A bake sale is a very traditional method of fundraising because of its mass appeal to hungry consumers. Use a bake sale as an opportunity to include your child in the fundraising process by preparing items in the kitchen together. Get together as a group with other parents and children, or simply have a one-on-one baking session. Designate simple tasks like mixing ingredients together in a bowl to your child so he will feel like he is playing an important role, and save the more complex or dangerous tasks for yourself. Have your child help you decorate the resulting baked treats, and then with permission, sell them at fair prices in a high traffic location like a sports arena.
A fashion show can be an active and entertaining way to fundraise for your cause. Ask around at local hot spots like shopping malls to see if you can set up your runway event in a prominent area. Solicit local childrens' clothing stores to donate outfits to your cause; this should help the business just as much as it helps you. To involve the preschool children, plan on having each child model a donated outfit or series of outfits on the catwalk. Have an MC announce what each child is wearing, as well as the business that donated the items, and then auction off the outfits at the end of the show.
Flex your creative muscles with a crafts fair sale as your fundraiser event. Get together with the other parents from your child's preschool and find out what each is good at making, or brainstorm ideas for creative, eye-catching crafts that are easy to make on a budget. Gather the necessary supplies and host a crafting session where both parents and children can make craft items for the sale. For example, the kids could decorate plain items like a white apron with colorful handprints while the adults focus on slightly more complex crafts, like decorative frames or other housewares that people might like to purchase. Ask permission to sell these items in a public location like outside of a library or a shopping complex.
Get together with the other parents and set up a schedule for each person to volunteer an hour or two of babysitting services. Depending on how many children you plan to admit to the babysitting coop, you may want to schedule several parents per shift. Advertise the service to local parents who might want to run errands in peace, or simply relax at home alone for a bit. To encourage patrons to use your services as opposed to other sitters, offer educational, entertaining activities like crafts tables or easy cooking classes during each shift. Hosting this service will allow you to earn money and spend time with your child and his friends.