Elementary school kids are energetic, playful, and not into anything too complicated, so why should their fundraisers be? The best elementary school fundraising ideas feel like fun for the kids while staying simple for the volunteers who make them happen.
Below are 20 ideas built for elementary schools, grouped by how you want to run them, plus an easy, online way to collect payments.
Elementary school fundraising is different because younger children can be active participants, but they still need adults to take the lead on money, sales, and logistics. The best fundraisers play to both strengths: kids bring the creativity, excitement, and school spirit, while adults keep everything running smoothly.
Take payments, for example. A first grader isn’t going to manage a cash box, make change, or operate a point-of-sale system. Keeping payments with adults (and collecting online when possible) makes it easier to track every dollar, so cash doesn’t get lost in backpacks.
Door-to-door selling can be tricky as well. Young kids need adult supervision, and caregivers may not be comfortable sending them out to sell to strangers. Fundraisers that families can support from home or through a school event tend to make more sense.
So, what can elementary students do? All the fun stuff. They can color posters, run laps, cheer on classmates, perform, create something to sell, or proudly share the fundraiser with family and friends.
Room Parent
Field Trip Form
This page gives you a field trip form template you can customize online, plus an example of what it looks like filled in. One page collects permission, fees, and chaperone sign ups, so families finish everything from a single link.
Field trips are the highlight of the school year. These class outings deepen learning, build community, and give kids something to look forward to. They also take real planning to keep everyone safe and on schedule. Emails pile up, teacher messages get lost, and at some point every parent has found a crumpled field trip form at the bottom of a backpack.
The fix is to keep it simple. Picture a permission slip, fee collection, and volunteer sign up living in one online form. That is what a Cheddar Up field trip form does.
Field Trip Permission Slip and Waiver, Signed Online
The field trip is booked and the bus is reserved. Now you need a signed field trip permission slip back from every family, and often a waiver too. Collect those on paper, and you spend the week before the trip digging slips out of backpacks and reading half-blank forms.
There is a simpler way. This guide shows how to collect a field trip permission slip and waiver online. An online field trip permission slip is a parent’s consent form completed and signed on a phone or computer instead of on paper. A parent or guardian opens it on their phone, reviews the trip details, and agrees to let their child attend. The moment they submit, the signed slip is recorded for you. A permission slip gives consent. It confirms that a parent or guardian knows about the trip and gives their child permission to attend. A waiver focuses on risk, asking families to acknowledge hazards tied to activities like swimming or an overnight camp.
For a trip to the local library, a permission slip may be all you need. For something with higher physical risk, like an indoor trampoline park, ask your school whether a waiver is required as well.
A First Timer’s Guide to Room Parent Duties
First, from all the parents, teachers, and caregivers out there, thank you for stepping up! It plays a vital role in any successful classroom and is much appreciated.
The room parent is the liaison between the teacher and the parents of the students. They will often assist in PTA fundraising, announcements, and initiatives. Successful communication between these groups enhances the classroom experience for both students and parents by fostering an engaged learning environment.The room parent is the liaison between the teacher and the parents of the students. They will often assist in PTA fundraising, announcements, and initiatives. Successful communication between these groups enhances the classroom experience for both students and parents by fostering an engaged learning environment.
From all the parents, teachers, and caregivers out there, thank you for stepping up! It plays a vital role in any successful classroom and is much appreciated.
20 Back to School Event Ideas for Schools and PTAs
Back to school event ideas move from “someday” to “right now” faster than most organizers expect. By midsummer, many PTAs and school groups are already choosing dates, reserving spaces, recruiting volunteers, and deciding what fits their budget.
This list includes 20 back to school event ideas for schools and PTAs, organized by event type. You’ll find school-wide events, welcome activities, school spirit builders, and fundraisers, along with practical tips to make each one easier to organize. We’ve also included resources for collecting payments, managing sign ups, and staying organized from planning through event day.
Parent Teacher Conference Sign Up: Free Template + How to Schedule (Step by Step)
Parent-teacher conferences are one of the best opportunities to connect with families, but coordinating them can get hectic. Between packed calendars, back-and-forth emails, and last-minute changes, building a conference schedule can feel like the hardest part.
A parent teacher conference sign up is an online schedule that lets families book a specific time to meet with a teacher, without the back-and-forth of email. Setting one up is simple, and this guide walks you through how to create a sign up, plan your schedule, and encourage more families to participate.
A digital sign up is the easiest way to manage conference scheduling. Instead of paper sign up sheets or endless email chains, families can reserve a time that works for them while you keep everything organized in one place.
Cheddar Up makes it even easier with a free Parent Teacher Conference Sign Up template. Customize the schedule with your conference dates and available time slots, then share your sign up with families in minutes. Parents can book their preferred time from any device, and you’ll always have an up-to-date schedule.









