27 Ways To Make the PTO Table Pop at Back-to-School
From prize wheels and PTO "brag boards", try these ideas to get more foot traffic and engagement at your back-to-school event.
Have your school mascot attend the open house to meet and greet families and take photos. Got a new mascot? Invite families to share name ideas.
It’s getting hot in here (thanks, summer, for sticking around). Help parents cool off by passing out water bottles with fun, welcoming notes attached.
via The Teaching Zoo
Don’t forget your sense of humor! Show parents that your group is relatable and fun—something they’ll want to be a part of.
A PTO brag board works pretty well, too. Many parents don’t understand just how much the PTO does for the school!
Back-to-school can get expensive (seriously, that calculator is HOW MUCH?!), so passing out free samples and coupons to parents is a great way to break the ice and bring a smile to their faces.
Join the PTO Today community (it's free) to hear about free samples and giveaways from PTO Today and the family-friendly brands we work with.
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Hold a drawing for a door prize, like a tower of board games, a backpack full of school supplies, a Stanley with straw topper, or school spirit shirts for a whole family .
Set up a prize wheel. Students whose parents join the PTO or sign up for an opportunity get to give it a spin!
Have fun with your volunteer recruitment! Ask parents to lend a hand. Or 20.
via Head Over Heels for Teaching
And for those of you who love to kick things up a notch (ahem...sound familiar?), a full-blown pledge tree using said hands is a pretty impressive display of volunteer super power.
Have flyers explaining why parents should join the PTO. We stopped at 10 with this one, but we probably could’ve gone all the way to 100. Or 1,000.
Advertise upcoming events and volunteer opportunties. Use QR codes so parents can sign up on the spot!
12. Snazzy shirts make it easy for folks to identify your PTO...
...but if shirts simply won’t do, there are always capes. Yes, capes will definitely do.
In addition to spirit wear, sell the trendy, popular items kids want, like Croc charms and funky straw toppers for their Stanley cups. Where the kids go, parents will follow!
Keep the young’uns at bay while you chat with parents. Have simple crafts available, like coloring pages, Play-Doh, beads to string on pipe cleaners or a school bus frame made out of popsicle sticks to frame their first day of school photo.
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Have a laptop or tablet available. That way, if parents have questions about an event or fundraiser, you can easily show them the details and opportunities.
via PTO Today
Play this Parent Involvement Matters video from PTO Today. Have those volunteer info cards ready at the end—trust us, you’ll need them.
via PTO Today
Put a name to those happy faces! Have name tags available for your PTO volunteers to wear.
via PTO Today
Use QR codes so that parents can sign up right on the spot for volunteer opportunities and more.
Let working parents know there are plenty of ways for them to help! Often they have a specific skill set your group can benefit from, like event planning, graphic design chops or carpentry (hint: they would be a great resource to hit up to make a game for the fall festival!).
Have a one-page fact sheet handy about your PTO and why parents should support your group. (Yes, one page! You can do it.)
Have a “can you guess how many” jar on the table. Use jelly beans, marshmallows, or Legos! Tell parents you’ll announce the winner at the first PTO meeting of the year.
via MaryJo Thompson on Pinterest
Make sure parents know when that first meeting is! Advertise it on something they’ll actually use—like these customizable bookmarks.
via PTO Today
If you have a wall near your table—use it to your advantage! Tell parents a little about your PTO board and put faces to names.
via Indulgy
Offer free candy or snacks (tied to a volunteering pun, of course) for parents to take, like "involve-mints"!
Have a selfie station with back-to-school photo props for families. To build school community, encourage parents to tag your group or use a hashtag for your school when they post on social.
And most important, don’t forget to have plenty of those welcome packets handy!
Here's how to make a welcome packet for your PTO or PTA.
Discover even more ideas for your PTO and PTA from PTO Today and our community 👉
Originally posted in 2016 and updated regularly. Back2School® and PTO Today® are trademarks of School Family Media®.
