Best Daycare Fundraiser Ideas for Preschools and Childcare Centers

The most effective daycare fundraisers acknowledge this adult-selling reality from the start. A scratch card program in which each parent receives one card and distributes it to their office, neighbors, and extended family reaches a concentrated pool of adult buyers through personal relationships rather than cold contact. A direct-sale display at the parent pickup desk converts parents who are already present into a community-oriented mindset. Neither format requires a child to participate directly.

Big Fundraising Ideas has supported preschool fundraising programs since 1999. Every product figure in this guide is verified from the live product pages at bigfundraisingideas.com.

Why Daycare Fundraising Is Different

• Adult Sellers Only: Children ages 2 to 5 cannot approach community members independently. Every sale depends on a parent or staff member making the contact.
• Food Sensitivity Concern: Many daycares have strict food allergy policies for very young children. Non-food products eliminate this concern for the program coordinator.
• Pickup as the Selling Window: Parent pickup is the only guaranteed daily contact between the daycare and every family. This window is the most valuable selling environment a daycare has.
• Smaller Groups: Most daycare centers have 15 to 80 enrolled families, smaller than a typical elementary school, which means margin efficiency matters more than volume.
• No Class Competition Mechanic: The competition-based motivation that drives elementary school fundraisers does not apply in a daycare setting where children are too young to understand or respond to sales competition.

Scratch Card Fundraiser

The scratch card fundraiser is personalized with the daycare's name and photo. Supporters scratch a dot to reveal a donation amount between $1 and $5 and contribute that amount directly. Each supporter receives a coupon sheet of savings at popular retailers as a token of appreciation. For parents who feel self-conscious about asking others to buy a product for their child's daycare, the donation format removes the transactional friction. The supporter is giving, not purchasing, which converts at higher rates among adult professional networks.

Scratch Card Revenue for Daycare Centers

One card per family. $100 gross per completed card. Verified from bigfundraisingideas.com/scratch-card-fundraiser. Minimum 10 cards. Free shipping.

Smencils Fundraiser

The Smencils fundraiser is available in multiple themed varieties, including Original, Valentine's, Holiday, Halloween, Spring, Soda Pop, Safari, and Fruit Zoo. Displaying a selection of Smencils at the parent pickup desk during a two-week window gives parents a visible, impulse-buy option every time they arrive to collect their child. A basket of Smencils with a handwritten sign noting the price and the fundraiser goal converts a meaningful percentage of daily pickup traffic without any active selling from staff.

• Verified Profit: Up to 50 percent at $1 to $2 per unit (verified at bigfundraisingideas.com/smencils-fundraising)
• Non-food: No allergen concerns, no food policy complications, no refrigeration requirements.
• Themed Varieties: Original, Holiday, Valentine's, Halloween, Spring, Soda Pop, Safari, and Fruit Zoo are seasonal options that allow repeat campaigns without buyer fatigue.
• Minimum: 1 case (accessible to any group size).
• Pickup Display: Visible at the front desk, bought on impulse by parents during daily pickup -- no active selling required.

Yummy Lix Lollipops

The lollipop fundraiser through Big Fundraising Ideas features Yummy Lix lollipops in multiple flavors. While lollipops are a food product, they are purchased by parents for their own children or as small gifts. They aren’t distributed within the daycare environment itself. The purchase happens at the front desk during pickup, which keeps the food product outside the classroom and avoids the complications of food sharing among very young children with potential allergies.

Candy Bar Fundraiser

Candy bars work best as a pickup desk display alongside Smencils rather than as the sole fundraising product for a daycare. The $1-$2 price point converts adult impulse buyers the same way lollipops do. Parents who pick up their child and see a display with candy bars and Smencils often purchase from both. A double transaction that generates more net revenue per pickup visit than either product alone.

Product Comparison for Daycares

All figures verified from live bigfundraisingideas.com product pages. Free shipping on all orders.

How to Run a Daycare Fundraiser Step by Step

1. Choose a Parent-friendly Format: Scratch cards for maximum margin with no product logistics; Smencils or lollipops for a pickup desk display; brochure for families who want more product variety. Match the format to the size and culture of the daycare community.
2. Communicate Clearly Before Launch: Send a parent email or printed note home explaining the goal, the product, and exactly what parents need to do. A specific action step converts more participants than a general fundraising announcement.
3. Distribute at Pickup Personally: Hand scratch cards or product information to parents directly at afternoon pickup over two days. In-person handoffs generate 30 to 50 percent higher participation than paper sent home in a child's bag.
4. Display Products at the Front Desk: Place Smencils, lollipops, or candy bars visibly at the pickup desk during the campaign window. A visible product display converts parents who did not receive the initial communication or forgot about the fundraiser.
5. Send a Final Reminder: Text or email on the second-to-last day, including the specific close date and the current total raised, converting families who intended to participate but had not gotten around to it.
6. Close Cleanly and Thank Publicly: Post the total raised and what it will fund at the front desk and in a parent email within 48 hours of close. Public recognition of results builds goodwill, making the next campaign easier to launch.

Frequently Asked Questions About Daycare Fundraisers

What are the best fundraiser ideas for daycares and preschools?

Scratch cards at 85% profit (25-99 cards, $15/card, $85 net), Smencils at up to 50% profit ($1-$2/unit, non-food), lollipops at up to 53% ($1/unit), and candy bars at up to 55% (peanut-free options available). All verified from bigfundraisingideas.com.

Why are daycare fundraisers different from elementary school fundraisers?

Children ages 2 to 5 cannot independently approach customers or manage transactions. Parents and staff are the primary sellers, shifting to the best format: parent-distributed scratch cards and pickup-desk direct-sale displays rather than door-to-door student-selling programs.

Can daycares sell food products for fundraisers?

Yes. At the pickup desk, where parents purchase for themselves or their families, not within the classroom. Peanut-free candy bars (up to 55%) and lollipops (up to 53%) work well at pickup. For environments with strict food policies, Smencils (up to 50%, non-food) eliminate all concerns.

What is the easiest fundraiser for a daycare?

Scratch cards at 85% profit. No product, no order forms, and no delivery needed. Each parent receives one card and distributes it to their personal network. $15/card cost, $100 gross, $85 net per card. 30 families x 1 card each = $2,550 net in one week. Verified from bigfundraisingideas.com/scratch-card-fundraiser.

How much can a daycare raise with a fundraiser?

30 families, each with one scratch card = $2,550 net. 60 families = $5,100 net. Adding a Smencils pickup display at $1-$2/unit, with up to 50% profit, adds a second revenue stream targeting the same parent audience simultaneously.

Why are Smencils a good product for daycare fundraisers?

Smencils at up to 50% profit are non-food, non-toxic, and eliminate all allergen concerns. Parents buy them for school-age children and as gifts. Low price point ($1-$2), immediate impulse buy at the pickup desk, available in themed seasonal varieties. Verified from bigfundraisingideas.com/smencils-fundraising.

What works best for a small preschool of 15-25 families?

Scratch cards scale to any size. 20 families x 1 card = $1,700 net at 85% profit. The format generates more per-family net revenue at small group sizes than any product alternative because every family produces the same $85 net regardless of network size.

Can a daycare fundraise without product sales?

Scratch cards are donation-based: supporters scratch a dot and donate the amount revealed. No product purchased, no delivery, no storage. At 85% profit (25-99 cards, $15/card, $85 net), it also offers the highest margin of any available format. Verified from bigfundraisingideas.com/scratch-card-fundraiser.

How do you run a fundraiser at parent pickup?

Display direct-sale products (Smencils, lollipops, candy bars) visibly at the front desk with clear pricing. Hand scratch cards to parents directly rather than sending them home in backpacks. A visible display and in-person handoff generate 30 to 50 percent higher participation than paper-only communications.

What pickup products work best at a preschool?

Smencils (up to 50%, non-food) and lollipops (up to 53%, $1/unit) are the two strongest preschool pickup products. Both are non-allergenic in the adult purchase context, with a low price point and fast transactions. Candy bars (up to 55%, peanut-free options) add a third adult impulse buy at the same display.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.