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AIBU?

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Original poster

Kids Goodie bags

43 replies

RadoxRita · 30/08/2023 14:42

AIBU to think most children’s party goodie bags are full of plastic crap that’s never played with and terrible for the environment?

I’d love to have other ideas for my kids parties this year. Any ideas MN?

OP posts:
Original poster
RadoxRita · 30/08/2023 15:29

Thank you all for your thoughts, ideas and comments! Much appreciated.

OP posts:
Peony654 · 30/08/2023 15:26

Yep totally agree, wish they'd lose popularity. It's a bizarre concept isn't it - as an adult you wouldn't expect a gift at the end of a party. Just give a piece of cake to take home. And children should learn to enjoy the experience for what it is.

Sugarcoatt · 30/08/2023 15:19

I hate party bags, they’re a huge waste and the contents are frequently dangerous. I don’t know how many times I’ve removed a bouncy ball or a hard lollipop from a party bag and binned it before my 5yo sees it. The plastic tat ends up in the bin before the end of the day.

If I absolutely had to use plastic, I’d do a Lego minifigure which at least would be decent quality and hopefully get played with for a long time. Or maybe paper crafts, a cardboard mask, a wooden yo-yo or small toy, a biscuit baking kit, etc.

EhrlicheFrau · 30/08/2023 15:18

Iaspo · 30/08/2023 14:57

Not always a popular option but maybe just sweets and a couple of balloons?

Balloons are not a good idea either - many of them end up in landfill, or worse in the mouth or round the neck of wildlife. 😥

florisse · 30/08/2023 15:16

I often get brown paper bags from the Works and share out a bumper craft pack across the bags. So everyone gets a glitter glue, Pom poms, feathers, washi tape etc and can decorate their bags as an activity. Worked for boys and girls.

Greenpeasnwham · 30/08/2023 15:12

Just don’t do them? We’ve stopped, along with most of my kids friends. Sometime the party has something they can take home from an activity, sometimes not. The kids really don’t notice because it’s now not expected.

evtheria · 30/08/2023 15:08

Depends how old they are.. anything towards end of primary and you risk it being a total waste of money/going in the bin anyway, so might as well keep it as a cone of sweets.

My child had a small forest-school party, aged 5. We did stuff similar to the following:

  • Poundland do a box of blocky 'rainbow' crayons, ie one crayon comes out in different colours. I split it and packed one each into bags with a blank card mask for the kids to colour in.
  • Packet of seeds is good, though consider watercress which will be easy for nearly everyone to grow at home.
  • Temporary tattoos or stickers, themed for party
  • A 'special' stone, because the Wiccan shop in our area sells a mixed pouch of them for cheap.
hairyunicorn · 30/08/2023 15:08

Bath Bombs, really easy to make and kids love them.

DailyMailHater · 30/08/2023 15:07

The Works 10 books for 10 pound (if they still do it). so I used to wrap a book and attach a bubble wand (pound shop) and a slice of cake - done
(obvs only works for really little ones up to about 5 or 6)

inloveandmarried · 30/08/2023 15:06

I used to try for environmentally aware party bags.

Home made biscuits and sweets if you have the time.

Small wooden toy or bracelet.

Mini origami book.

Simple friendship bracelet making kit which can be photocopied instructions and two colours of embroidery silk.

I'd put them in a brown paper sandwich carrier bag and attach name tags with string.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 30/08/2023 15:05

I have to say, the classic “plastic shit that breaks within five minutes” really doesn’t impress me. Anything is better.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 30/08/2023 15:04

There are a zillion ways to do this and you will never please everyone. You could do a sweet cone (usually very little waste and plastic but heavy on sugar and you need to cater for vegans / religious issues around gelatine). A book, but then you get moaning about reading levels and duplicates. Plastic (break/env unfriendly). Seeds/wooden pencils (too worthy/boring). And so on.

I tend to do a small Lego polybag (you can get them for £2 each with enough time and sleuthing), and a little pack of Haribo or mini biscuits. Works for us.

FloweryName · 30/08/2023 15:00

YABU, lots of parents have moved away from the fun of plastic tat and do books or a lucky dip or the children do a craft or plant a sunflower to take home. All good, but I love a good party bag.

Iaspo · 30/08/2023 14:57

Not always a popular option but maybe just sweets and a couple of balloons?

yogasaurus · 30/08/2023 14:56

Yeah agree with PP, don’t love getting a book. They love the plastic crap and sweets

Stompythedinosaur · 30/08/2023 14:56

I think that an adult's idea of what is crap is generally different than a child's.

I think there are definitely more environmentally friendly choices that can be made when choosing items for party bags, but most kids love them in my experience.

I think that often the "worthy" alternatives e.g. a book are intended to impress the parents not please the dc.

roseopose · 30/08/2023 14:48

Packet of flower or veg seeds?