What to put in a party bag? Cost effective and not plastic crap!

[PickUpAPenguin18]

I'm looking for some party bag ideas please. My son is having a 4th birthday party next month and there should be about 12 children coming.

I've already bought some second hand, 20p Mr Men and Little Miss books which I was going to personalise by putting their names on. I also have paper bags, not plastic.

I don't want to spend a fortune on bits and don't want to buy plastic rubbish that will just end up being thrown away and going into landfill. Any lost cost, environmentally friendly ideas? Thank you.

Bubbles always seem to go down well with that age group, or a mini craft activity-can get fairly cheap from baker Ross. Or a balloon, my four year old will play with one for ages.

The plastic footballs from the pound shop were our sons favourite party bag gifts. Might have gone up to £2 now the last time I saw them. Not particularly eco friendly but definitely well used.

When my sons were around that age, I ten

Arghh posted too son.

When my sons were that age, I tended to do: piece of cake, one other snack, book and then either a decorated biscuit or craft that they had made as part of the party- crowns one year/tiger biscuits another- depended on the theme of the party.

Bubbles, sweets, slice of cake and a balloon.

One year my son had a beach themed party and I got these lovely tin buckets as the party bag- popped in the usual piece of cake and a couple of sand toys.

Another year, slightly older, we did a lego party, so a lego themed book, lego figure and some sweets.

On the whole I find edibles, books and small actual toys like lego figures/hot wheels cars seem to go down well, over plastic tat.

Where did you get cheap mini gigs?

To be honest, a lot of the plastic stuff does get kept here! The really cheap party bag fillers (yo-yos, whistles etc) break quickly but a couple of better quality things go down well. Those wiggly snakes, wind up teeth etc!

Posted too soon (am I the only one having issues with the page suddenly jumping down and you accidentally press post!) where do you get cheap mini figs from? I'm trying to organise a lego themed one but the mini fig bags are too much!

Having the same issue @Twool , keep posting on threads and halfway through what I'm typing it's jumped down to the post button.

I just got the individual ones in bags because it was a tiny tea party, can't remember exact numbers, 4 or 5 children I think. However my mum found a website that does really good fake figures, I can check what the site is called if you are happy with fake ones.

Err yes the kids do care

Best party bag we had had seeds in, sweets and a pencil with DSs name on.

Otherwise, books are a great shout. Nothing else needed alongside a book

We got given socks in a party bag once - went down well with the DCs.

Last year I got printed personalised paper bags of seeds.

This year bookmarks with the theme on plus some small sweets.

I refuse to buy all the plastic tat. When DS gets it he puts the bag down when he gets home and never looks at it again.

maybe cress seeds that kids can plant at home?

How about nothing? Imagine if going to the party was enough fun?

A wooden spinning top or yo yo, some stickers, a chocolate freddo and small pack of haribo.

Packets of seeds to plant now for the summer/spring are a nice thing to give, or things like cress seeds which they can grow on the windowsill (they grow pretty fast so good for impatient children 🤣)

What do you mean by personalise? 😬.
Did you write their names inside, or allocate a certain character to each person? Mr. Grumpy, Mr. Lazy, Miss Scatterbrain, etc...
I'll bet they absolutely adored it.

Yes please would love the site!
Glad it's not just me, was wondering if my phone screen was in someway broken and making it jump!

Why didn’t you plant them and see if anything grew?

Bubbles, book and cake!

One year when DT’s had a joint party we gave buckets and spade - got them cheap by ordering in bulk. DT’s birthday is at the start of the summer so appropriate for the time of the year. Everyone loved them.

wgat do you mean by personalise?

Have you ever met - or been - a child?