Whether you’re looking to reward individual students or the entire classroom, prizes can be a fun and inspiring incentive for kids of all ages. Perhaps it’s an upcoming birthday or holiday, or celebrating an achievement or as a motivational tool – teachers and students know the power of the prize.
The challenge, however, can be finding appropriate prizes that are affordable to keep your classroom stocked. When buying for an entire class, costs can quickly skyrocket and become out of reach when trying to balance the budget. The good news is, the sky is also the limit when it comes to creativity and we’re here to help put that to use for budget-friendly student prizes.
How to Make Class Prizes More Affordable
If you love supplying student prizes in your classroom, here are just a few ideas to make it more affordable:
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Shop end-of-season discounts
Think holiday clearance aisles at superstores, craft stores and discount stores, and you’ll be amazed at the steep discounts you can find on items to use as prizes for your students. When Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Christmas merchandise goes on sale, items are often marked down as much as 75-90%.
Many of these holiday goodies would make excellent prizes, such as small stuffed animals, socks, stickers, books and more. As long as you steer away from anything perishable, the items can be kept until the holiday rolls around next year and then you’ll be prepared with a great array of themed prizes on a budget. -
Buy in bulk
Just like buying in bulk online or at your favorite warehouse store can be a great option to save money on expenses at home, the same approach can be used when it comes to shopping for student prizes for your classroom. Instead of paper towels and bottled water, how does giant boxes of individually packaged snacks like goldfish-shaped crackers, popcorn, fruit snacks and granola bars sound? These snacks can be quick and easy options that also provide a protein or energy boost when timed just right, too.
At certain times of year, you may even find party favors or gift item bundles that can be divided up and distributed to multiple students for more substantial rewards. These can make for great prizes at an even better price. -
Search for treasure
Going on a treasure hunt is fun for students of all ages, and the good news is, it can be both easy and affordable to find. Check online for ready-made treasure chests that are boxes that come already stuffed with an array of prizes. Alternatively, this can be a reasonably priced activity to create your own out of a decorative box filled with an assortment of goodies found on sale throughout the year – and don’t forget to think outside the box with prizes including anything from squish balls to nail polish or fidgets to fun erasers, and beyond.
Students will have fun peeking at the varied treasure and selecting their own item that fits their personal interests or tastes.
Shop Fun and Affordable Class Prizes
GEDDES has endless options when it comes to supplying student prizes in your classroom. Contact us today or request a school supply catalog and find out how to make it more affordable from the experts at Raymond Geddes.