Fun Ways for Families to Help Hospices
Children have a wonderful knack for throwing themselves into a good cause. Give them a reason to help someone, and they’ll often surprise you with their energy and their ideas. If you’re after some family fundraising ideas that children can be a part of, and that raise money for hospices caring for people with terminal illness, here are a few of our favourites here at Hospice Aid UK. None of them cost much. Most take an afternoon. All of them turn a bit of effort into real help for families at one of the hardest times of their lives.
There’s no wrong time of year for it, either, as you’ll see below.
Why do children make such good fundraisers?
In our experience, children make brilliant fundraisers. They’re honest, enthusiastic and completely unembarrassed about asking.
Many of them also understand exactly why it matters. Some children already know what hospice care looks like from their own families. They may have visited a grandparent there, or a parent, a brother or a sister. Having seen the care up close, they often want to do something to help. They grasp kindness and loss more clearly than we sometimes credit them for, and giving them a way to help can mean a great deal.
And for children who haven’t been through that, it’s a lovely first taste of looking out for someone else. Either way, they come away with something very real: the knowledge that a small effort of theirs made a difference to someone else.
What are some fundraising ideas for younger children?
Younger ones do best with shorter activities they can throw themselves into, with a grown-up close by. Here are a few we’re fond of:
- A bring-and-buy or toy sale. Have a clear-out together, price up the outgrown toys and books, and sell them to friends, neighbours or at a car boot.
- A cake stall. A plate of buns and a folding table outside the house or at a school event, and it always seems to sell out. (See the food safety note below.)
- A slime workshop. Charge a small entry fee for children to mix their own slime and take home a pot. Cheap to run and always a hit.
- A sponsored scoot, walk or ride. Set a distance, share a sponsor form, and let them build up to it.
- Guess the sweets in the jar. A pound a guess, a jar of sweets as the prize. Simple, and surprisingly good at pulling in donations.
- An art gallery. Small hands make wonderful paintings. Frame a few, hang them on the garden fence, and invite grandparents, friends and family to buy their favourites. Do you know a budding young artist who could take on family or neighbourhood pet portraits?
What about older children and teenagers?
Older children can take on something with more of a challenge, and often like running it themselves:
- A car wash. A Saturday morning washing cars for a set fee. A reliable earner for a group of teenagers.
- A gaming or esports tournament. Charge a small entry fee, line up a few donated prizes, and let players battle it out. They can stream it online and invite viewers to donate too.
- A DIY escape room. Build a puzzle room at home or at school and charge each team to take it on; as rewarding to design as it is to play.
- A sponsored obstacle course. Set up a course in the garden, a park or on the school field and collect sponsorship per lap or per obstacle.
- A family bingo night. Print the cards, find a confident caller, and charge for a book of games. Works brilliantly across the generations.
- Odd jobs for hire. Dog walking, gardening or small chores for neighbours, with the money going to the hospice.
Have you tried a sponsored letter-writing challenge?
Here’s one idea we love: Children get sponsored to write letters, with one rate for every letter they send and a higher rate for every reply that lands back on the doormat. They could write to their local MP, a favourite author or footballer, or a much-loved local business – anyone they’d love to hear from. It helps them put their thoughts into words, it raises money twice over, and it puts a smile on the face of whoever opens the envelope, because who doesn’t love a proper handwritten letter these days?
It’s a lovely way to spread the word about hospice care, too. Every letter is a small introduction to what Hospice Aid UK does. Just have a grown-up help with the addresses and keep an eye on any replies, and let the post do the rest.
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How do you set up a sponsored event?
It’s simpler than you might expect. Decide on the activity, agree a target that feels within reach, and choose how people will give. An online giving page is quick to set up and easy to share by text or on social media, and a paper sponsor form still works well for grandparents and neighbours who prefer cash. If your event is in a public place or at school, have a quick word with whoever runs it first. Take a few photos along the way, share how it’s going, and always send a thank you at the end. People love to see the effort behind the scenes.
Where does the money actually go?
We see the difference it makes. Every pound raised for Hospice Aid UK helps hospices across the UK with the practical things they need and can’t always afford. That can mean specialist equipment, comforts for patients and families, or support that gives worn-out carers a proper rest. Hospices look after people at the end of their lives and the families around them, and they do it with incredible kindness. The money that reaches them through efforts like yours helps keep that care going. A child who raises thirty pounds at a cake stall has done something that really matters.
A Few Tips to Keep it Safe and Fun
None of this needs to be complicated, but a little care goes a long way:
- Keep an adult involved. Children should always have a grown-up supervising stalls, events and anything online.
- Mind food hygiene. If you’re selling home baking, keep it simple, label anything with common allergens like nuts, and handle food cleanly.
- Stay safe online. For anything streamed or shared, use trusted platforms, keep personal details private, and supervise younger children.
- Ask permission where you need it. Schools, parks and shopping areas will usually want a quick heads-up before you fundraise on their patch.
- Keep it light. A big total is wonderful. A small one still counts. The point is to do something kind together.
- Say thank you. A quick message or a handmade card means a great deal to the people who chipped in.
Common Questions about Family Fundraising
How do children pay in the money they raise? Your free fundraising pack explains the simplest ways. Cash raised at a stall can be paid in online through Hospice Aid UK’s donation page or sent by post, and if you collect sponsorship online you can share the link with family and friends.
Do we need permission to fundraise? For anything at home or among friends, no. If it’s in a public place, a school or a local business, ask whoever is in charge first. They’re usually glad to help.
What is a realistic target? Whatever feels achievable and keeps it fun. A young child might aim for twenty or thirty pounds; a team of teenagers running an event could set their sights higher. A target people can picture tends to raise more.
Can schools get involved? Yes, and many are keen to. A non-uniform day, a themed bake sale or a sponsored challenge across a class or year group can raise a surprising amount, and it teaches something worth knowing.
Children don’t need much encouragement to be kind. Give them a reason and a bit of support, and they’ll come up with ideas you’d never have thought of. Whatever they raise, from a jar of coins to the takings of a packed bingo night, it becomes real help for families at a time when they need it most. If you’d like a hand getting started, you can get your free fundraising pack, full of ideas, tips and everything a family needs to begin. And whatever you choose to do, we’d love to cheer you on.
At Hospice Aid UK, we’ve spent over two decades making sure hospices can be there when families need them. With your fabulous help, we can keep going.
If you’d like to know more about our work, explore our website or get in touch at info@hospiceaid.org.uk.
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