Contests are a great way to make students aware of the Fair and keep interest high. Contests keep your event fun and newsworthy. They also attract students who may not otherwise be interested in books.

Here are a few proven favorites to get you started:

Ah-Umm Contest – Each morning, have Crew members randomly select two students to make morning announcements. A topic is chosen for each contestant and contestants are challenged to speak on their topic over the PA for 20 seconds without saying "ah" or "umm." Those who meet the challenge win a Book Fair gift certificate.

Guess Who's Been Caught Reading? – Photograph teachers with their faces partially hidden by different books. Display the photos on a bulletin board. Challenge students to identify all of the teachers pictured. All correct answers are entered into a drawing. Declare five winners.

Chocolate Extravaganza – The classroom buying the most books or bringing the most adult shoppers to the Fair wins a buffet of chocolate treats.

Locker Lottery – Create colorful notices that say "You Are a Winner"! Each day of Book Fair week, slip notices into random lockers. During morning announcements, read the winning locker numbers aloud. Direct winners to turn in winning notices at the Fair.

Candy Counter – Fill a jar with jelly beans, chocolate candies, or another treat. Let the counting begin. The guess that comes closest to the actual number of candies wins the jar (or another prize).

Individual or Team Competitions
Create contests for teams competing for Book Fair gift certificates. Competitions could center on:

• Artwork or Doodle Art
• Door Decorating
• Photography or Baked Goods
• Poetry or Song Lyrics
• Skateboard Deck Design or Bookmark Design

Marbleous – Set up a jar for each grade level. For every book purchased on behalf of the grade level by a student, parent, or teacher, a marble is dropped into the appropriate jar. The grade level to fill their jar first wins a prize.

Make Principal Lose Marbles – Place a jar filled with marbles at the cashier station. Label it "Principal's Jar". For every book purchased, a marble is taken from the Principal's Jar and placed in another jar labeled "Goal". When the principal has lost all of the marbles, he or she agrees to grant a privilege or perform a stunt.

Lucky Flyer Create flyers promoting the Fair. On the back of each, write different numbers. Each day, post winning numbers at the Fair. Students with winning numbers win small prizes.

It's A Parent! – Students are automatically entered into a special drawing when a parent or adult relative visits the Book Fair. Both the visiting adult and the student he or she represents win prizes.

I Wish I Could Win – Ask students to write down the title of a book they REALLY want and deposit the entry into a box. Announce winners daily. Use Book Fair profits to purchase prizes.

SPUD-tacular Competition! – A week before your Fair, give all interested contestants a potato. Direct contestants to pick a favorite book character and dress the potato as the character. Display entries at the Fair and invite everyone to select winners in various categories.

Collecting prizes is easier than you think! Use this handy reference sheet (PDF) for ideas.

Up for a Challenge?
A challenge increases excitement and interest as your event progresses. Challenges can be between grade levels or among classrooms. A challenge could revolve around the number of books sold or the number of parents brought to the Fair.

Faculty Challenges – Challenges that involve the principal and faculty get the entire school to rally around Book Fair goals. Ask students to brainstorm wacky stunts and recruit teachers to perform them when goals are met. Invite faculty members to volunteer their own ideas, too. This involvement breaks down barriers, as everyone shares laughter and achievements.

Just how far will principals and teachers go? Around the country, they have:

• Sported extreme hairdos (punk spikes, shaved heads, Mohawks, Technicolor dye jobs).
• Been turned into human ice-cream sundaes, covered with ice cream, syrup, and whipped cream.
• Become human hot dogs, covered with condiments.
• Taken whipped cream pies in the face tossed by students.
• Come to school in pajamas and wedding dresses.
• Dressed – and performed – as rock, rap, and punk stars.
• Downed "magic potions" made and served by students.
• Danced nonstop during lunch periods.
• Dressed and performed as cheerleaders or American idols.
• Cleared lunch trays for students – wrapped as a mummy with toilet paper.
• Kissed a farm animal on the mouth, in front of an audience.

Reproducibles
Guessing Game Entry Forms (PDF 103KB)
Entry Forms (PDF 102KB)

PDF
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