Trunk or Treat is an annual favorite at our school. All the clubs get involved, we advertise to the community, and everyone has a blast!
Trunk or Treat???
This event, which takes place in the school parking lot on a Saturday or Sunday near Halloween, involves groups or individuals decorating their cars for a theme then inviting neighborhood children to come 'trick or treat' from trunk to trunk. Not all neighborhoods are safe for young children to trick or treat, and apartment buildings are not great for going door-to-door. This allows the entire community to come together and enjoy an afternoon of games & treats at no charge!
Setting It Up
- Pick a date & time! We usually found that Sunday afternoons were best, as Saturdays were taken with sporting events. Pick one near (preferably before) Halloween. Setup time is usually 12noon-1p, then the event runs open to the public 1-4p, then cleanup until 5p. Get your event on the school calendar ASAP - preferably the spring before - to make sure no one else takes the parking lot on your date. You will need access to the building, as well, for bathroom breaks & storing supplies.
- Get clubs involved! Advertise via Remind, email, announcements, and by putting out flyers. Starting in early September, talk it up and have clubs/individuals sign up to host a trunk. We created a form on GoogleDocs:http://tinyurl.com/kawplx2 that people could sign up on. Also offer paper signups. Some clubs would have themes based on their interests (Battle of the Books, Anime, Harry Potter, etc.) others would host games. Individuals would get together with friends to dress up & either give out candy or have children play games. Make it clear that everyone supplies their own candy/games/decorations!
- Invite the police department or fire department to stop by, if possible. One year, the fire department came & let children climb all over the fire truck, while they gave out pamphlets about fire safety. They were a hit!
- Don't forget the PTA/PTSO! Some of our most memorable cars were sponsored by parents. The giant pumpkin, with an arm coming out giving candy, was a favorite the PTSO ran. Bring flyers to the September & October meetings and talk it up.
- Contact the local & school papers! Here's an article our school newspaper, The Roar, posted about us. Advertising in the community section of your local newspaper will also help. Don't forget to post it on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & wherever else your area gets its news!
- This event should be free to the public. However, if you want to collect donations or sell hot cider (a good idea on cold days) you can. Just make sure to fill out your school's fundraising form & get it approved ahead of time. If you are collecting donations, state that on the flyer so people will know to bring cash if they wish.
- Organize a committee to run the event. They can make decisions about layout & be in charge of advertising.
- Consider having a cupcake walk in the center of the lot with donated cupcakes (homemade or store-bought). Make signs with the numbers 1-20, put them in page protectors or laminate them, and tape them to the ground in a circle. Bring some music (preferably Halloween themed) and have a couple volunteers run the event. You can have a random-number generator app on your phone or pick a number from a jar. Have them call out periodically for children to come, stand on numbers, then play music while they walk around. When the music stops, whoever is standing on the winning number gets to pick out a cupcake. DEFINITELY do cupcakes or bars - this allows more winners & is easier for a child to handle than full cakes. Specify that no nuts are permitted!
- WARNING: If your community is highly religious, this may not be an acceptable event. A friend of mine was considering it, but was told that her heavily-Hispanic area would not permit it. Ask your members before getting started!
One to Two Weeks Before
- Give principal a blurb to give elementary school principals for calling parents
- Email PTSO & SCA presidents, too
- Announcements/flyers to get cars/tables, saying where/how to signup
- Print flyers & have volunteers hang around neighborhood for children to come & have fun (ask local businesses if you can hang one on their community news board)
- Request tables & chairs as requested by registrants, plus 2 big trash cans
- Print directional signs
- Make & laminate BIG sign for street – put out for 1 week
- Purchase apple juice (2gal)/cider(1gal)/mulling spices or cocoa (powdered cocoa mix & marshmallows) plus cups. Arrange for a percolator & thermoses.
- Arrange someone to run cakewalk – they are in charge of setup, recording donations, getting helpers, etc. Cupcake/brownie donations MUST be nut-free!
- Email teachers/staff to bring their little ones
- Have someone do announcements at elementary schools & set up flyers (at least 1 week prior)
That Weekend
Cakewalk
Banner for Instagram tag so you can get more photos
Have someone walk around, getting all names & starring car owners (for thank-yous or credit for volunteer hours)
Clean up all trash/signs & return tables/chairs/supplies to school
- Print out floor signs for cakewalk on construction paper & laminate
- Tape (signs in lot & cakewalk)
- Halloween music & speaker
- Baked goods sign-in
- Volunteers
- Volunteers
- Clean thermoses & percolator
- Start cooking @10:30am in front hallway on table (need a plug for percolator to work)
- Sign for cost, cashbox, cups
Banner for Instagram tag so you can get more photos
Have someone walk around, getting all names & starring car owners (for thank-yous or credit for volunteer hours)
Clean up all trash/signs & return tables/chairs/supplies to school