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Original poster

What do you like in a party bag?

116 replies

TokenGinger · 12/03/2023 10:07

I'm doing a birthday party for DS for the first time this year and I wondered what to put into party bags. When we go to parties, we end up with a bag of things DS often doesn't use or play with and it inevitably ends up in the bin or plastic toys out into his toy box never to be seen again, or little colouring boxes and crayons again which rarely get used as lovely as they are.

I went to a party last year and they just gave a sweet cone and a plant pot with some seeds for children to grow a flower themselves which I thought was fab.

I'm thinking of doing a paper bag of pick and mix sweeties with a cupcake, but wondered if that's a bit naff and if I should add something else?

What do you like to see in party bags and what gets used/appreciated by your DCs?

OP posts:
Paturday · 12/03/2023 16:06

I prefer a substantial favour over a party bag eg

lego glasses
a book
One of those snow globe type cups with a sweet cone insude

All still talked about months/years later 😄

marshmallowsforbreakfast · 12/03/2023 16:21

I always do biscuit making mixes snd a cookie cutter each. Always goes down well.

MarnieSQ · 12/03/2023 16:23

Packets of seeds. Something easy to grow, like sunflowers or natursium.

Needmorelego · 12/03/2023 16:28

@MarnieSQ make sure the family has somewhere they can grow plants. Flats or communal gardens you usually can't.

Favouritefruits · 12/03/2023 16:36

My 8year old still talks about the time he got a big full sized bar of Cadbury’s in a party bag, nothing else just a massive slab of chocolate and a pice of cake.

rockpoolingtogether · 12/03/2023 16:48

Sweets, cake and a keyring for their school bag

evemillbank · 12/03/2023 16:48

Edibles

Pumpkin20222 · 12/03/2023 17:07

March-June, Sunflower seeds (to grow).
Cute erasers/other small stationary.

evemillbank · 12/03/2023 17:12

Depends where you like re giving seeds. I'd never do it here in London as so many people don't have gardens so would need to buy soil and a pot etc. which isn't exactly a gift.

OneCup · 12/03/2023 17:15

Something edible. No plastic tat.
You can also do cones of pop corn rather than sweets.

Arsewangry · 12/03/2023 17:16

Bubbles, stickers, sweeties

Original poster
TokenGinger · 12/03/2023 17:57

Needmorelego · 12/03/2023 12:20

I always say this on every party bag thread....
Tube of Smarties
Piece of cake
Hot Wheels Car

Over the years there has been a random party bag toy that was much loved and kept for ages before finally meeting it's end (RIP Mr Squishy 😕). At least with a Hot Wheels car it can be sold at a car boot sale in 10 years time.

This is a brilliant idea! My son loves Hot Wheels cars and I'm yet to find a kid who doesn't. Ohh I think I might need to do this!

OP posts:
Original poster
TokenGinger · 12/03/2023 17:58

Favouritefruits · 12/03/2023 16:36

My 8year old still talks about the time he got a big full sized bar of Cadbury’s in a party bag, nothing else just a massive slab of chocolate and a pice of cake.

He sounds like my kinda guy! That is a pretty awesome idea!

OP posts:
Original poster
TokenGinger · 12/03/2023 17:59

marshmallowsforbreakfast · 12/03/2023 16:21

I always do biscuit making mixes snd a cookie cutter each. Always goes down well.

Ohh that is genius. We love baking here. I might have a look at how this could work/whether we could do it in a jar or something xx

OP posts:
Original poster
TokenGinger · 12/03/2023 18:02

There's so many fab ideas here. Thank you so much. I'm back and forth in my head now on which to go for. I'm going to do some researching online hit the best price for bulk buying! Thank you so much x

OP posts:
Coffeesnob11 · 12/03/2023 18:08

Hate plastic tat. One year did the cookie mix in a glass jar then gave a list of things to do with empty jar. Last year a book and a cupcake. Our favourite ones was a really lovely book and a chocolate Freddie frog.

MillicentTrilbyHiggins · 12/03/2023 18:12

I used to hate making/ getting party bags. Whatever you put in then someone doesn't like it Grin

As a parent I liked the least plastic tat possible. And not too many sweets. Craft kits, a toy car, seeds always went down well for us.

Also please consider dietary requirements when buying sweets. Most jelly/haribo type sweets aren't halal or vegetarian. Some are halal but not veggie. We live in an area with a lot a Muslim families so that was always an issue. (No idea how kosher fits in with sweets but I think it's similar)
See also marshmallows.

gerbo · 12/03/2023 18:18

I've had a hula hoop before, in summer, and we've given out cheap footballs, they went down very well. Just a ball and small packet of haribo.

Gameofmoans81 · 12/03/2023 18:21

I’ve tried to go plastic free this year so they’re getting seeds, a mini soap, a wobbly wooden snake to paint and a bag of chocolate buttons . From past experience my heart sinks a bit when there are tons of sweets to argue about and a load of plastic crap that gets played with for 30 seconds. My daughter would probably disagree though!

Dacadactyl · 12/03/2023 18:25

I loathe party bags with a vengeance. Waste of time and money in my opinion. Just a load of tat that ends up in the bin.

I stopped doing party bags very early on for my kids and just gave a slice of cake instead.

DoneByWeds · 12/03/2023 18:28

My advice would be to check with your guests for allergies, although we always say that DD has a dairy allergy when she gets an invite. When she was younger it was heart breaking to see how upset she when we had to take things away that she had been given that had milk in it. And we had to throw away home made unlabeled foodstuffs because we couldn't risk it.

Chocolateismyfavourite · 12/03/2023 18:33

Was my Ds birthday today,I gave them a small Easter egg each. Went down a treat.

listsandbudgets · 12/03/2023 18:43

We did filled pencil cases one year. Home bargains pencil cases then filled with pens, pencils, sharpeners, rulers novelty rubbers and some sweets. You can get lots of stationery multipacks fairly cheaply poundland, Amazon etc. They were very popular and at least useful.

For dds 7th we went to an Indian type shop and got a heap of the little round jewelled boxes like these and then got some pretty little plastic bracelets and put one in each. DD now 17 and some of her friends still using the boxes

DragonbornMum · 12/03/2023 18:48

Bubbles are almost always used quickly! You can get a pack of 6 little pots in tesco for £1/£1.50

AtLeastThreeDrinks · 12/03/2023 18:51

evemillbank · 12/03/2023 16:48

Edibles

I read this as “adult gummies” and laughed out loud. Presumably you mean edible things in general 😂

A friend of mine has one of those instant Polaroid cameras and tries to get a pic of each child with the birthday kid. They go in the party bag as a little keepsake (can easily go on the fridge with a magnet or on a shelf in the child’s room). Quite a nice idea. But obviously only cheap if you already have the camera!