WAIT! Don't Toss Out Your Leftover Carnival Prizes... Follow These 3 Steps!

Whew! You had a great event and now you are catching your breath. After the hurried post-event clean-up, you have a box of assorted prizes left over and are wondering what on earth to do with them. 

Simply follow the three easy steps below and you will be on your way to saving money for next year's big event.

One of our suggestions involves an "Almost Free" carnival booth for next year, so keep reading!

(Last updated by the Carnival Savers Team on July 25, 2021)

 Think Twice Before Returning Your Leftovers

Why? First, return shipping is expensive.

If you have several unopened bags or boxes or toys, do the math before considering sending them back to the supplier.

We are always sad to see returns that are shipped to us that cost $15 or more sometimes to return $40 of leftover prizes. 

Second, if you are having a carnival next, year, we have found most left-overs are easily stored in a few boxes and can be used at next years event!

Finally, we have a few ways these toys can be put to better use right away!

Unopened bags of toys can easily be saved for next year's carnival, or as teacher prizes. If storage is limited, many schools give the prizes to teachers so that award treasure boxes can be replenished with an assortment of small toys. This is a win/win for both the teachers and the kiddos. 

In addition, some PTAs or PTOs donate leftover items like pencils, pens, erasers and other stationary type items to the "school store," so the parent-teacher organization can still make a profit at the end of the day. 

 Sort Opened Bags of Toys into Small, Medium & Large Toys 

Once you have completed this, box up the small, medium & large toys separately. 

Many schools and churches have multiple events throughout the year, so by keeping these prizes, you have a head start on your next big event! 

The above image shows a family playing a game after a carnival.

For example, if your school does a Spaghetti Dinner & Bingo Night, the larger toys can be used as prizes for the bingo game.

For the smaller and medium toys, consider having a  Grab Bag Carnival Booth next year. Yes, this booth sounds somewhat boring, given that it's just selecting leftover prizes. 

HOWEVER, if you follow our BIG TIP then kids will be ecstatic to stand in line for a chance to win!

 Make a Quick Inventory List of the Toys for Next Year!

For the toys that are not being used this year: make a list, and put a copy in the carnival file and a copy on the front of the box or boxes. This way, you know what items you already have so you can choose some different toys for the kids when ordering next year to keep your carnival prizes new!

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out the rest of our carnival blog for those super helpful hints and tips. ;)

You might also like:

• This 1 Thing Makes Your Fundraising Carnival
• Sneak Some Healthy Food On Your Menu
• Paying TOO MUCH for your Prizes?