To ask what you spend on party bags?

[Nicpem1982]

I'm having my dds 3rd birthday party at our local zoo.

We're expecting around 20 children aged 2-6.

Dh says I need to set a reasonable budget for party bags I thought about 4 pounds each as the venue is providing an activity pack and we've paid additional for face painting for each child.

I'd like them to be animal themed as per the party.

What do you spend on party bags per child?

one year we used mcdonalds happy meals along with party food the kids loved the toy from the happy meal lol

Haven't read all the replays so I might be repeating an idea but I've given books before. The book people often have packs of 10 for £10 so I bought two. Luckily at that time there was an offer on buying two packs which meant I paid £16. Had 17 children come so my dd ended up with a couple extra books for her bookcase too

Best bags I ever did contained a vintage superhero comic which were 50p each from a vintage shop, plus sweets. The kids loved them!

I feel like I'm living in a different country - £40 for an entertainer? Hired one a few years back and it was £150 for 2 hours . No one was under a £100, when I was shopping around. Helium number balloon and bunch of colourful ones? £15! I thought about doing my own but the cheapest helium tank was £30!

Printing out colouring pictures is a brilliant idea! I'm nicking that. I just do sweet cones now after years of parties. Buy the bags off amazon and let the kids pick sweets and fill them. They love making them and there's no landfill tat.

What happened to just having a party at home or just the local hall? Please say I don't have to do soft play or bouncy castles? and entertainers - agh!

Madmomma getting the kids to fill the cones is an interesting idea. Did you end up with loads left over? I have visions of fights breaking out.

Most of my parties are at home. Dd1 had her 6th at a soft play as I had just had #3 and couldn't face doing a party at home. The next year ds had a magician in a hall for his 5th in lieu of no party the previous year as I was really pregnant. I also did dd's 7th in the hall for the space. All other parties at home.

Dd2 is having a big one for her 5th so I have been fair across them all. But I pay a flat rate rather than a per head rate.

All us been at home. Craft parties, Lego parties, films, board games etc. My house isn't massive and Jan, Feb and march so need to be indoors. Though one march we got outside for a bit. I think they enjoy them. Hard work though.

Inappropriate- the thought of having a party at home and the accompanying mess just doesn't appeal. I'd rather just turn up have party and leave.

Mrgrumpy- can I ask what you did for your Lego and craft parties? I ve got dds second birthday coming and thinking of having it at home as there's only a few to invite and to keep the cost down and as she's only 2.

So far ideas are possible pizza making and then eat for birthday meal, mask making, crown making, colouring sheets, playing with all the toys we have, pass the parcel.

Any other games suitable for 1-2-year olds?

My Lego party was for an 8 yr old so got a set for them all to build, did 'Kim's game' built cars to race down the toddler slide, did who can build the highest tower, and picking up Lego bricks with chopsticks.

The 4yr old last year we decorate crowns and I also make door hangers. I get the foam stickers to use on the hangers.

Your ideas sound fun though. At 2 they are usually quite happy to just play with toys.

At that sort of age I also just met at soft play and paid the normal entrance fee for the other guests rather than a party. But we have a local soft play that is geared more for younger ones.

I did not do party bags for either of dc's first birthdays and was not planning on doing them for the third. Do those of you that do them think it is really wrong to not do them?

Sorry, that should have said for either of dc's first two birthdays. Slip of me fingers.

Jane my son has autism. Party=party bags. Even if it was a bag with cake and some haribo in would still pass muster even though he hates both

Love those ideas thanks. Very creative. Ds only 4 but will keep Lego ideas in mind when older.

Love door hanger idea, great. Yes, was planning on mainly just play but thought I should have some back up ideas incase they get bored or start arguing over same toys.

Was thinking of turning the front room into some sort of disco room too

Jane I went to a 3rd birthday recently with no party bags. I sort of respected the Mum for not bothering - it's a pain and really, an unnecessary expense - but at the same time, I did notice their absence iyswim.

sixty it was fine, only a few left over, but I would advise buying the small bags cos it ended up costing about £2 per cone which I think is a lot. Get the small bags and fill the gaps with those rainbow puff things. I'm gonna do the colouring picture rolls soon just as an activity to keep mine occupied. They can make rolls for their mates.

I'd be embarrassed to get a party bag with £££ stuff in it. I thought everyone put a few cheap bits in (or let the venue do it). I spent about £10 on 9 children at amazon and home bargains for party bags for a 5 year old and the bags were packed. I'm glad parties are less spendy in dcs circle!

yummy Rich Tea Biscuits with a blob of icing put on by the toddlers and decorated with jelly tots etc, is less mess making than pizza making and they can eat their own later. No worries about oven space etc.

We did a really cheap party for DD (just turned 4) at home this year, BUT I ended up taking a day off to clean and tidy the house (beforehand). If you factor that in, then the party wasn't so cheap... It would definitely be cheaper to hire a hall (guess what we'll do next year). So OP, you definitely have my sympathy in not wanting to host!

I didn't set out to look for an entertainer. I just asked the lady who does the local toddler music group to do a session and she asked for £40 for £45 mins. The rest is just dancing/ food.

There are so many creative ideas on here!

I've never been to a party with no party bags not even when I was small! I'd never say anything to the host but I'd notice,not sure dd would notice though thinking about it.

Sheepy - thanks for the sympathy 😊

I like the idea of a zoo party as after the party were free to go around the zoo so a nice treat for the children and no cleaning up for me- just a tip for the party staff

My 9 yr old is a Nov born, for the last three years we've done a bonfire party at home. We do a BBQ, sausages / burgers etc. Then cakes and sweets. We buy a small selection of fireworks and sparklers. We invite 10 children, parents and siblings welcome. Parents bring own alcohol 😮. 9 yr old spends all evening running round the farm with his friends in the dark. Kids go home filthy and everyone looks forward to next year. It takes a morning to clear up. I make the cake myself and party bags this year were a Lego mini figure and a piece of cake. With regards to the op if you can afford it don't worry what everyone else thinks xx

Sorry really behind. I wouldnt add anything else to the party bags! Your party sounds great! It does sound expensive but you should easily know if you are spending much more than the parties you are being invited to.

I have booked a bouncy castle at a local toddler group ive spent £65 on that around £20 on food £40 on accessories £20 on books and £25 on sweet cones. And i agree with you worth every penny to not have it at home!

Wow I think it must very much depend on where you live. That party sounds expensive but maybe it's just the location.

I had bouncy castle in a hall for ds and the castle was £90 we did have one with slides and diddicars and the hall was £36 so £126 before anything else. A lot more than the £60 previous poster said