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Children’s fundraising ideas

Whether you’re raising funds for causes that impact children or looking for fundraiser ideas that kids can participate in, we’ve got you covered.

From t-shirt design contests to a much-needed parents' night out, these kids and family fundraising ideas offer fun, engaging ways to raise money for schools, clubs, sports teams, and more.

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Flower bulb sale


Sell wholesale flowers or request donations from nurseries and landscaping stores to sell to supporters. To gamify your efforts, use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage individual supporters to compete to see who can sell the most!
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Bake sale


Everyone loves sweet treats! Whip up some cookies, cakes, or donuts and host a bake sale to raise funds for your good cause.

Supporters don’t have cash? No problem! With Givebutter, you can accept mobile payments through a range of modern methods, including Venmo.
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High five booth


Brighten up someone’s day and raise money for a good cause. Set up a booth where passersby can make a donation and receive a high-five in return.

Make the giving process as quick and easy as the high-five itself with scan-to-donate.
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Movie night


Choose an indoor or outdoor space and host a ticketed screening of a fan-favorite movie—bonus if it’s related to your cause! Sell popcorn, treats, and drinks to raise even more funds.

Use Givebutter’s fundraising event tools like online ticketing, mobile check-ins, and scan-to-donate to keep everything seamless.
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Recycling drive


Ask supporters to collect recyclable materials like cans, bottles, or even old tech, then use a local service to turn these items into funds.

Recycling drives work great for long-term fundraising. Keep your supporters engaged and remind them when and where they can drop off materials via your email marketing software.
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Scavenger hunt


Set up a themed scavenger hunt in your venue, neighborhood, or even across the entire town. Charge participants a small entrance fee and offer donated prizes for the winners.

Streamline ticket sales and create a central hub with a fundraising event page. All the energy you save can be spent making your event even more exciting!
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Caroling


Embrace the holiday spirit and spread joy by going caroling around town or at a seasonal event. Pass the hat for cash donations and display a large QR code or text-to-donate number for easy mobile giving.
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Video Game Tournament


Host a tournament featuring the most popular video games. Charge entry fees for participants and offer donated prizes for winners. To make it digital, livestream the event so participants can play—and cheer each other on—from home.
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Talent show


Host a talent show and invite supporters to take to the stage and show off their skills. Sell tickets, drinks, and snacks to raise funds for your cause.

Make the experience even more interactive with text-to-donate. Let audience members vote from their seats and help you raise money in real time.
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Birthday fundraiser


Instead of birthday gifts, ask friends and family to make a donation to your nonprofit cause!

Givebutter’s fundraising pages make it easy to share your story, upload photos and videos, and let supporters leave comments as they give.
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Face painting


Set up a booth where passersby can get their face painted by volunteers from your group in exchange for a small donation.

Make it easy for people to give with scan-to-donate. All they need to do is scan the QR code and they’ll land on your donation page in seconds.
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Carnival night


Host a magical fundraising event with traditional carnival games, rides, and booths. Charge an all-inclusive admission or use QR codes for each activity to create a smoother pay-as-you-go experience.
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Yard sale


Turn old treasures into new funds for your good cause! Ask community members to host individual garage sales and donate their proceeds to your campaign—or host one large community yard sale using donated goods.

Create a fundraising page for your event, post campaign updates to keep people engaged, and update the fundraising total as donations come in.
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Penny wars


Organize a friendly competition between grades or classes to collect the most pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Just grab a few jars and encourage students to find some loose change to get started! 
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Petting zoo


Partner with a local farm or petting zoo to bring animals on-site for a day of fun. Charge an entry fee and optional donations for extra activities like pony rides. 

Make sure attendees can make quick payments from their phones, using methods like Venmo or Tap to Pay, so they don't have to return to their cars for cash.
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Pajama day

For a small donation, students can come to school in their pajamas and enjoy a cozy day. Grownups can organize a pajama day fundraiser at work, too! Accept donations in advance or on the day of via multiple payment methods like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Venmo.
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Online garage sale


Collect new and used goods from your community and sell items on a first-come, first-served basis—virtually. To introduce some fun competition and bring in more funds, turn the sale into an auction with buy-now pricing options! 
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Field day


Invite participants to register for a day of fun outdoor games and friendly competitions, like relay races, a water balloon toss, and tug-of-war.

Make your fundraising event a success with sponsorships from local businesses to help offset costs and bring in more participants.
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Lemonade stand


Set up a classic lemonade stand—and maybe add some tasty treats—to raise funds for your cause. Make purchases seamless with scan-to-donate and mobile-friendly donation forms that accept Venmo and other popular payment methods. 
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Family dance


Give the classic “father-daughter” or “mother-son” dance an inclusive update. Invite families of all shapes and sizes to enjoy a fun night of cutting a rug together for a good cause.

Choose a theme, sell tickets for your fundraising event online, and raise even more by setting up a photo booth with silly props!
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Cookie-decorating extravaganza


Volunteers bake batches of cookies to contribute to a decorating contest! Participants pay a small fee to enter and use frosting and other edible flare you provide to compete for the best cookie design.

To make your fundraising event even sweeter, bring in a cookie-decorating expert to show off some sweet tips and tricks.
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Tag Day


Invite students to set up outside local businesses and collect donations from patrons. Donors receive “tags” (stickers) to show they gave. Accept payments via Venmo or scan-to-donate!
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Trike-a-thon


Set up a mini racecourse and encourage family and friends to sponsor your little big-wheel racers by making a donation on their behalf through your fundraising page. Don’t forget to award prizes!
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Kids’ art calendar


Turn kids’ finger paintings and drawings into custom calendars—or transform them into keepsakes like photo books, mugs, or t-shirts. Sell the merch using a fun, eye-catching auction or fundraising page.
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Gift wrapping

Source donated paper, set up a gift wrapping station in a popular location, and charge for holiday gift-wrapping! Use scan-to-donate or Venmo to accept payments on the spot.
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Frequently asked questions

Kids have plenty of options when it comes to crafting items for charity. Some of the best kid-friendly fundraiser ideas tap into their creativity, like designing t-shirts or baking tasty treats to sell at bake sales or fundraising events.

Car washes and lemonade stands are two great fundraising ideas for kids. Shoe drive fundraisers offer an easy way for kids to engage with local community members, while hosting a walk-a-thon in your local park gives them a chance to get active while boosting fundraising efforts through pledges, small donations, or sponsorships from local businesses.

Pro tip: Offering small prizes at the end can help keep motivation high!

Easy kids' fundraising ideas require minimal resources or adult supervision. Game nights and read-a-thons, for example, are two great fundraisers for kids that keep things simple while still providing fun, memorable experiences.

For children with short attention spans, look for active fundraising events with activities that don’t take long to complete. Try water balloon fights, color runs, costume contests, or kids vs. grown-ups field days.

To keep everyone engaged when raising money for a cause, focus on fundraising campaigns that bring families together. Bonus points if there’s a little friendly competition—like a scavenger hunt, trivia night at a local restaurant, or a family-friendly talent show. Share updates and photos on social media, and use fundraising tools like team pages or leaderboards to keep excitement high.

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