Today’s school parents are much more involved than in the past. Meaning that they no longer simply sign their kids up and check in once or twice a year to see how things are going. Today’s parents want to know what’s happening at school, when it’s happening, and how they can get involved. In short, school parents realized their voices matter and that what happens at school affects their children directly.
That’s also why engaging school parents isn’t just about signing them up for newsletters. In other words, it’s about meaningfully getting them involved in PTA or PTO. However, not all schools have thriving PTAs or PTSOs because some find it challenging to keep members interested and engaged. Don’t worry; we got you covered!
This article offers tips on making your PTA/PTO fun for school parents so you can stand out with them and allow them to have fun—and also fundraise, etc. (Want to get the kids involved too? Check out our article on school PTA and PTO activities).
Have Events That Parents Want to Participate In
One of the best ways to engage parents is to have events they want to participate in because they’re fun. It doesn’t have to be about having a formal event but hosting informal meetups or happy hours can help bring the group together. The trick here is to mix up the group, so you don’t have the same people showing up every time.
Plenty of holidays, such as National Lego Day, Awkward Moments Day, or World of Music Day, don’t get celebrated enough. So, get creative. Figure out some fun holidays (even off-the-wall ones) and invite school parents to get to know each other. You can also host themed meetups to give everyone an excuse to dress up, dress down, or anything in-between.
Offer Food or Host a Happy Hour
Parents may feel nervous about attending PTA or PTO meetings or volunteering at after-school activities. For one, new parents might not know anyone or feel like they don’t belong. So, hosting a happy hour is a casual and easy way to get around it. It’s a great way to get parents together to mix and mingle while getting to know one another better.
A happy hour can help to put those parents at ease and allow them to make new friends. You can also use a happy hour to get feedback from your parents or ask them to help you with event planning. But don’t think that you have to hold your happy hour at a bar. You can hold it at a coffee shop or even a park if you want to keep it family-friendly.
Use an Outside Venue or Hold Themed Events
Another way to make your PTA or PTO fun for school parents is by holding events at unique venues. For instance, why not have your first school year meeting and couple it with a local stadium or museum visit? Doing so helps build camaraderie among your members and gets everyone excited.
If you want to do themed events, do something fun and unique. For example, you could have space-themed events like “space bowling” or “cosmic yoga.” Perhaps school parents don’t have a place for child care. In that case, take away the stress by offering to have a responsible team of sitters while parents meet and enjoy themselves.
Play Music and Add Games or Activities
Another way to make your PTA or PTO fun for school parents is by adding games or activities to your meetings or after-school activities. Adding games or activities to your meetings or activities helps break up the monotony and allows parents to get to know each other better. For instance, perhaps you could do icebreakers before every session.
You can use many games and activities to know your fellow parents better. So, you can create your games by asking parents to share their parenting stories or how they became a part of the community. Or you can ask parents to share a moment when they felt proud of their child at school. Remember, sharing builds trust and communication.
Plan an Open House and BTS Night
Another way to make your PTA or PTO fun for school parents is by planning an open house. It’s a great way to welcome new parents to the school and celebrate your current parents. Also, you can use the open house as a time to ask parents to join the group and sign up for committees. It’s also an opportunity to collect questions and concerns from parents and have them on record so you can address them later.
Or, how about hosting a BTS night? In this case, we don’t mean Back to School but Behind the Scenes. BTS aims to give school parents a first-hand look at what goes on behind the scenes at school. Take them on a tour of the school. Let parents see how their children spend their days at school. BTS is also a great time to ask parents for their ideas and feedback. Remember, you want their school support!
Fundraising is Part of Children’s Education for School Parents
As we know, parents are more involved than ever in their children’s education. Despite their busy lives, they want a more active role in the school system, especially in PTO and PTA groups. So, if your organization needs a jumpstart, it’s a great time to get parents engaged and excited. You’ll have greater success by doing so, including keeping them informed and meaningfully involved.
In sum, create events parents want to participate in that keep things fresh and exciting. When you make your PTA/PTO fun for school parents, you’ll attract more members and have a thriving group for years to come. Moreover, when parents know they can have fun with other like-minded parents, they’ll want to participate more.
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