A Smarties challenge is a simple and effective PTA fundraising idea.

Give your pupils a tube of Smarties and ask them to do chores or good deeds at home to earn 20p pieces to fill the tube and return by a certain date.

Here’s what to do:

1. Communicate the plan ahead of time via parentmail, email or Facebook so parents and children can think about the tasks they might chose to do and it will give people a chance to start saving 20p’s

2. Decide how long to run the challenge for in order to give enough time for children to earn plenty of 20p’s but not so long that people lose focus. Maybe two weeks?

3. Save money by buying packs of Smarties in bulk from a wholesaler, helping your profits go further or source offers on Smarties in supermarkets, such as four tubes for £1

4. Put posters up around and outside the school – encouraging everyone to take part

5. Send home a tube of Smarties with a covering letter to all children at the school (example poem below)

6. Consider sending a different type of sweet for any children with allergies or intolerances but also sending an empty Smartie tube

7. Make it a class and individual challenge with the class and child raising the most winning a prize (class non-uniform day or bring in a toy for the day and a small gift for the child).

8. Remind children to name their tube!

9. Send a reminder midway through the challenge

Suggestion poem for Smarties Challenge:

 Our PTA would like to give you a yummy treat,

so we’re sending you these colourful Smarties to eat!

Keep the tube, don’t throw it away,

do tasks and good deeds to earn your pay.

 So come on (school name) pupils, answer our call,

So we can raise money for the good of our school!

Be a “smartie” and fill your tube with 20p’s

And return to to school by (date) please!

 Thanks for participating!!!

The class that raises the most money will win a prize

By Zoe Aqlan, Friends of Meopham Community Academy

(Friends of Meopham Community Academy is a member of The Stamptastic PTA Rewards Scheme) and received a £30 fundraising voucher for writing this blog post. If you would like to write a blog post for us please join our Stamptastic PTA and Schools Facebook Group to find out more!)