Once a school decides to run a fun run, the next question often feels just as daunting. Colour or slime, standard or something more dramatic like an outdoor experience or indoor-friendly option? The good news is there is no wrong choice here. Each option works extremely well when matched to the right school, students, and circumstances. The key is choosing the version that fits your community, rather than forcing your community to fit the fundraiser. This guide breaks down the differences between Colour, Slime, and Standard fun runs so you can choose with confidence and avoid unnecessary stress.

Before diving into the details, it is worth saying this out loud. Schools do not succeed with fun runs because they pick the “best” option. They succeed because they pick the right option for their school. All three fun run styles use the same proven structure, online platform, and support. The difference is how the event looks and feels on the day. Once you understand that, the decision becomes much simpler.

What All Monty the Monstar Fun Run Shares

No matter which version you choose, every Monty the Monstar Fun Run includes the same core foundations, including:

• A dedicated ST4S compliant online fundraising platform with student profiles, offering reassurance around cyber safety and student data protection
• Gamification features that motivate participation
• Simple tools for families to share and donate
• Clear reporting for coordinators and school leadership
• Built-in task lists to guide planning
• No upfront costs and no financial risk
• Funds paid progressively, with profit visible every two weeks
• Support from a dedicated Fundraising Coach

This means your choice is not about performance or profitability, but more about suitability.

Monty’s Colour Fun Run

If your school loves colour and community fun, this colour run is perfect. Bursts of colour powder along the course make the event exciting, memorable, and full of energy for students and families. It’s visually striking, great for student engagement, and perfect as an outdoor celebration.

The colour powder used is gluten-free, making it suitable for school environments. Like all Monty fundraisers, Monty’s Colour Fun Run is supported by the same platform and coaching, ensuring the excitement on the day is matched by strong fundraising results. This option works especially well for schools wanting a flagship event that feels special and brings the whole community together.

Monty’s Slime Fun Run

For schools with younger students or those wanting something a little different, the Slime Fun Run is maximum novelty and maximum fun, making it a clear winner with some. Slime adds novelty and humour to the event, which can be particularly effective in engaging students who may not be motivated by traditional activities. Monty’s Slime Fun Run is extremely popular with younger year levels, offers high engagement and excitement, is memorable and fun-focused, and great for energising participation.

The slime used is water-based and non-toxic, and schools can choose how and where it is incorporated into the event. Some opt for slime stations, while others save it for milestone moments or special challenges. The key advantage here is motivation. When students are genuinely excited, participation tends to follow naturally.

Monty’s Colour & Slime

Some schools do not want to choose between colour and slime – they want the full experience. Combining them together gives you everything you could want in a colour fun run. The colour powder and slime combination is designed for schools aiming for a unique event that students will talk about long after the day is over. This is particularly good for larger schools with strong volunteer support, communities that enjoy big events and for fundraisers tied to major projects.

Monty’s Standard Fun Run

This is the most flexible option. Despite the name, Monty’s Standard Fun Run is anything but basic. This option is best thought of as a framework, not a fixed event. It gives schools complete flexibility to design an experience that suits their environment, students, and timetable.

The reasons why schools choose the Standard Fun Run are many and varied, but usually it’s because it’s suitable for indoor or outdoor settings, ideal for weather-sensitive regions, simple to run with minimal setup, clean and low-mess, and works across all age groups. The Standard Fun Run works as a great foundation for Read-a-thons, Skip-a-thons, Spell-a-thons, Fitness challenges, Classroom-based challenges, or anything you can think of.

Because the online platform does the heavy lifting, schools can run almost any activity while still benefiting from gamification, progress tracking, and easy communication with families. This makes the Standard Fun Run particularly popular with schools wanting flexibility, simplicity, and predictability.

Giving Families Choice Beyond the Event

A key reason Monty the Monstar Fun Runs work so well is the flexibility they offer families, not just schools. Families can choose whether incentive rewards are received as prizes or donated to one of our Care For A Cause partners instead. This option resonates strongly with families who value purpose over prizes and allows students to feel proud of contributing to something meaningful. Offering choice increases engagement rather than reducing it. When families feel respected and included, participation improves.

How to Choose Based on Your School

If you are still weighing options, these general guidelines may help.

Choose Colour if:

• You want a big outdoor event
• Your community enjoys lively, exciting events
• You are aiming for a strong visual experience

Choose Slime if:

• Your students are younger
• You want high novelty and excitement
• Engagement has been difficult in the past

Choose Colour and Slime if:

• You want your event to be the highlight of the year
• You have the capacity to support it
• You are fundraising for a major goal

Choose Standard if:

• You want maximum flexibility
• You need an indoor or weather-safe option
• You prefer a low-mess event
• You want to adapt the fundraiser into an -athon

Regardless of which option you choose, working with Australian Fundraising means you are supported by a dedicated Fundraising Coach. This is valuable support as they are there with you the whole way, helping you to choose the right option for your community. They know the best way to space fundraisers sensibly across the year, avoiding back-to-back fundraising. They can help you to split participation across year levels where appropriate, making the most of the online platform and planning with confidence rather than guesswork. For coordinators, this reduces stress. For Principals and Business Managers, it provides reassurance that fundraising is being managed professionally and safely.