To not want to give out bags of tat at birthday party?

[NameChanged45678]

DS is having a party for his 5th birthday next week. 25 kids and I’ve just been adding party bag fillers to my Amazon basket, there is now £100 worth of the usual crap in my basket ready to purchase….surely I can get something better for £4 per kid?

im trying to avoid sweets as 3 of the kids attending are type1 diabetic so thought it would be easier to have non-edible party bag contents.

£4 a bag? What on earth are you putting in there?!

A friend gave out books from the works from their 10 for a tenner deal, everyone was delighted. Loads of good books in there for under £4

The works sometimes has 10 books for £10.

We've given out the big bubble wands they're like 60p each and went down well.

Hobby craft sometimes have small craft sets for £2ish.

If your budget is £4 per child I expect there's plenty of tat alternatives.

I done a personalised colouring book one year with their name on, but that was for a small party. Wouldn’t work great for loads of kids especially if you don’t know their names! That was about a fiver each.

this year I did a big bubble wand each and a cupcake. Went down very well! The wands were 60p from asda.

I have also done a box of books to choose from before too.

I hate receiving the bags of tat so try not to give them!

I always do the works books.... £1 per child and books are wonderful!

I did a bran tub for dd. That way you only need 1 gift per dc and it’s more fun.
So you could probably buy a ball,small car etc each.

DD received one of these with a packet of seeds inside recently which went down well https://www.theworks.co.uk/p/craft-activities-for-kids/colour-your-own-bag-assorted/5052089294622.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwjaWoBhAmEiwAXz8DBfyM_lX0ia3KFgdmP_DlTaIBl42-cW2RqKIDN7Rnw7NWLi0TOmDdHxoCBpgQAvD_BwE

We went to a party earlier in the year where we got a big tub of pavement chalk - went down very well!

Agree with books and maybe a strip of stickers each

48 mr men books for £30 here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-Men-Complete-Collection-Box/dp/075550187X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=36MUJC7SHUBG1&keywords=set+of+mr+men+books&qid=1695154922&sprefix=set+of+mr+men%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1

or works 10 for £10

Ive done loads of parties and never give out bags of tat.
Books
Seed packets (you can get these personalised from etsy)
Mini craft sets (eg paint sets/ beads/ suncatchers from hobby craft)
Pencil pots
Sweet cones

You don't have to buy tat

Bulk buy craft materials and split them eg tube of glitter glue in each.
Packets of seeds and a little cardboard pot
You can get 20 hama bead templates for £15, buy a big mixed tub of hama beads and a pack of cheap envelopes and make up kits.
Mix up your own mini microwave cake kit (dry ingredients) and print a recipe card
Bath bombs 30 for £16 on amazon.
Scratch art sheets with nail manicure sticks.
Tubes of bubbles
Multi packs of story books - lots for c £1 each

A quick look at asda and hobby craft I've found these "Paint your own" sets. Quite a few different types for £4 and under so you could get sets that match the theme or just a selection and kids can choose what they want, although then you risk the kids all wanting the same and not having enough of that type.

As a parent with a type 1 diabetic child I don’t mind them getting sweets or cake as I can let them eat them after a meal with their insulin. But I appreciate that it’s probably easier not to worry about it.

I’ve done books, Pokémon cards, small boxes of Lego, small cars and glow sticks.

Mine are grown up now but we once had a kite (that DS2 wanted to fly when I was alone in labour with his sister), also Easter eggs and a book. The kids love the little bags of tat though

Thanks for all the ideas - these are great!

I was trying not to buy really cheap tat, so looking for slightly better quality which is why it added up to so much, but it’s basically still all tat, and got me thinking I should get something a bit better value for money but kids will still like!

I usually put the little play doh pots in, the kids also go wild for a balloon to blow up which obviously doesn’t cost much!

@NameChanged45678
Some great ideas here - wish I'd thought of them all, a few years ago!

One of our favourite party bags was a cheap, white, supermarket t-shirt for each child & some fabric pens (bought a couple of big sets & split them up).

Bulk buy craft stuff from somewhere like baker Ross and divide the contents into bags. Pencil toppers, make your own book marks, badges that kind of thing

Definitely books - from The Works or The Book People

Thanks! There will be birthday cake served at the party, I just didn’t want to add extra sweets after the cake.

This is what we did. Got a big set of books and divided them up. Most parents were pleased not to have tat that would be thrown away within the week. Think I did a slice of cake too.

Also, put the books in plain paper bag but drew their names on them with cartoony writing.

My kids are now but even then party bags were dying out, it was cake and a sweet cone and or a book.

Bath bomb or bag of bath slime stuff?

gave out paint your own money box’s from Hobbycraft, always on offer for about £2.50 each. Added a slice of cake as well