Birthday Party Goody Bag

If you must give a parting gift, just give a full size candy bar and be done with it. (FYI...goody bags, my kids received, filled with dollar store junk used to go directly into the trash after the party)

I literally HATE when my kids come home with goody bags. I really appreciate the parents who don't do them at all :). It's all about experiences now anyways, right?

#1.

Don't let these things get out of hand! We see a lot of comments here on Mamapedia about parents really disliking #3.

And I think overall parents are going broke, and kids don't understand their "role" as a guest involves having fun and eating cake, not necessarily getting a big gift for showing up. So I agree with Starr B. on this. (Think of all the wedding invitations that now come with reply cards and stamps - that was NEVER done 40 years ago because people knew how to write replies and that it was decent manners!)

And I disagree with the suggestion to give guns - Nerf, water pistol, or any type. Many families do not permit these at all, so don't give a toy that a child will have to throw away.

You should spend $0.
The whole concept of goody bags really needs to die in a fire.

I know I am not really answering the question you asked, but I just can't help myself today :)

Please, please consider skipping the goodie bags. What a waste of time, worry, and money AND I believe that they are just one more way that society tries to "even up" and "celebrate mediocrity". It is YOUR child's birthday party. Why are ALL the kids getting a prize? Just for showing up? Birthday parties are supposed to be the foundation of social etiquette for little kids. Not to collect a prize for making an appearance.

Ok, off my soap box now :)

Good luck and enjoy the party.

I wouldn't spend a dime. I'm not a fan of goody bags at all and think the party is treat enough.

I quit with the goody bags a few years ago and I am so glad I did! The last few parties we've given the kids new water bottles filled with ice water!

Anyway...instead of buying someting that will break or the kids don't really want get a $2 g.c. to Baskin Robbins or McDonalds for an ice cream cone and be done with it.

I am in minority but I love how happy goody-bags make the kids and I usually enjoy putting them together. That said, I'd vote coloring book with a small box of crayons (no puzzle) or what 2txtots suggested below (what a great idea!). You can get little boxes of crayons from Oriental Trading Company for very little $. If you go with the $ store, I'd get one cool item - like a plastic dinosaur or light up wand and call it good - for each kid.

Don't spend a lot.
I've given glow sticks before - everybody loves them and have uses for them!
They get used up and thrown away (which is Perfect!).

What is the age? I would just go with something from the party theme. We had a treasure party for my older kids 6th birthday. I had a "treasure chest" filled with prizes after they hunted for treasure, and they made their "treasure bags" with brown paper bags and stick on jewels and markers. Then we had a pinata. A friend had a summer bash for her daughter's 8th birthday. Each child got a squirt gun to play with, a mini beach ball, and they had a pinata so that was a bit of candy. If your party is outside, go with the bubbles. They can blow them at the party if you want and then you can refill their bottles from one of those really big ones before hand. For those bubble blower things that cost about $3 to $5, they work once or twice and end in the garbage.

I love giving party favors!! It's just part of making the occasion festive, for me. It's not a competition or an obligation, it's just for fun. I tend to do 1 larger item with small accents. For my younger son, last year he wanted a Slugterra party. There are not a lot of decorations available in Slugterra theme! So we got custom-printed shirts with Slugterra from a place on etsy for under $8 each and each kid got a shirt wrapped around one of those water wiggle things with a label marked "pet slug." My older sons party was at a movie theatre. Since it was pricey, we gave each kid a bag with a small bag of movie theatre popcorn and a couple pieces of candy as they were leaving, plus a movie poster that the theatre provided. The year before we did a light up party at Zoolights and gave out light up blink necklaces or headbands and a large light up bouncy ball. I got the balls on clearance after Halloween by offering a store manager a flat price for all that he had left, got a great deal!!
I usually spend $7-10 per kid, but that is because I enjoy it. I think you could easily spend $3-5 per kid and do a great job.
i would prefer 1 or 2, unless there is something at the dollar store that matches the theme perfectly.
Have fun!!

Zero. Don't give kids who come to your party a present for coming. They really don't need them.

I think coloring books and puzzles are a good idea.

Even though a lot of the moms here are against the goody bags, it's part of the fun of going to the party for the kids.

The summer my son was turning 6, BAth and body works was discontinueing their "just for kids" line and the foaming hand soap (which came in assorted fun colors and scents and in a decent sized bottle that filled up most of the goody bag) was deeply discounted. The kids loved it ...and the parents did too...I think we also threw in some pencils and a maybe couple of dum dums or maybe they were tootsie roll pops...

With that said...i like number one and number two

Updated

The summer my son was turning 6, BAth and body works was discontinueing their "just for kids" line and the foaming hand soap (which came in assorted fun colors and scents and in a decent sized bottle that filled up most of the goody bag) was deeply discounted. The kids loved it ...and the parents did too...I think we also threw in some pencils and a maybe couple of dum dums or maybe they were tootsie roll pops...

With that said...i like number one and number two

Out of your 3 options? #1.

My preference? Little Nerf guns are awesome take-home goodies for any age and a Nerf war is a fun activity too. :-) http://www.amazon.com/Nerf-N-Strike-Elite-Strongarm-Blast...

ETA: Lol! Diane, I don't know these "many families" who don't allow Nerf or water guns. It's very unlikely that they'd ever be invited to my home. However, you make a good point. Folks who lean more to the anti-gun leftist side might not appreciate a toy that shoots foam darts and looks and operates nothing like an actual firearm.

My child would most appreciate the coloring book or puzzle. What you could also do is a craft or game where the kid takes home the item made. One year we did butterfly wings (from Oriental Trading) and the kids were really happy. Another year they dug up fake dino bones in the sand box and were happy with that, too.

My favorite "party favor" EVER was when the Mom at the party gave us a close up (head and shoulders only) picture of our son. Literally, his face was the entire shot. He looked happy and relaxed. I still have that photo framed in our home.

If you don't want to go that route, I vote #1.

Skip the dollar store items, they just end up in the garbage. The other stuff will be used and enjoyed.
I'd do bubbles, sidewalk chalk and candy :-)

#2!!!! I have done that before (did coloring book and cup for Mickey birthday). As a mom I prefer that over the dollar store items/candy or messy bubbles!!

I've given each child a giant colored ball (For sale in big bins in the middle of the aisles at Target/Walmart). They're fun for everyone to play with during the party (if you're outdoors.) Buy a few extra so there's no fight over the one orange ball or in case one gets stuck in a tree.

Best,
T. Y

You didn't say how old your kid is. But I agree to avoid #3. I like sidewalk chalk. Or something summery. You can get a pool or beach toy pretty cheap right now.

I'd vote for a coloring book and puzzle, or a coloring book and crayons. That's what I gave at my daughter's birthday last year. The crayons were on sale with the back to school supplies so I had stocked up.

I also really like to give books. I get them discounted through Scholastic. For my son's 8th birthday, each child received one book that I had purchased for $1 each through Scholastic and a homemade bookmark. The books were nice - a popular chapter book - I just scored a good deal on them.

Hi, I try to keep goody bags at around $5. I'd vote for numbers 1 and 2. They are things the kids would actually get some use out of. Another item that I've given out in the past are the small buckets of Play Doh. I can usually get them at WalMart within my budget and the kids love them.

If they are 3yo sounds good. Any older and I think they will be tossed aside. I think goody bags are going by the wayside these days.

Ages? Boys and girls, or just one sex at the party?
:) Tks!

I think #1 :)

My kids would have enjoyed that.

Bubbles are fun but messy. Coloring books are good. I like sidewalk chalk which you don't have listed but kids love.

I say go for the bubbles because it can be used up. We have tons of coloring books and crayons. I end up throwing away the dollar store junk. My kids still have Halloween candy sitting out in the open. I'd prefer something to be used up.