How to Choose Prizes Kids Line Up to Win!
First, are carnival prizes really necessary? Kids really just love to play the carnival games... right?
Well, a few years ago, one Texas elementary school PTA president contacted us to ask if we could help. She explained at their previous spring carnival the PTA budget only allowed for only candy prizes at the game booths—and those prizes ran out during the first hour of a 4 hour carnival.
Once the prizes were gone, the carnival quickly lost its appeal for the children. Families began leaving early and their profits suffered!
Keep this in mind - the games may not always be the carnival’s biggest fundraiser, but they keep children engaged and families at the event. When the kids are happily playing games and winning prizes, parents have more time to purchase food, bid in the silent auction and participate in other fundraising activities.
After more than 20 years of helping schools, churches and community organizations plan carnivals, we have learned that prizes are not a minor detail. They can affect the success of the entire event.
Two Ways to Distribute School Carnival Prizes
Most school carnivals use one of two basic prize systems.
Prizes Given at Each Game Booth
With this system, prizes are displayed at the individual games. After children play, they immediately receive the prize they won.
This is usually the simplest system for a school carnival because children receive an instant reward and do not need to keep track of tickets throughout the event.
A Prize Booth (Sometimes Called a Redemption Booth)
With a prize booth, players receive tickets at the games. They save their tickets and take them to a central prize booth, where the prizes are marked with different ticket values.
This works much like an arcade-style prize counter. It gives children more control over which prizes they receive, but it also requires more advance planning, careful prize pricing and additional volunteers.
In this guide, we are focusing on prizes given directly at individual game booths. We will cover planning a ticket-redemption booth in a separate guide.
Keep the Prize Levels Simple
For most school carnival games, we recommend offering two prize levels:
- A small consolation prize
- A more desirable top prize
Every player receives the consolation prize, while children who meet the winning goal receive the top prize.
Although it may be tempting to add several levels of prizes to every game, that can complicate things for volunteers and make it more difficult to know how many prizes will be won at each booth.
If you want to offer medium prizes, consider using them at only a few games where the prize levels are easy to understand.
Match the Prizes to the Game
Not every game should distribute prizes in exactly the same way. The game’s difficulty and design should help determine how many prize levels it can support.
Crazy Hats: A Game with Several Prize Levels
The Crazy Hats carnival game is an example of passing out prizes in a unique way.
Five hats are arranged in a straight line extending away from the player. Each child receives five rings to toss. The closest hat offers the least expensive prize, and the prizes become more valuable as the hats get farther away. The farthest hat awards the top prize.
Children can decide how they want to play. Some try to ring each hat and potentially win several different prizes. Others use all five rings trying to reach the farthest hat and win the top prize.
Because the prize values correspond directly with the difficulty of reaching each hat, multiple prize levels make sense for this particular game.
See our [Crazy Hats carnival game] for complete setup and play instructions.
Lollipop Pull: A Predictable Game of Luck
Games of luck can make top-prize quantities much easier to control!
For the Lollipop Pull, organizers place a special mark on the ends of selected lollipop sticks before the carnival begins. Every child chooses a lollipop—and the lollipop is theirs to keep. If the stick has a special mark, the player also receives a top prize.
Because the winning lollipops are marked in advance, you know exactly how many top prizes can be awarded. If you order 48 top prizes for that booth, you mark 48 lollipops.
You can also add a medium-prize level by using a second color on some of the sticks. We generally recommend marking approximately one out of every 10 to 12 lollipops for a top prize.
See our [Lollipop Pull game instructions] for all the details.
Boy playing 2-Liter Ring Toss Game in hopes of winning a soda!
Yes, It's OKAY to Change the Rules of the Game...
Skill-based games are less predictable because the number of winners depends on the difficulty of the setup and the ages and abilities of the players. We always recommend testing each game before the event and adjust the stand behind lines before the carnival begins.
Quick Tip: Tell the volunteers at each booth that generally 1 in 12 should win the top prize. If the first few players win very easily - it is acceptable to change the rules of the game.
For example, one year we were using diving rings as our plastic rings for the Soda Bottle Ring Toss. obviously we did not test this out well enough before the carnival because every third child was winning a soda bottle! Not only did we send a volunteer out to buy more sodas, (which cost the PTA money) we moved back our stand behind line slightly and required that players must ring two sodas, not just one, to win the top prize of a soda!
Note: If changing the rules during your event - you may want to let the kids in line keep the original rules and state anyone who gets in line after this last person - we have adjusted the rules to make the game fun for the entire length of the carnival.
Please don't mix up small toys at each booth - it looks like leftovers!
Offer Unique Prizes at Each Booth
In a perfect world, each carnival game would offer its own prizes instead of every booth displaying the same random mixture.
When each table has an assortment of unrelated toys, the carnival can begin to look a little like a garage sale. Children may also see the same prize choices everywhere they go.
Giving each booth its own consolation prize and top prize has several advantages:
- Prize displays look neater and more exciting.
- Children have another reason to try different games.
- Volunteers know exactly which prizes to distribute.
- Prize inventory is easier to monitor.
- Children are less likely to see identical choices at every booth.
For example, one booth might give sticky hands as its consolation prize and mini stuffed animals as its top prize. Another might offer small flying toys with a larger inflatable prize for winners.
Budgets and available quantities do not always make completely unique prizes possible at every booth, so think of this as the ideal rather than an absolute rule.
What School Carnival Prizes Do Kids Actually Want?
Trends change, and children can surprise you.
Mini stuffed animals continue to be a favorite top prize! They appeal to both boys and girls and can work for a surprisingly wide range of ages.
But a prize does not have to be large or expensive to be popular.
Last year, we participated in a Halloween event where we passed out toys instead of candy. We brought a variety that included erasers, sticker activity sheets, notepads, noisemakers and sticky hands.
The sticky hands were chosen more frequently than the other small toys. Even the teenagers wanted them!
That experience was a good reminder not to rely too heavily on rigid age recommendations. Older students may choose a cute stuffed animal, while younger children may want the same novelty toy their older siblings selected.
Whenever possible, choose colorful prizes that children recognize immediately and can enjoy without complicated instructions.
Dependable Consolation Prize Ideas
Good consolation prizes are affordable enough to give to every player while still feeling fun:
- Sticky hands
- Small novelty toys
- Mini flying toys
- Small balls
- Fun erasers
- Noisemakers
- Pencil accessories
- Glow items
- Simple fidget toys
- Individually wrapped candy, where appropriate
Stickers can work for preschoolers and some younger children, but they generally do not generate as much excitement among older elementary students.
Temporary tattoos can be given as prizes, but we find that they are usually better utilized at their own face-painting-style activity booth. Having a volunteer apply the tattoo turns a small item into a memorable carnival experience.
Dependable Top Prize Ideas
Top prizes should look exciting when displayed and feel worth the effort required to win:
- Mini stuffed animals
- Larger plush toys
- Inflatable toys
- Sports-themed toys
- Larger balls
- Light-up or glow toys
- Novelty wearables like disco ball necklaces
- Small games and puzzles
- Premium fidget toys
The top prize does not need to be expensive, but it should have noticeably greater perceived value than the consolation prize.
Tip: Keep Some Backup Prizes in a Hidden Location
Ordering extra prizes is wise. Putting every extra prize at the booths before the carnival begins is not always wise.
Well-meaning volunteers may open additional packages, add more choices to their booth or distribute prizes more generously than planned. One booth can end up with far too many prizes while another runs out.
Keep the reserve supply in a designated location that is not accessible to every booth volunteer. Then assign one person to replenish prizes as needed.
We like to call this volunteer the prize hopper.
Throughout the carnival, the prize hopper visits each game, checks its supply and delivers additional prizes before it runs out. The prize hopper can also adjust the stand behind lines if the prizes are being won too quickly or not at all. This volunteer can also bring water to volunteers who cannot leave their booths.
It sounds like a small job, but a good prize hopper can prevent confusion and help the entire carnival game area run smoothly.
How Many School Carnival Prizes Should You Order?
Attendance alone does not determine how many prizes you will need.
Consider:
- Expected number of children
- Number of games that give prizes
- How many games the average child may play
- Whether every player receives a consolation prize
- Whether children may replay games
- The expected winning rate at each booth
- Siblings and invited friends who may also participate
- A cushion for higher-than-expected attendance
For example, a carnival expecting 350 children with 12 prize-giving games could require several thousand prizes if most children play the majority of the games. Simply ordering prizes for 110% of expected attendance would not be enough.
Estimate the number of plays at each booth, calculate the expected number of top-prize winners and then add a reasonable cushion. Games with predetermined winners, such as the Lollipop Pull, are the easiest to calculate. Skill games require testing and a little more flexibility.
Don’t Let the Prizes Become an Afterthought
School carnival prizes do more than reward individual winners. They create anticipation, encourage children to try different games and help keep families at the event longer.
The best prize plan does not require expensive toys at every booth. It requires:
- Enough prizes to last throughout the carnival
- Simple prize levels that volunteers can manage
- Top prizes that match the difficulty of the games
- Consolation prizes children are happy to receive
- Organized reserve inventory
- Different prize choices across the carnival whenever possible
For more inspiration, explore our [Free Game Ideas] and [Affordable Bulk Prizes] to start planning a school carnival children will be excited to attend.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most popular school carnival prizes?
Mini stuffed animals, sticky hands, balls, glow toys, inflatables, fidget toys and colorful novelty toys are dependable choices. The best selection includes inexpensive consolation prizes and more desirable top prizes.
Should every child receive a prize at a school carnival?
Most school carnivals give every player a small consolation prize and reserve the top prize for winners. This keeps younger children from leaving a game empty-handed while still making winning feel special. Also - be sure to have some luck based games like the Lollipop Pull - anyone can be a top winner!
How many prize levels should a carnival game have?
For most booths, one consolation prize and one top prize are ideal. Adding medium prizes makes planning more challenging.
Should each carnival booth have different prizes?
YES! In a perfect world each booth has a unique consolation and unique top prize. Offering different prizes at each booth makes each game more exciting - the kids also share what game offered a special prize to their friends! Please don't mix all your prizes and divide them up - it makes it look like a garage sale.
Are stickers good school carnival prizes?
Stickers generally work best for preschoolers and younger children. Older elementary students usually find small toys, sticky hands, balls, fidgets and glow items more exciting.
Are temporary tattoos good carnival prizes?
Temporary tattoos can be used as prizes, but they often work better at a dedicated activity booth where a volunteer applies them for the child. See our step-by-step directions for running a Face Painting Booth.
How far in advance should schools order carnival prizes?
When you order from Carnival Savers - it takes just about a week (or less) to receive your order! But, do plan to allow time to count, sort and assign the prizes to individual games before the event. And, if ordering season prizes, for example Fall prizes, order early! Our Fall prizes start to sell out in mid-September! Once our seasonal items sell out they are generally not restocked until next year!
