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A New Home for the VolunteerSpot Blog

Check out the latest news and content at SignUp.com

The VolunteerSpot blog has moved and is still alive and well! We continue to add new helpful tips and ideas every month with the goal of making life a little easier for all you awesome (volunteer, PTA/PTO, teacher, faith group, league, workplace, neighborhood, and community) Organizers out there.

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SignUp.com’s Idea Center

We invite you to search our VolunteerSpot blog archive for past posts that may be of interest, and for fresh, up-to-date content, head over to the SignUp Idea Center. Here you’ll find fun ideas, best practices, smart planning tips, and free downloadable graphics, PLUS printable and fillable checklists, letters, coloring pages, appreciation certificates, thank you notes, and much more. 

We’ve got you covered when it comes to volunteer management (for nonprofit organizations, schools, teams, whatever your cause!), fundraising, holidays and other seasonal events, family reunions, picnics, potlucks… you get the point!


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Whatever your interest, Start Planning Now at SignUp!

Posted at 10:02 AM in Back-to-School, Charity Auction Ideas (Schools too!), Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, End of the School Year, Fundraising Ideas, How 2 VolunteerSpot - Tips, Tricks and Technical, Online Sign Up Feature Friday, Personal Organization Tips, Potluck, Social Media for Schools & Nonprofits, Summer Fun, Tips for Non-Profits, Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering at School, Volunteering by the Season, Volunteering in the Community, Volunteering with your Congregation | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Creative Hints & Tips for a Successful Classroom Holiday Party

Bells are jingling, lights are twinkling, it's party time!

With the end of the year just a few weeks away, it's time to prepare for this year's class holiday or winter party. These 3 tips will help make it a jolly success! Holiday gifts classroom party ideas SignUp.com

1. Plan & Get Help!

From snacks to crafts to holiday reading material and activity stations, it is easy to get bogged down in the planning. Capture all your needs in one easy online sign up sheet, i.e., list: healthy snack option, sweet treat snack option, drinks, tableware and simple decorations, volunteer reader with winter-themed book, volunteers for the activity station, party activity supplies, etc. Once you have it planned, SignUp.com simplifies your holiday occasion! Plus, SignUp.com reminds your volunteers and even allows room for you to add in the folks who aren't using email!

Tip: Check with the teacher about the school's holiday policy. Will you be planning for nondenominational 'winter' and snow themes, or are Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa themes welcome and expected?

2. Get creative with your games and activities this year!

Some of our friends submitted fun and unique ideas:

@ConnieFoggles

“One of the best things my dd's school did was to get a tree donated from a store. They made decorations and gave it away to a needy family from the school. The kids put their heart into their creations. That tree was filled with lots of love.”

@amybhole

“For our parties, we have three activities -- a snack, a craft, and a game. The class is split into three groups, and each group does one activity at a time. It's an excellent way to cut down on the chaos! But it's also all-encompassing for our diverse school. For example, the game can have a Hanukah theme (Dreidel is always popular) the snack can have a Christmas theme and the craft can have an Eid theme.”

@Rajean

“Host a build-your-own hot chocolate station with cocoa mix, marshmallows, cinnamon, chocolate syrup, white chocolate chips, whipped cream in a can, and shaved peppermint to choose from and pin the button nose or carrot on the snowman.”

@CarissaRogers

“Last year my daughter's class folded these amazing Finnish Paper Stars. We loved it so much we came home and made a bunch of our own stars in different sizes and colors!”

3. Last minute check!

  • Make sure to tap a parent volunteer as party photographer
  • Be sure to plan on additional attendees including volunteers, siblings, and the teacher for snacks and even crafts!
  • Consider space limitations when choosing party games
  • Ask the teacher if any kids have food allergies or if the school has policies limiting sugary treats
  • Consider having Thank You notes prepared for parent volunteers

Have a blast and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Check out SignUp.com's free Classroom Party Guide for more fun winter craft and game ideas, and check out ways your classroom may give back with their celebration!

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Posted at 07:00 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, End of the School Year, Volunteering at School | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: class party ideas, classroom holiday party ideas, classroom party activities, classroom party games, classroom party ideas, holiday class party ideas, room dad, room mom, room parent, winter class party ideas

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7 Scrumptious Summer Fruit Snacks

With kids home for the summer parents are going to hear "I'm hungry" about 3.5 million times over the next three months. These tasty, easy to make, healthy(ish) fruit snacks will curb their hunger and keep even your pickiest eaters happy.

7ScrumptiousSummerFruitSnacks

Scrumptious Summer Snacks

Watermelon Pizza
Watermelon Pizza via Watermelon Pizza via Choosing Chia

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Rainbow Fruit Cup via My Frugal Adventures
Rainbow Fruit Cup via My Frugal Adventures

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Frozen Yogurt Strawberries via Glamour
Frozen Yogurt Covered Strawberries via Glamour

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Grape poppers via This Grandma is Fun
Grape Poppers via This Grandma is Fun

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Frozen Fruit Bark via Courtney's Sweets
Frozen Fruit Bark via Courtney's Sweets

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Fruit Kabobs via By Stephanie Lynn
Fruit Kabobs via By Stephanie Lynn

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Strawberry Brownie Skewers via One Little Project
Strawberry Brownie Skewers via One Little Project

Posted at 07:00 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, End of the School Year, Summer Fun | Permalink

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End of Year Class Party eBook

Get ready to plan the best (and easiest!) End of Year Class Party ever with great ideas from FamilyFun Magazine and SignUp.com! This exclusive guide is packed with creative craft, snack, and activity ideas for your End of Year Class Party — share them with your friends and fellow class parents, and boost parent participation with free, online class party SignUps.  

Free eBook: End of Year Class Party

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This ebook includes these awesome resources and more!

  • End of the Years Must Haves
  • Planning and gift ideas
  • Room-Parent party checklist
  • End of the Year Activities
  • Class party games & craft ideas

Room Spot Mom Check out SignUp.com's free tool to quickly and easily organize your classroom parent volunteers.

SignUp’s free, online sign up sheets make class party planning a snap! Simple recruitment via invitation, speedy link, or web button make signing up to help a cinch for volunteers from their computers or smartphones.  Automated confirmation and reminder messages help everyone keep their commitments.

 

“Don't be shy about giving parents specific jobs or asking them to bring party supplies and treats. Most are relieved you’ve made it so easy to help and asking with SingUp’s sign up sheets makes it extra easy!” ~Lori R, Room Mom of 2, Roswell, GA

And here are some quick tips for you to get started on planning for your end of the year party!

  • Siblings: Ask the teacher before inviting
  • Craft Projects: Ensure the craft parent volunteer has EVERYTHING needed – e.g. a trash bag for clean up. Don’t assume the teacher will provide all items.
  • Kids under 10: Divide them into small groups, rotate them through activity “stations” (10-15 min each) and have at least one parent per station.
  • Prizes: Hand out pencils or other school supplies as favors.
  • Snacks: Plan extras for the teacher, staff and parent helpers.
  • Wagon: Hands-down the best way to tote party supplies to/from the classroom.
  • Decorations: A colorful tablecloth adds festivity and plastic ones are inexpensive. Balloons, streamers, and curled ribbon also go a long way to transforming a classroom into a party room.
  • Memories: Ask a parent to volunteer to take photos or videos of the party and share with the parents who could not come.
  • Remember: Relax and have fun! Celebrate these moments with your children.

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Related Posts 

5 End of the School Year Crafts

Teacher Gift Ideas | Best and Worst

Student and Teacher End of the Year Gift Ideas

Posted at 07:00 AM in End of the School Year, Volunteering at School | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: childrens party, childs party, class parties, class party, class party planning, classroom parties, classroom party, end of the year party, kids party, kids party planning, parent teacher organization, party for kids class, PTA, PTO, PTSA

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5 End of the School Year Crafts

Can you believe the end of the school year is nearly here?!? Check out these fun and easy crafts your kids will love! And just in time to help you plan your end of the year party!

5EndoftheSchoolYearCrafts

Last Day of School Craft Bucket via Bit of Everything

Summerfunbucketprintable30days

This is a cute idea to kick off summer with some non-food related treats for the kids. .

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  Last Day of School Interview via Thirty Handmade Days

Lastdayofschool

Use this last day of the year interview to capture what your students’ loved and learned about the year! 

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End of the Year Memory Book by The Curriculum Corner

Memorybook

This cute memory book is perfect activity to get your students to reflect on the past year as well as look ahead to next year.

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 End of the Year via The Mommy Years

Rocket

Send your students off right, as you approach the end of another school year. Fill these rockets with a few things they can use to apply what they learn or some mementos from the school year and get ready for take off.

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 Teacher Appreciation via Pinterest

Memory jar

As Room Mom, show your teacher how much she means to the class by having students create a memory jar from the school year. Ask each student to write down his or her favorite memory from the year and place it in a jar. Then decorate the jar and present all the love the class has for your teacher. 

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Experience simple, free SignUps with free SignUp.com! Imagine planning your class parties without frustrating ‘reply-all’ email chains, clipboards to pass around, or spreadsheets to juggle. Minimize your stress and alleviate headaches with just a few clicks of the keyboard! Check it out now.

Posted at 07:00 AM in End of the School Year | Permalink

Tags: class parties, class party ideas, crafts, end of the school year party, teacher appreciation

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Student and Teacher End of the Year Gift Ideas

End-of-the-year-gifts

Room Moms! Send your students and teachers off right as you approach the end of another school year. 

 End of the Year via Spoonful

Rocket

Fill these rockets with a few things they can use to apply what they learn or some mementos from the school year and get ready for take off.

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Playdough Printable via Language Arts Classroom

Original-3145823-1

Looking for a small non-food gift to give to students at the end of the year? Check out this cute Playdough printable!

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DIY Emoji Bookmarks via Mrs. Spangler in the Middle

Emoji-bookmarks-300x300

Need a fun way to send off students AND encourage them to do their summer reading?  These adorable Emoji bookmarks will do the trick!

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Summer Survival Kit via The Marvelous Middle
Summer-survival-kit-300x300This easy and inexpensive Summer Survival Kit would make a perfect little end of the year gift for your students. 

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End of the Year Goodbye Stars via Proud to be Primary

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End of the Year Goodbye Stars make the perfect classroom keepsake for kids! Best of all it's made by students for students.

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Have a Toe-rific Summer via The Resourceful Mama

Teacher-gift2

Who doesn’t love a perfect pedicure for summer! Grab some fun nail polish, a few pedicure essentials, this git tag and you have a the perfect teacher appreciation gift.

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End of the School Year Teacher Appreciation Printables via Keeping My Kiddo Busy

Teacher-gift-printables

Spoil your favorite teacher with these other adorable printables.

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Memory Jar via Pinterest

Memory jar

As Room Mom, show your teacher how much she means to the class by having students create a memory jar from the school year. Ask each student to write down his or her favorite memory from the year and place it in a jar. Then decorate the jar and present all the love the class has for your teacher. 

 

 

Posted at 07:00 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, End of the School Year | Permalink

Tags: End of the School Year, Student Gifts, Teacher Gifts

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