Back to School Potluck and Swap

I don't know about you but I loath back to school shopping.  Before you get a school supply list from the teachers you decide to make your own.  Hey we all went to school supplies haven't changed that much in the past 20 years. So you check the ads, find the deals, go to your local store, and find everything you want is gone or costs way more than advertised.  So you buy a bunch of stuff and hope you have everything that your child wants or needs.  Then the first day of school the teacher sends home a supply list that is completely different from what you purchased and you have to go back to the store and buy more stuff.  To add insult to injury, your child hates the backpack and folders you bought because cute little kitties are no longer cool, so you grab another backpack and folders. Worst of all at  the end of the school year you discover 1/2 of the school supplies you purchased are still in the bag and you have unused backpacks and folders lying around and you end up giving or throwing it all away.  The crazy thing is we go out the next year and do it all over again. I say try something different, a Back to School Potluck and Swap Meet.

 So let's get started.

1) Set the Date-One or 2 weeks after the first day of school would be great. As an educator I can guarantee your child can survive on the basics of paper, pencils, pens, and what they had left over from the previous year for a week or two. 

2) Invite the guest- call, Evite, or Facebook invite, if you mail invitations, be creative make them look like old fashioned hall passes. Be sure to send the Swap rules with the invitations. (see below)

3) Ask the guest to bring extra school supplies, backpacks, clean uniforms, clothes, shoes, and even instruments for the swap.  Ask guest to turn in an inventory of what they will be bringing at least 1 week ahead of time.  All items should be dropped off at least 2 days ahead of time.  Have each participant sign a copy of the rules when they drop off their items.

4) Plan the menu-Assign each guest a school lunch item to bring (pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, beans, spaghetti, chicken, etc.) Be sure everyone is bring something different.

5) Assign items a point value (shirts- 5 points, 10 pencils-1 point, french horn 1000 points, etc.)  

6) Set up the Swap store.  Sort all items as you would see them in a retail store.  Sort clothes by size and style. 

7) On the day of the Swap each family should be given Swap Money (make it on your computer) equal to the points for what they have contributed to the Swap store.  

8) Set up a check out area and let the shopping begin.

9) While the shopping is going on have random games and contests for extra points.  (musical chairs, hula hoop, minute to win it games, etc.)

10) When the time for shopping is over everyone can enjoy all of the food served on lunch trays of course.

SWAP RULES

1) All items contributed to the Swap are no longer yours.  

2) No actual money can be exchanged at the Swap.

3) All items left at the end of the Swap will be given to charity or a local school.  This includes musical instruments and electronics. 

Bonus-The party can also run as a traditional Swap meet with everyone running their own table.  You would skip the inventory and drop off in step #3 and steps #5-9. There still should not be an exchange of money at any of the tables.  All participants will have to have their tables set up prior to the Swap.  Late arrivals should not be allowed to participate. You can still have games but not for shopping points. 

This party works for Christmas shopping also.