Hosting a Family Night at School? Don’t Forget These Rules

When the PTA president announces plans for a fall family night, all eyes turn to the treasurer to make sure it’s both memorable and financially responsible. Family nights like movie nights, talent shows, ice cream socials, and trunk or treat events are wonderful ways to bring your community together, use or raise funds, and showcase your organization’s spirit. Here’s how to plan an event that your volunteers, families, and budget will appreciate.

Popular school family night event ideas

Family nights often serve dual purposes. They bring together students, parents, and siblings for fun activities that strengthen school spirit, while also offering a low-key fundraising opportunity. Here are a few ideas that are always a hit with school communities:

Movie night: Host a film for all ages in your gym, cafeteria, or outdoors. Choose an appropriately rated movie and make sure to secure a movie license. Recruit volunteers for setup, snack sales, ushering, decorating, and cleanup.

Talent show: Invite students and families to showcase their skills. Coordinate auditions, arrange chaperones, and consider media release policies if you’ll record or share performances.

Ice cream socials: Serve prepared treats, but remember to check food handling license requirements, post signage for allergens, and abide by hygiene standards.

Trunk or treat: Perfect for Halloween, families decorate car trunks and distribute candy in a parking lot—a festive, inclusive option. Ensure proper security, parking logistics, and clear signage.

Planning and preparing for your family night

Successful family nights tend to have a relaxed atmosphere, but achieving that relaxed feeling requires detailed planning. Here are the key areas to address before your event.

Safety and compliance

Liability coverage: Ensure your group has liability insurance before proceeding.

Food handling licenses: If serving prepared food, check if you need a license and follow local health guidelines.

Movie licensing: If showing a film, be sure you have the necessary license. Learn more about avoiding compliance mistakes.

First aid and emergency readiness: Have a stocked first aid kit accessible and know your emergency contacts.

Allergy awareness: Clearly label all foods with common allergens and provide alternatives if possible.

Media release and privacy: If you plan to post event photos or videos, collect photo/media release forms from parents and participants. If it’s a ticketed event, you can easily collect releases through the MoneyMinder Store when attendees sign up.

Logistics and operations

Follow school policies: Confirm regulations for on-site events, outside guests, and after-hours facility use.

Chaperones and volunteers: Recruit sufficient adult supervision and ensure clear instructions, including emergency contact procedures. Pro tip: Cheddar Up offers great sign up and form functionality.

Security: Designate access points, secure building entrances, and assign volunteers to help manage crowds.

Water: Always provide water stations, especially for outdoor or active events.

Logistics planning: Plan your space, setup, signage, parking layout, and clean-up crew in advance.

Budget and money handling for family night

Smart financial planning makes the difference between a successful event and a stressful one. For a typical 100-family movie night, budget $200-300 for licensing, snacks, and supplies, with potential income of $400-600 from ticket sales—but always plan conservatively.

Expenses: Consider costs for supplies, licenses, food, equipment rentals, marketing, and insurance. Don’t forget a 5-10% buffer for surprises.

Income: Will there be ticket sales, concessions, or raffles? Keep fundraising goals realistic by considering your volunteers’ availability and what similar events have raised in the past.

Cash handling: Set up secure systems for cash collection and change. For example, use a lockable cash box with designated volunteers for each station and require two people to count money at the end of the night.

Receipts: Save all receipts for your own records; if accepting donations, provide receipts for donors.

Reimbursements: Provide clear instructions for volunteers who need to submit expenses for reimbursement, and review these monthly against your budget. For more detailed guidance, check out how to handle reimbursements in MoneyMinder and Booster Club Budget 101.

MoneyMinder tools and resources: A well-planned event starts with good organization and robust record keeping. For easy event budgeting and financial tracking, try MoneyMinder.

Final Tips

• Communicate clearly—with signs, emails, and permission slips.
• Celebrate your volunteers with thank you notes.
• Share your success in a newsletter or post photos (with releases).
• Get feedback for next time so your events keep improving.

With careful planning, these family nights not only strengthen community bonds but also demonstrate your organization’s professionalism and commitment to safety and transparency.