Loot Bag Ideas for 8 Year Old Boy!

We've done gift certificates at Baskin Robbins the last two years and they've been a huge hit! (Denominations of $2, just enough for a cone) Goes w/ any bday theme...

I just did water bottles for my sons. It's nice because they actually use them. Target had water bottles & sandwich containers. And I put a few other little treats. A lot of kids are into the silly bands too.

- sweat towels
- sweat bands
- a 'workout' tshirt from the gym
- a water bottle
- those c clips/hooks used in rock climbing. (can't think of the name! )

Why not just give each kid a biner clip with a flashlight or pen attached to it. You can clip on some kinda candy if you think that is necessary, but I think all kids would like to have those little gadgets and biner clips fit with your rock climbing adventure. I'm with you, I hate all those little goodie bag items that break instantly and cost $5 per bag to put together. Last year for my daughter's birthday, we gave each child a book with a homemade bookmark thanking them for coming.

What about a water bottle with a carabiner, the rock climbing clasp thingy. You could personalize it for the party.

HATE loot bags. HATE getting all the cheap junk and then within 24 hours throwing everything out because it all breaks to easily. HATE getting candy, since we don't do a whole lot of sugar in our home. HATE giving them out.

That being said, I gave out a small mesh bag of plastic jacks with a ball - the kids loved them and the parents were grateful - it brought back childhood memories for many. We found them at a Party City or a local party store. It ended up costing me $2.50/set, I think.

Here's the link and they end up being 50 cents/bag of jacks:
http://www.partycity.com/product/ball+%26+jacks+12ct.do?s...

We try to give something substantial that is useful for more than 5 minutes, that we don't spend a lot of money on. Usually we find fun items at Target bargain baskets, or at 5 Below or Ollies, Big Lots, or other discount stores. If you figure out how much you want to spend per kid and what it would cost you to put disposable stuff into a gift bag (in our house we call it junk), then that is your budget to buy something a bit more substantial. Usually I go for $2.50-$5.00 a guest. Once I got these amazing puzzles for $2.00 each, a set of 3 kick balls that were on sale then I opened the sets and the per unit price was about $3 a quality ball, another time it was small Lego sets, a cool bubble something or an activity book, neat beach toys, frisbees, other times small science kits, a slinky, wallets, or water bottles they could decorate with their names. Picture frames are always fun with a Polaroid or a portable computer, printer and picture paper to print the photos you take of the party right at the party. Then the guest goes home with a framed picture of themselves doing the activity at the party. Once it was an ice skating party and all the kids got hats and gloves sets found on clearance. Once, my sister was desperate in a time crunch and gave out $5 gift cards to Barnes and Noble and the kids loved it, we all went right after the party to spend it and siblings pooled their money it was like an extension of the party. Usually I over buy on several different items and the kids can "shop" for what take home gift they want, then I go back to the store and return what wasn't picked. The kids are happy they get what they want, the other parents are happy, it's something that can be used again, I'm happy I didn't over spend and I have no left overs cluttering up my home.

The other thing we do is make the take home gifts, like something from Kid Concoctions like the Magic Stones, Bubble Ooze, picture frames, or Lip Gloss, and that is always fun and the kids appreciate it and then it really is less than $1.00 a gift. It's a way to get the host kids involved with planning their party. http://www.kidconcoctionscompany.com/

Good luck and have fun!!!

The water bottles are a great idea!! They have them in either plastic or metal, the metal ones are a lot more expensive but of course are likely to last longer. I know we have all different sizes on sale at the grocery store where I work . You could make your own trail mix (m&m's, nuts, raisins etc) and give that , either IN the water bottle or attached to it in a bag of some sort. How about one of the fun little pocket lights, like adults put on their keyrings? It just all depends upon how many guests you are providing for and how much you want to spend!!! But as a Mom..I want to say THANK YOU for not wanting to just toss a fist full of those silly little party favors into a bag and sending them home with all of the boys to end up on their bedroom floor!!! lol

A BPA free reusable water bottle for everyone, Something like these: (FYI they have these at my Kroger)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B001QVGBVO/ref=dp...

All Natural Granola Packets: Bear Naked is a favorite of the kids because they get a kick out of the name. Whole Foods & Central Maket carry it.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3...

And what about a build it yourself or put it together yourself project for later?
Like an airlplane... (FREE)
http://thetoymaker.com/Toypages/40BiPlane/40Biplane.html
Download the pdf & print onto heavy cardstock & slip into each of their bags.

Whoppi cushions!! hahaha! The boys loved it as their goodie for the end of the season goodie bag! Cheap at Walmart or Pricebusters....We gave Jamba Juice/Menchies gift cards...we did instant photos & had them dress up on their fave Marvel comic/ or goofy costume...healthy food snacks like a mini bag of veggie straws (they come in a case at costcos or sams club)
it's hard with boys because they just rather run around & be crazy with their friends..
Hope I was of some help ;-)

Aloha,
V.

Do you have a theme......such as a camping/outdoor? If so you can have a little scavenger hunt. Disperse leaves (silk), twigs, plastic lizards, and so forth around the gym & give the kids a brown lunch bag...for their little treasures. If you want you can take it up a notch buy inexpensive flashlights & compass' for the kids to use during the hunt. Or send them home a reusable water bottle. Hope this helps ; )

I would ask your son what he likes. If he likes hot wheel cars, pick one out for each guest (they are .99 at Walmart). If he likes the quirky little party pack things in the party isle. Go with it. It's his party, let him help make some of the choices.

Someone earlier this week said they were having a TYE-DYE PARTY. Guests are to bring anything they want tye-dyed and then that is their 'party favor' and 'party activity' at the same time.

(if you can't find the question, look in my profile in my 'answered' section. I answered her question. I think the title was something about "lame party idea?" Everyone thought it sounded like a blast).

UPDATE:
Duh I just realized that your party is AT the GYM. Maybe you can get some inflatable balls (sports themed) for the kids to take home. I like all of Megan's ideas. Workout shirt sounds the most fun if you can decorate it somehow. Or fill a water bottle with something. That way the theme is there (water bottle/gym) but it's filled with candy or something, so it's something fun for the kids.

Oh and those C clips are care-beaners (spelling?) If you could add or attach something to it, like their name or a toy or a luggage tag (for their backpack) then it'd be something they could use again as a keychain.

I hate the goody bags filled with "throw away" toys. I usually go to the dollar aisle and get one or 2 good things. I don't know what your budget is, but at Sports Chalet they had a whole rounder FULL of different cabiners and my kids went crazy. I bought my son one with a compass, which was kind of pricey (maybe $5.95) but I know they have all different fun shapes (frog, sun, flower, surfboard, you name it). You could attach a fun tag to the caribiners that says "Thanks for "hanging out" on xxx's b'day" and on the back of the tag list a bunch of fun uses for the cabiner (my boys like to hang their small nerf guns from their belt loops OR use it to hang your lunch box on your backpack or hang your sister on the fence (ha ha)). Just a thought because you mentioned rock climbing. Another thing I've done is bought each kid a "scoop" certificate for Baskin Robbins. OR they have foamie visors at Michael's for $1. Maybe 8 is too old to decorate visors? One more thing that I LOVE for a goody is Michael's sells $1 or $2 wooden "puzzles" but they are more like models that you build out of wooden sheets. They have lizards or jets, skeletons, animals, motorcycles (my 7 yr old boy loves them) or I'm sure there's some type of "sport" one. You will be amazed by the choices. They come 8 1/2x11" wood sheets and have a photo on the front of what you can build. Okay, out of ideas for now....

We had a party at a rock climbing gym, and we did a craft for the kids to take home that was really fun... we made pet rocks. I bought large smooth stones from a construction supply store and had googly eyes, colored feathers, glitter glue, colored paper and scissors, and other crafty odds & ends. They glued these things onto the rocks to make faces and some really fun creatures. My daughter still has hers 4 years later, and the kids all loved it. They all wanted to make more than one, so I suggest bringing lots of rocks.

To be honest, I always thought that sending my children home with anything from a birthday party was rather stupid. I mean, first the parents have paid for whatever entertainment is provided for the party (a clown, a bounce house, a gym, a pool, a whatever), second, they have also paid for whatever food is being served. So, why on earth would my children need something else?

They paid for the party (everything that entertained and fed my children), and I paid for a gift. I think that is a fair trade. Don't you?

Therefore, I think that if you give the children NOTHING to take home, they should not expect anything. You have paid for the gym with the rock climbing, and the food, and the cake, and the ice cream, and any decorations that are there. You have paid enough.

Sorry if this sounds like I am a tight-wad, but I really do not care. We pay for a party for each of our girls each year - entertainment, food, and decorations. We spend even more on the gifts. Never have I given the children anything to take home from the party, because I think feeding them and entertaining them is enough. No-one has EVER complained or felt disappointed.

I think that u should look at what kind of cartoon's your son likes and maybe try asking him that might help i hope he has a great birthday:)

Sports bottles kids can decorate them (paint or stickers or sharpes) or not. I try to only give useful party goodies. But sports bottles would go w ur gym theme. You can buy them pretty cheap a dollar or less. Good luck