Put the whole season on one sheet
Ten weeks, ten slots, one link. Parents can see the entire season and pick the week that suits them, which beats being volunteered for a date you chose.
Use the actual date in the slot name rather than Week 1. Saturday March 14 is something a parent can check against their calendar.
Say what a snack means here
Put the group size and any rules in the sheet details. Twelve children, nut free, no fizzy drinks is a complete brief and takes one line.
Say whether you need a drink as well as a snack. It is the most common thing people get wrong on their week.
Let people trade without asking you
Everyone who signs up with an email gets a link that lets them cancel or switch weeks themselves. That is the whole point of running it this way.
Print the sheet and pin it up, or share the link in the team chat at the start of the season. Both work better than a reminder from you every Friday.
Common questions
- What are good snacks to bring for a group of children?
- Something whole and something to drink. Fruit, crackers, pretzels, and water or juice boxes cover most groups. Check for allergies before you buy anything with nuts.
- What if a parent forgets their week?
- Print the sheet and keep it visible, and send the link again at the halfway point. Anyone who cannot make their week can switch to another one themselves.
- Should I just assign weeks instead?
- Assigning is faster to set up and slower to work. People turn up for the week they chose, and they quietly miss the one you picked for them. Letting families claim a date takes one extra message and produces far fewer gaps over a ten week season.