Fun Charity Fundraising Ideas for Schools to Help Children Make a Difference

Schools are busy, joyful places where pupils, staff and families pull together every day. That same energy can power meaningful fundraising for hospice care, helping people of all ages, including children and young people, when life feels hardest. This guide gathers charity fundraising ideas for schools that are inclusive, affordable and easy to run, with options for infants right through to sixth form. You’ll also find simple tips to keep everything safe, fun and stress‑free.

Why it matters: Hospice in the Weald supports local families facing life‑limiting illness. Your event doesn’t have to be big; small moments add up to real change when a community gets involved.

Themed bake‑off

Classes or houses compete to decorate cupcakes, traybakes or biscuits, with winners chosen by a panel of teachers and prefects. Sell slices at breaktime; label allergens clearly and include a few no‑gluten and nut‑free options so everyone can join in.

Sponsored silence (or mindful hour)

This works beautifully for primary classes and exam‑prep year groups alike. Pupils collect pledges, then spend the session practising mindful breathing or quiet reading, and every participating class receives a “calm‑class” certificate for their wall.

Guess how many sweets in the jar / challenge

Pupils pay to guess how many sweets there are in a jar and drop their guess on a numbered sticker. Announce the winner at assembly and offer a small prize or the jar of sweets to take home!

Treasure hunts

Map out clues around the school grounds or village and sell trail sheets in advance to help with planning. Families return to claim a small prize, and for evening events, glow‑stick hunts create a magical atmosphere that is still easy to steward.

Talent shows

Encourage music, dance, comedy and spoken word, and don’t forget a staff band cameo for extra cheers. Keep tickets low‑cost, add a bake sale at the interval, and invite a local photographer to capture the moment for the school newsletter.

Fun runs and colour dashes

Mark out short, accessible courses with optional laps so pupils can choose their distance. Use eco‑friendly powder for colour stations, or swap to bubble machines and confetti flags for a mess‑free version if your site is small.

Bring learning to life with creative challenges

Good fundraising can double as brilliant learning. These ideas for charity in school connect with curriculum goals while building confidence, teamwork and practical problem‑solving.

Readathons

Pupils set a page or book target and seek sponsorship from friends and family. Younger readers can enjoy “storytime relays”, while older ones might host a twilight reading lounge complete with cheery lamps and hot chocolate.

Art auctions

Each class creates a collaborative piece, printmaking, textiles or recycled sculpture, to auction at a family evening so everyone gets to shine. Add a postcard gallery for £1 mini‑prints so no one goes home empty‑handed and the art room gets a proud moment too.

STEM challenge day

Raise funds via team entry fees for bridge‑building with lollipop sticks, egg‑drop designs or solar‑car races. Invite local engineers as judges for a careers chat and award bonus points for creative documentation of the design process.

Eco‑swaps and repair cafés

Families donate pre‑loved books, uniforms and sports kit; pupils run the event and practise budgeting, merchandising and customer service. Add a simple repair station, like sewing buttons, and patching rucksacks, to introduce circular‑economy ideas.

Enterprise stalls

Give teams a small float to start a mini‑venture, badge‑making, cookie kits, recycled tote bags, and ask them to pitch at assembly like a friendly Dragon’s Den. Offer prizes for best profit and best purpose, and encourage teams to share what they learned afterwards.

Eco‑projects

Plant a pollinator garden, host a litter‑pick league or build bird boxes with the design and tech department. Invite sponsorship per planter or per bag collected and post before/after photos to the school website to celebrate progress.

Student conferences

Hold a mini “Compassion Summit” where teens design campaigns, set personal fundraising goals and hear from Hospice in the Weald about real‑life impact. Include short skills workshops on public speaking, budgeting, and persuasive writing, to make it a memorable learning day.

Support people facing life‑limiting illness with dignity

Fundraising in schools for hospice care is about kindness as much as pounds raised. These activities make space for feelings and help pupils understand why their support matters, while keeping everything gentle and age‑appropriate.

Memory‑jar stall

Pupils decorate jars and sell them with prompt cards such as “A happy day we shared…” or “What I admire about you…”. They make thoughtful gifts around Remembrance, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day and offer a quiet way to talk about memories.

Comfort‑kit drive

Collect new items like cosy socks, gentle hand cream, colouring books, for family rooms, so parents and siblings have small comforts on long days. Pair donations with handwritten “kindness postcards” created by pupils to make every parcel feel personal.

Mindful mile

Organise a quiet sponsored walk during which pupils think of someone they wish to support and walk together at an easy pace. End with a gratitude wall where families can pin messages or drawings to show who they walked for.

Letter‑writing mornings

Older pupils write to MPs about the value of children’s palliative care, learning advocacy skills while amplifying local voices. Provide a simple briefing and a template paragraph so everyone feels confident to begin.

How Hospice in the Weald can help your school

You don’t have to do this alone. The Hospice team can share posters and sponsorship forms, help with Gift Aid where appropriate, and even visit assemblies to explain how your support helps local families, including children and young people. Explore the fundraising in schools page for contact details, downloadable resources and real stories that bring the “why” to life.

Pick one idea, set a date, and keep it simple. Whether you choose a bake‑off, a readathon or a teen‑led esports final, your school’s kindness will lift up neighbours who need it most. That’s the heart of charity fundraising ideas for schools – connection, empathy and community spirit.

Get in touch: If your school would like advice or a speaker, call our fundraising team today.