Easy Fundraising Ideas for Kids

Fundraising with kids has the dual purpose of raising money for a certain cause and being a golden opportunity to teach some very important life lessons. Children learn to donate to charity, work in a team, manage a project, and pay back to the society that has supported them- whether it be in the form of supporting school fundraising efforts or participating in church-led community outreach programs that help those in need. 

Fundraising is far more than just raising money; it instills empathy, responsibility, and initiative in young children- especially because most fundraising activities are done in teams, where children learn to coordinate activities with others. Children learn about cooperation, communication, and leadership in these experiences, be it among friends, classmates, or family members. Children also learn how to set up, manage, and evaluate a simple project—skills they will carry with them for life.

Moreover, a platform such as Paybee can boost that process by quickly and efficiently organizing donations and showing the results of the fundraising event. Using Paybee, kids will learn about modern digital tools and new ways of fundraising, further enhancing their project management skills while supporting their causes.

Creative Fundraising Ideas for Kids to Raise Money

Craft Sales

Craft sales are great for young kids as it allows them to be creative and fundraise at the same time. Kids can make simple crafts like friendship bracelets, painted rocks, or homemade cards that can be sold at a community event or even at a school fair.

This activity enables children to be creative and express their artistic side, yet at the same time, learn about budgeting and earning money through hard work. This is when the parents and teachers can always help with the necessary material and assist in pricing and selling.

Lemonade Stands

The lemonade stand has been a tried-and-true means of fundraising for decades and remains an incredible option for young kids. With a bit of imagination, this traditional approach could be brought into the modern world by offering a variety of flavors of lemonades, such as strawberry, mint, or lavender.

Kids can also offer other refreshments like homemade cookies or snacks. Setting up a lemonade stand in a busy neighborhood or at a nearby event gives a child many opportunities to engage with people, practice simple mathematics, and experience customer service, all while supporting a good cause.

Read-a-thons

Is your child a young book lover? A read-a-thon is the perfect fundraiser. During a read-a-thon, kids commit to reading a specific number of books or pages over a specific time frame and ask family, friends, and neighbors to sponsor them based on their commitment to how many books and pages they will read.

In this way, they not only read more but also get to raise money for a meaningful cause. Read-a-thons can easily be organized at schools and libraries, and the participants can be rewarded with certificates or small prizes once they have reached their goals.

Pet Wash

Animal-loving kids can plan a pet wash fundraiser by offering to wash pets in or around the neighborhood for a small fee. This event isn't just about the kids having fun but much more about the responsibility of taking proper care of the animals.

Kids can enlist help from an adult to set up a washing station with soap, water, and towels in a backyard or community space. People can drop off their pets for a wash, knowing it's for a good cause- this will be especially effective during the warmer months when pets are more likely to enjoy a refreshing bath.

Bake Sales

Bake sales are an oldie but goodie and are quite easily run by young kids with the help of either parents or teachers. Children can bake cookies, cupcakes, muffins, and other sweet baked goods to sell at school events, community gatherings, or even outside of local businesses.

To make the bake sale even more successful, the kids can decorate their baked goods with colorful icing and sprinkles and set up displays appealing to others. This activity is especially fun when themed treats are created for holidays and special occasions. Additionally, a bake sale will also help kids learn about measuring ingredients and following recipes, aside from handling money.

Face Painting for Events

Face painting is one of the most popular things to do at any fair, carnival, or community event, making it one of the best fundraising ideas for kids. With just a little face paint supplies and some basic design templates, kids can offer to paint faces for a small donation.

Popular designs include butterflies, flowers, superheroes, and animals. This could be effectively made for the fundraiser if kids pre-practice their designs before the event and arrange a neat and nice booth. It's not only a fundraising activity; it also allows kids to express their artistic side and be with other children.

Raffle Balloons

One of the great and colorful ways of raising money there is a balloon raffle, in which kids can actively participate. At the bottom of inflated balloons, small prizes or tickets are placed inside, with the selling of the balloons at a certain price to participants.

The participants then pop the balloons to show what is inside- this aspect of popping balloons adds fun and suspense to the fundraiser. Kids can assist in blowing up balloons, selling them, and helping participants find prizes. Raffle balloons are a great fundraising idea that works really well at school events, at fairs, and even at birthday parties. 

Engaging Pre-Teens in Fundraising Activites

Movie Nights

Movie nights would be a fun and interactive way through which pre-teens can raise funds for any cause. Of course, the event can be held at the school gym, in the community center, or even outdoors in a park. Pre-teens can then choose one of the popular movies, get the projector out with a screen, and sell some tickets to family, friends, and neighbors.

They can also sell popcorn, drinks, and snacks to make it a more profitable event. The event can be more theme-oriented, such as a superhero movie night or a Disney movie marathon, to draw more people or just to give it a unique touch. 

Sponsored Walks or Bike Rides

Other added great events for the encouragement of physical activities include organizing a sponsored walk or bike ride. Pre-teens can easily participate in such events by collecting pledges from family, friends, and community members for the distance walked or biked.

Events can be organized in local parks, school grounds, or safe community areas. Checkpoints, which course organizers can set up with refreshments, music, and games, create a much more engaging event. Events like these not only raise money but bring together healthy lifestyles and community involvement.

Penny Wars

The Penny War is a fun and competitive fundraiser that can be very easily run at schools or community groups. In it, different classes or teams compete against each other to see who will collect the most pennies within a fixed time. While pennies add to the total of the team, other coins and bills sabotage the teams by subtracting from that total.

Whichever team has the most pennies at the end of the competition wins a prize. Penny wars build friendly competition and teamwork while raising money; the coins collected can be given out to a charity or be used for some project in school.  

Cupcake Wars

The cupcake wars is a baking skill in which the pre-teens will engage in a competition-style setup that will involve baking and culminate in raising money. One may challenge the competitors to bake and decorate cupcakes either by a given flavor or with a unique theme.

The cupcakes are then analyzed by a panel such as teachers, parents, and local bakers. The cupcakes can be brought to the event and sold to raise additional funds. This kind of fundraiser is entertaining and will also involve creativeness, as well as baking skills for pre-teens.

Art Show

An art show is also excellent for showcasing the artistic talents of pre-teens while raising money for a cause. Students create original artwork, which then gets showcased at the school gym, community center, or local gallery.

Attendees can purchase the artwork created, with the proceeds going to the chosen cause. Add to the excitement with live music, refreshments, and interactive art activities. It gives the pre-teen an added avenue to be creative and share that work with the community.

Karaoke Night

One of the most fun and lively fundraising activities that pre-teens may want to plan is a karaoke night. Participants sing favorite songs in front of an audience, and each performance requires a small entry fee or donation. Organizers can make it even more exciting by offering a prize for the best performances, or themed karaoke nights- such as '80s hits or Disney songs.

This can be held in the school auditorium, community center, or even a local café. Karaoke provides pre-teens with the opportunity to showcase their talents while ensuring a well-attended event that raises money for a great cause- all in one enjoyable evening.

Treasure Hunts

Treasure hunts are one of the more adventurous and engaging fundraisers that pre-teens can enjoy. Organizers may set a treasure hunt on a park, school grounds, or community center where clues will lead to hidden treasures or prizes.

An entry fee can be charged for participation, with additional funds coming from selling maps, refreshments, or themed merchandise. Treasure hunts help develop skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and outdoor exploration—all combined together into a fun, engaging, and educational fundraising activity for pre-teens.

Advanced Fundraising Projects for Teenagers 

Fashion Shows

A fashion show is a fun, creative way for teens to raise money for a fundraising campaign. Design an outfit yourself, or work with local designers and boutiques to exhibit the latest fashion trends. House it in a school auditorium, community center, or local theater, and sell tickets to family, friends, and community members.

Take it a step further by selling refreshments and raffles to make the event even more engaging. A fashion show is a great fundraiser that gives an outlet for creativity and allows teenagers to practice event planning and production.

Music Concerts

Organizing a musical concert is an excellent way for teens to showcase their musical skills and, at the same time, can be a real fundraising opportunity. By including local student bands and solo acts, teens can organize an event that is especially appealing and popular with friends, family, and the community. Organizing the concert will involve:

• Selecting a venue.
• Promoting the concert.
• Making arrangements for the concert sound system.
• Selling the tickets.

Add merchandise sales, a donation booth, or even a small entry fee to increase the event's fundraising potential. Events like these have the advantage of raising money while building confidence and public speaking ability in participating students.

Fashion Shows

It's an exciting and creative fundraiser that lets teens show off their style while raising money for a cause. Participants in this event can take full responsibility for organizing and modelling the show; the clothes can be provided by local boutiques, thrift stores, or even designed by students themselves. Consider rounding out this event with such categories as upcycled fashion or themed segments to make it the most inclusive.

The teens can be involved in all aspects, from organizing and publicizing to arranging the stage to choosing the music. Charge for entrance and consider adding a silent auction or raffle to enhance the fundraising potential. A fashion show is empowering; it allows teamwork and nurtures creativity among teens. 

Sports Tournaments

Sporting event tournaments allow teens to combine their love for athletics with fundraising efforts. Other popular options involve soccer, basketball, or volleyball tournaments in which participants pay an entry fee to take part. Teams can be made up of friends, classmates, or community members.

Promote this through social media, school announcements, and flyers to maximize participation. Fundraising could include food stalls, merchandise sales, and even a raffle. Events like this foster physical fitness, teamwork, and camaraderie while also affording young teenagers valuable organizational and leadership experiences.

Tech Support Night 

A night for tech support is quite practical and a very valuable fundraising idea in today's highly technological world. Teens can offer their skills to set up devices, troubleshoot problems with software, or teach basic digital literacy. Use a night or weekend for this purpose and consider a donation-based fee for the services provided.

Advertise the event on local community boards, newsletters, and social media. This fundraiser has the great benefit of allowing people to develop intergenerational relationships while teenagers can share knowledge and skills they may have learned.

Cooking Classes

Partner with local chefs or cooking schools that can offer cooking classes. It would be an incredibly enriching experience, especially among teenagers, who could easily help with organizing and processing the class registrations and promoting the event. Participants would pay a fee to attend the class, and it can focus on specific cuisine, baking, and even healthy eating habits.

Different skill levels could be incorporated into this to accommodate more participants. These can be held at a community center, a school, or a local restaurant. More than just raising money, the funds raised teach great culinary skills and instill the participants' love of cooking.

Gift Wrapping Services

Offering gift wrapping during the holiday season is singularly easy and effective for teens. Set up a booth at your local mall, school, or community center where people can bring in their gifts to be wrapped in exchange for a donation. Donors or local businesses can supplement wrapping paper, ribbons, and other materials.

You could offer customized tags or eco-friendly wrapping to give it a personal touch. It's a very popular service around Christmas, Hanukkah, or other gift-giving holidays and offers a very convenient solution for busy shoppers while raising funds for a worthy cause.

DIY Craft Workshops 

Teens conduct live craft sessions as a fundraiser by holding do-it-yourself workshop sessions. They pass their learning on to those who attend, whether about jewelry making, painting, or recycling old materials and making something out of them.

As teenagers have a lot of control over various things in their days, they can determine the kind of publicity needed, plan to launch the workshops, and conduct and charge other participants a nominal fee. Workshops can be organized in schools, community centers, or even online.

Craft supplies can be donated to businesses in the local community, or door sponsorships could even be sold. These workshops engage people in participation, fostering creativity and building skills while benefiting a good cause.

Raffles and Silent Auctions

Classic raffles and silent auctions are always surefire ways to fundraise, provided they're well organized. The prizes can include gift certificates, products, and services from local businesses. In raffles, the participants buy some tickets to try their luck winning, while in silent auction events, participants bid for the items.

Both events can be held at school functions, community events, or online. Advertise the event on social media, via posters, and through announcements at school to make sure as many people attend as possible. Events like these help the teens raise funds but also can help them learn skills such as marketing, negotiating, and planning events.

Family-Centric Fundraising Events

Family Fun Days

Family fun days are all-inclusive events that unite communities in an exciting day of games, food, and entertainment to raise funds for a cause. They involve various activities, including carnival games, bounce houses, face painting, and even relay races- just about something for all family members. Add some food vendors to the mix with snacks, drinks, and homemade treat stalls which will generate even more funding.

It's also very accessible and fun to donate: families pay an entrance fee or purchase tickets for individual activities. Organizing a family fun day requires finding a venue, coordinating volunteers, and promoting the event to get a good turnout.

Hosting a family fun day allows community and bonding time with families while benefiting a good cause. It can also give kids and teenagers leadership opportunities in setting up booths to run games and activities.

These may be part of local parks, school fields, or community centers and might be holiday-themed or seasonal to give them an added appeal. The event will most likely raise funds while fostering lasting connections within the community by creating a relaxed atmosphere where families can come together and have fun.

Backyard Barbecues

A backyard barbecue is a casual, fun way for people to get together for a fundraising event. Families, neighborhoods, or community groups can organize such an event where participants pay a certain fee for delicious grilled food and hang out with friends and neighbors.

The friendly atmosphere helps people connect, relax, and enjoy themselves while raising money for a good cause. Organizers can incorporate lawn games, raffles, or a friendly grilling competition to make the function more enjoyable and raise extra money.

Scheduling a backyard barbecue would involve organizing volunteers, donations of food and supplies, and publicity to ensure a decent attendance. Consider contacting local businesses or grocery stores for donations of food or supplies, if possible, or at least a discount on supplies.

To keep costs low, request that those attending bring enough of one dish to share and make it a potluck-style barbecue. This helps to spread the workload and can be a good way to help build a sense of community and shared responsibility.

To maximize fundraising, offer tiered ticketing – for example, basic entry to eat, an optional top-of-the-line ticket for best dinner dishes or dishes unavailable to everyone. You can raise even more money by having a donation booth. Combining good food, good company, and a good cause, backyard barbecues are the epitome of combining all three into one family-friendly event for fun.

Holiday-themed Events

Christmas Tree Sales

This is typically seasonal fundraising, although sales of Christmas trees, wreaths, or holiday decorations are common. Kids can help by selling, setting up, running a hot cocoa stand, or even organizing caroling events in the community.

Partner with area tree farms or businesses for donations or discounts to achieve the biggest profit. Promoting the event on social media, flyers, and throughout the community local boards ensures a good turnout. The holiday spirit brings out many buyers, making it one of the most popular and successful fundraising options.

Easter Egg Hunts

An Easter egg hunt is a fun and interactive event that appeals to families and entertains children. Hosting the event at a local park or community center can include charging an entrance fee for entry.

Depending on their ages, children can assist with activities like hiding eggs, decorating, and setting up activity stations. You can make it much more fun for them with themed crafts, face-painting, and photo booths with the Easter Bunny. 

Offering prizes for finding special eggs or winning games adds to the excitement. Easter egg hunts are an excellent way to engage with the community while providing participants with happiness, and raising money for a cause.

Summer-specific Ideas

Pool Parties

A pool party is a great way to mix fun with fundraising. Generally speaking, hosting can be done at local pools or community centers where families can meet and friends can swim, play games, and get their snacks. Charge for admission or pre-sell tickets, and consider adding a raffle, dunk tank, or poolside games to pump up the fundraising.

Make sure that there are ample lifeguards and supervision, providing a safe and enjoyable experience. In addition, pool parties seem to be appealing to most during the very hot summer months and bring big crowds, which makes it a very effective method of raising money.

Summer Reading Challenges

Encourage children to read during the summer with a reading challenge that also raises funds. Participants can seek sponsorships or collect donations based on the number of books read or the time spent reading. You can kick off the challenge with an engaging event and offer prizes or certificates when goals are achieved.

Coordinate with local libraries or bookstores for book recommendations and special offers- this fundraiser not only promotes literacy but also adds value to the charity by making reading a fun and rewarding activity for children.

Online Fundraising Initiatives 

Lately, virtual fundraisers have been on the rise, just like many other online activities. Examples of such fundraising activities include virtual auctions, where participants can bid for an item from the comfort of their couch, and digital art galleries, where kids and teenagers can show and sell their art pieces.

Other examples could be virtual talent shows, live events, or even gaming tournaments. Events like these can also be advertised on social media, school newsletters, and community boards for maximum exposure. Some of the major benefits of virtual fundraisers are their potential for flexibility: they can be planned quickly, and participants can join from anywhere, which will help reach extended family and friends who aren't local.

The key to success for any virtual fundraiser is to make sure that it's hosted on a platform that is user-friendly and accessible to all involved. On the other hand, virtual fundraisers not only motivate fundraising but also help children and teenagers develop digital literacy and a better understanding of online communication and social media.

Crowdfunding Campaigns

Crowdfunding is an effective way to raise funds online by collecting small donations from many people. Kids and teens can create a campaign page through platforms like Paybee and GoFundMe to share how much they hope to raise, why they're raising it, or if donors who give at various levels will receive any rewards in return. They can then publicize the campaign through social media, email, and word-of-mouth, encouraging contributions from friends, family members, and the greater community.

A crowdfunding campaign that has a compelling story that appeals to the potential donor's heart is more likely to be successful. This story can be told through personal testimonials, videos, or updates as fundraising efforts progress. Small incentives, such as a thank-you note or handmade item, can entice others to give.

Kids and teens can manage almost every aspect of the campaign from setting up the page to promoting it and saying thank you to donors, building important lifelong skills in marketing, communication, and project management. Crowdfunding campaigns can take many shapes and sizes to fit any cause- from fundraising for your favorite local charity to funding a school project.

Social Media Challenges

Social media challenges are another fun and interactive way to involve a broad audience in raising funds for a cause. Most of those social media challenges include some form of activity that requires participants to do something such as a dance, an exercise routine, or a creative activity, then pass it on by nominating others to do the same.

It could also remind and encourage others who take up the challenge to donate to a particular cause or organization and subsequently share their participation over social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

One of the keys to a successful social media challenge is making it easy to participate in and share. Simple enough for all ages and abilities to participate in yet engaging enough to go viral potentially, social media challenges offer a dynamic way to fundraise. Kids and teens can brainstorm the challenge idea, create promotional artwork, and manage the social media accounts for the fundraiser.

To maximize fundraising potential, consider setting up a dedicated donation page that participants can link when sharing their challenge video or post. Social media challenges blend fun and creativity into a fundraising format that resonates with today’s digitally-driven generation.

Fundraising Ideas for Kids: Frequently Asked Questions

How can young children safely participate in fundraising?

Fundraising can be safely done with young children by engaging them in activities that suit their age group, always under adults' supervision. Some simple ideas include bake sales, lemonade stands, or selling crafts in low-traffic areas.

For safety, follow proper food preparation protocols and have a responsible adult present at events. The most important part of supervision is maintaining safety and adding to the important lessons of responsibility and teamwork.

What are some quick fundraising ideas for busy parents?

In this regard, low-maintenance fundraising options are an ideal approach for very busy parents. Consider hosting a virtual fundraiser, like an online auction or social media challenge. Other easy ideas include hosting a bake sale or partnering with local businesses on a percentage-of-sales fundraiser.

Online crowdfunding campaigns are also very effective. These campaigns allow parents to share the campaign link on social media, thus creating a wide reach with a minimum investment of time.

How can schools support fundraising activities led by students?

Schools may also provide resources and guidance for student-initiated fundraising projects. These could include on-campus events, promotional events, or connecting students with local businesses or community-based organizations.

Schools can also assist in obtaining permissions where required and ensure that there is no breach of regulations- this may also include engaging faculty and staff members. By doing so, schools help build a responsible and community-oriented sense among the students.

Inspiring Philanthropy and Community Spirit through Fun Fundraising Ideas

Fundraising with kids offers much more than an opportunity to raise money; it's a valuable educational experience that teaches empathy, responsibility, and teamwork while engaging youth in community service. In performing these activities, children are trained in handy life skills, one way to develop confidence and a spirit of giving- all for worthy causes.  

Given that fundraising ideas range from craft sales and lemonade stands to bake sales and face painting, children of all ages will find one project or another suitable for their age and skill levels. Through these activities, they can learn the values of teamwork, project management, and involvement in community issues whenever there is a need.

If you're looking for a way to ease your fundraising and reach the maximum, then platforms like Paybee help you easily manage donations and track fundraising progress in one place. As you integrate such tools, you spend less effort and time on it and more on engaging children and planning events.

In the process of making them participate in fundraising activities, the children will be able to give to worthy causes and be more prepared to become caring and responsible grown-ups. This can be considered rewarding and educational for the children since it allows them to see tangible work results.