37 Ridiculously Easy Back-to-School Event Hacks for PTOs
A back-to-school event can establish your group as a well-organized, fun, powerhouse resource for the school community, and these shortcuts can help.
As we move full steam ahead into the organized chaos that is back-to-school time (oh, you know you love it!), we can all agree on one thing: shortcuts rule. Even if you can plan a boohoo breakfast in your sleep, trust us—you'll still want to add a handful of these hacks to your back-to-school ideas. Fair warning, though: Your events just might need a “May Cause Extreme Moments of Awesomeness” label.
1. You know all those pool floats that are on sale right now? Stock up on a few inflatable doughnuts for a fun Doughnuts With Dudes photo booth.
2. While you’re at it, grab a few beach pails. They double as fun post-summer snack bowls. Don’t forget the serving shovels!
via The Cutest Blog on the Block
3. Throw drink pouches in the freezer to make mess-free, portable slushies.
via Girl Inspired
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4. Gift parents of incoming Kindergarten students individual packs of tissues at your boohoo/yahoo breakfast (sometimes called "Tears and Cheers").
5. Display cotton candy by hanging it from a clothes drying rack.
via eHow
6. Parents like coffee (like, a lot). So chances are they won’t miss your PTO’s next event if you stick a reminder, ever so casually, in their cup.
via Jacolyn Murphy
7. Hand out labeled collection bags for box tops.
8. Walking tacos (using allergy-friendly chips) are a fun, easy, and school-safe meal at outdoor events.
via Keeley McGuire Allergy Friendly Fun Lunch Boxes
9. Stuck on scooper duty? You’ll want to avoid a bad case of ice cream elbow, then. Simply store your ice cream containers in zip-top bags to keep it soft.
via DIY & Crafts
10. And if ice cream isn’t your school’s thing, a cupcake bar probably is.
11. Use golf tees to stake balloons to the ground—perfect for those outdoor events.
via B. Lee Events
12. Make pasta for a crowd—the night before.
via The Mama’s Girls
13. Paper plates + balloons = balloon Ping-Pong.
14. Use this free pizza calculator to figure out how many to order for a large event. (Yes, we just said “pizza calculator,” and yes, it’s a real thing.)
(Psst—we put together a whole bunch of easy meal ideas for large groups with a few really simple food calculators, from pizza to hot chocolate.)
via Calculate This
15. Make it easy for parents to identify your group by wearing “Ask me about our PTO” T-shirts.
via Earnest Horn Elementary School PTO in Iowa City
16. Set up a kindergarten photo booth for new parents.
17. Organize and transport parent welcome packets and other open house materials in a dish rack.
18. The coffee filter hot dog—it’s like having a plate and napkin in one!
via Sew Many Ways
19. Throw some hay and a table tennis ball in a box for a game of “Find the eyeball in the haystack.”
via Meaningful Mama
20. Make a “drive-through” volunteer sign-up board using sticky notes that you can take along to different events. That way, parents can just grab a volunteer opportunity...and go!
21. Set up a “selfie station” for families and ask parents to share their photos on social media. Don’t forget the photo booth props!
via PTO Today
22. Plastic tablecloths are an inexpensive way to make a fun backdrop for a photo booth.
via Dixie Delights
23. Use graphics to promote upcoming events to parents on Facebook and Instagram.
via PTO Today
24. Keep families busy between activities with a “guessing booth.”
via Pinterest User Laney Benedict
25. Scoop your ice cream into cupcake-lined muffin pans and pop in the freezer. Bam! Ready to go.
26. Cook corn on the cob in a cooler.
27. Make hot cocoa for a crowd in a slow cooker.
28. Make cupcakes shaped like apples using balls of aluminum foil.
via Make and Takes
29. One potato, two (hundred) potatoes! Make baked potatoes for a crowd by washing them in the dishwasher (yes, for real).
30. Soda bottles, a beach ball, and pool noodles = instant outdoor bowling alley.
via Polkadot Chair
31. Empty laundry detergent dispensers make great handwashing and bubble refill stations—just add soap...or bubbles!
via Gwenny Penny
32. Pasta, pasta! For a low-cost activity, invite kids to make macaroni necklaces.
via Surviving a Teacher’s Salary
33. Use plastic cups to sell cupcakes at the bake sale fundraiser.
34. Turn old boxes into giant dice for a fun outdoor carnival game...
35. ...And pool noodles into giant pencil decorations for back-to-school night.
via Lalymom
36. Instead of tables and chairs, lay out blankets for families to picnic on. BYOP (bring your own pillow)!
37. Help your parent group stay organized with this free PTO planner
Our free planner for PTO and PTA leaders is a must-have planning tool for your board. With 55+ pages, you can easily organize school fundraisers, events, meetings, and social media throughout the 2025-2026 school year. It also includes a handy list of school staff appreciation days and fun national holidays that are fun to celebrate at school (like National Rice Krispie Treat Day, which, BTW, is Sept. 18!).
Want even more time-saving event tips and tricks? You’re in luck—we have 50 more event hacks to make your PTO life easier. Rock on, PTOs!
Originally posted in 2016 and updated regularly. PTO Today® is a trademark of School Family Media®.
