business sponsors. The goal is to support your program while keeping fundraising efforts manageable. (New to booster clubs? Check out our guide to what a booster club is.)

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Bake sale sign up sheet template + planning tips

Bake sale sign up sheet template + planning tips

We know how much you love planning a bake sale fundraiser and making things run smoothly, so today we’re serving up a fresh-baked treat just for you. If you’ve ever hosted a bake sale, you know the sign up sheet can make or break the day. A good bake sale sign up sheet gets the right mix of treats on the table and enough volunteers behind it.
That’s where this guide comes in. Below you’ll find a free online template and a quick setup walkthrough, plus ideas for what to include in your sale. Start here. Our free bake sale sign up template works for any school, team, troop, or church group, and you can have it live in a few minutes.
A bake sale sign up sheet is a shared list where people can choose what they’ll bake, bring, or help with. When it’s online, you can keep track of goodies, supplies, and volunteer shifts all in one place, so you always know who’s bringing what.

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Booked Authors streamlines school book sales with Cheddar Up

Booked Authors streamlines school book sales with Cheddar Up

As Executive Director of Booked Authors, Allyson Hickey oversees school book sales tied to author visits across the country. Many of those sales happen at the same time, often with tight timelines and high expectations from schools, PTAs, and families.

For years, the process relied on paper order forms sent home in backpacks, checks returned on uneven schedules, and handwritten personalization details that were not always easy to read. Tracking orders required follow-up, and even small errors created extra work during already busy seasons.

As school book sales grew in volume, the cracks became harder to ignore. Managing multiple author visits and book orders at once left little room for inefficiency. Allyson knew the process needed to support growth without adding more manual work.

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