7 steps for planning better preschool events
Events can delight parents and engage students in a new way to help them learn through new experiences. But if you overpack your preschool calendar or don’t put the time and intention into planning quality events, it will just end up being a bunch of busy work with little to no reward.
Intentional event planning will help you:
- Get organized
- Avoid scrambling before the events
- Ensure nothing is forgotten or overlooked
- Help you feel calm and prepared
- Better guarantee that you’ll see benefits from the event
To get you started with international event planning, here’s a list of tips and tricks for organizing high-quality preschool events.
Step 1: Build a Calendar of Events
Start by compiling a list of events you’ve traditionally planned in your childcare center. Include events like:
- Graduations
- Holiday parties
- Art shows
- Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations
- Concerts or plays
This will help you get a better feel for what you do. That way, you can organize who those events are for and the purpose they are designed to serve.
Step 2: Outline Who is Responsible for the Event
Doing this will help you build accountability with the person responsible for each event. And it can help you delegate so that you don’t find yourself overwhelmed with handling every small detail of every event.
Step 3: Build Out Tasks for Each Event
Creating a step-by-step process for planning the event will make it easy to replicate year after year. That’s not to say you always serve the same snacks and do the same activities.
But one task can be menu planning, another activity brainstorming, etc. Organizing the tasks and who should complete each task will ensure you don’t forget anything. Plus, it avoids last-minute trips to the store for supplies, which could make the event go over budget and lead to unnecessary stress.
Step 4: Plan Where the Event Will Take Place
Outlining the event’s location will ensure that your lobby, gym or classroom is ready for the event. And what happens if for some reason the event location is unavailable? You should have a backup plan to avoid unwanted event disruptions.
Step 5: Set a Clear Event Timeline
Event timelines help you plan for how many staff you need and for how long. But it also shows how long you’ll be using other resources, such as the school gym. That way you avoid conflicts with other classrooms or activities.
Step 6: Create Goals for Each Event
Before you spend time and money on an event, you should have a goal for it. If you have no goal, you might be spending time and money in vain without the event moving the needle on boosting morale, increasing loyalty or creating fun moments for students.
Step 7: Don’t Forget Staff Events and Meetings
You need to have events that focus on showing gratitude to your staff and listening to their needs. Get your leadership team involved in thanking teachers and making them feel special. It can be something small like a note to say what you appreciate about them or more elaborate like a holiday dinner outside of the center.
Plan meetings with your staff to talk about how things are going and don’t forget to include ongoing training. Staff events keep morale high and provide an opportunity for teachers and other staff to share their concerns.
When thinking about what you’re doing for your team, don’t forget to also leave time on your calendar for one-on-one meetings with your staff. While group meetings can help in team building, some people don’t feel comfortable sharing things during these larger meetings.
If you’re looking for a great school calendar and a way to keep your center organized, schedule a demo of iCare Software. Our digital tools keep you connected to parents while building morale with your staff and lowering turnover.