To ask for your alternatives to party bags

[TheoTheopolis23]

Had the great idea of doing sweetie cones from a poster on here (they were of the opinion that the toys were plastic tat, broke easily, crap for environment etc., Plus kids only really interested in the sweets so just do sweetie cones and I thought they had a point).

This went down a treat, no pun intended; another school Mum told me she was going to copy it so there have been a few more since.

What could you do instead, rather than sweetie cones again? There's an old thread saying personalized mugs, drinks containers, t-shirts etc.
But I can't see mugs or drinks bottles for less than £7/8 and there are hopefully going to be 40 kids. T-shirts - I thought you weren't supposed to put kids names on t-shirts for safety, and I wouldn't know what characters etc they're all into so ...

I can't see most of the parents going in for the plant a seed etc type stuff.

Personalised chocolate bars looked like a goer, but I'm hoping to do chocolate fountains and giving them a chocolate bar straight after is kinda more of the same.

Has anyone done anything else that went down well?

Thank you 🙏

Ah, t-shirt idea probably wouldn't work either then.

I did the photo frames for about 25 children - had maybe 5 different stations with an activity at each, and the kids rotated round in groups. One was just decorate your own party bag (brown takeaway style paper bag and felt tips - no supervision really needed) couple of games (pin the tail type thing and a memory game I think) can't remember the others. I did have a couple of extra adults roped in to help though.

How old?

5/6.

Might not work for you but another thing my mum used to do (when we were slightly older though)

she had a bingo set and as a party game we would all play bingo and when you won a line/corners/whatever you could go up and pick your bits to put in your party bag. It was so much fun we looked forward to it every year!

Where did you get the dogs, if you don't mind saying?
W
ere they all different or were there some the same?

If you're brave, nothing, try to start the trend!

Some Primark, Some Asda (i think?), some IKEA.. we just picked them up when we went to these places and actually the primark ones were the nicest.

i think we had 12 of each so they had some choice

I’m sure maybe Amazon or something would be just as good?

I think the vibe of the party is going to be quite physical (inflatables, upbeat dance music that LO likes). As uncivilised as it sounds I was planning on letting them bounce, giving them pizza, having 3 small fountains (milk, white, strawberry) set up so 40 kids can get at them more easily, and then handing them something they'd appreciate on the way out.

(If the weather's good, I'll set up some stuff they liked last year (space hoppers, balls, stomp rockets etc) and there's a playpark beside the centre).;

Definitely not that brave lol.

Oh just think of the looks on their wee faces 😖

Ok, thank you.

I haven't noticed soft toys in Primark here. I may need to go to a larger store.

(3 small chocolate fountains)

Quick Amazon search https://www.amazon.co.uk/Toys-Keychain-Carnival-Assortment-Classroom/dp/B09F6DB22P

Whatever you do OP, good luck! It’s sounds like mayhem - they’ll love it 😂

Books - I think the firm is called book people and you can get a pack of books for £1 each, tattooos or a box of bath bombs. Chuck in a Maoam and tattoo or two.

Thank you x

Last year's was a trampoline place and I threw lots of balloons, space hoppers and balls onto the trampolines, also put up some helium balloons with long strings for them to pull around, but those got tangled and became a H&S issue. The stomp rockets were at the very end of the trampolines. They did seem to enjoy it, some of them looked like they'd run a marathon lol.
The sweet cones went down well. You just feel like you can't do exactly the same thing again.

Keyrings are a good idea too.

When I google Holly's Lollies, it says "the home of alcoholic confectionery" 😁

Birthday cake in a bag and off you go! 🤣

Chocolate cereal cakes! Rice crispie and cornflake or shredded wheat mixed with chocolate.

All it needs is bowls of melted chocolate (handy with the chocolate fountain!), pour in cereal, take turns to mix the bowl with syrup and dollop into muffin cases to set. Then take home later after putting in fridge. Take turns to make in groups.

You can also push the mix gently into biscuit or pastry moulds, star, heart shape etc which would add a little complexity. Maybe have sprinkles/ marshmallows to add them?

At the end they get the ritual of finding their own personal cakes to take home with them?

I have very fond memories of making these at school!

One of those big bubble wands each with a personalised thank you for coming to my party sticker? Think they are about £1 each

I now do a paper bag of sweets, often dd will write the thank you message and a picture on the bag itself, and it'll have one or two personalised things like a keyring with the first letter of their name

Why can’t you do sweet cones again? Paper bags of sweets better.

If the objection to plastic tat is on environmental grounds, cheap soft toys or T-shirts isn’t actually any better – cotton uses water, energy and emissions used in production and transportation, packaging, production of pointless new stuff etc. Stick with the sweets.

A proper plastic animal - dinosaur, shark, zebra etc. Kids love those for years. Plus a mini chocs . And a balloon or a mini lego. Sprinkle with lollies and done. The wee cardboard boxes are nice but expensive. Brown paper bags are super easy.Get the kids to decorate them and add a ribbon.

I've just done my dd's ones, basically a ton of wooden things from baker Ross that they'll decorate during the party and take home with them.

I read these threads and although well intentioned they do come across as 'worthy'. And I say this as someone who has not eaten meat for 40 years, never driven/owned a car and I grow my own veg.

Kids LOVE party bags. And the prime party bag time is so fleeting, let them enjoy it.

Also check out Rex they have a sale on at the moment with a few £1 items

Good luck

I used to do a lucky dip on the way out
Fill a box with shredded paper, add the requisite amount of gifts, wrapped or not and let each child plunge their arm in! That way you don't need the same gifts, you can mix it up. Have you seen the books, stories for X year olds? They come in every age.

One parent manned the lucky dip while the other stood with a tray of cupcakes. Take a dio, grab a cake, thanks for coming!