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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

226 replies

NameChanged45678 · 19/09/2023 21:17

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
lljkk · 20/09/2023 08:43

Big chocolate bar per child would be fine, too.

Willmafrockfit · 20/09/2023 08:49

5 year olds love tat
they dont have to go into the bin
they can be played with

sunglassesonthetable · 20/09/2023 08:49

Did a helium balloon each with the cake. That went down a storm tbh.

Saracen · 20/09/2023 08:52

For young kids I sometimes used to give out a single helium balloon. Most kids love a helium balloon.

gogomoto · 20/09/2023 10:40

Craft sets are great, I used to get them from baker Ross though supermarkets have them too. Best one was build your own birdhouse, made it as an activity at the party then they took them home... got an email a few months later with a photo of an emerging chick from the house!

beanii · 20/09/2023 21:26

Go to The Works - 10 books for £10.

ConsuelaHammock · 20/09/2023 21:28

Buy a selection of books for £1 each from the works. Leave them unwrapped in a basket and let the children choose their own?

AliceDownTheRabbitHole · 20/09/2023 21:31

I just gave a slice of the birthday cake at my daughters party a few weeks ago. I'd already spent a fortune

Tiredalwaystired · 20/09/2023 21:49

A pack of books from The Works and multi packs of character socks all split in to wrapped parcels for a lucky dip. About £2 a head and nice to keep plus the surprise element of a “present”

Mew2 · 20/09/2023 21:50

Personally I would get some notebooks- with a plain front- either decorate of add vinyl to decorate with each child's name, some pens or colouring pencils and a rubber/pencil sharpner... would be useful and under £4 each...
The reason I wouldn't do books- is for people like us who have hundreds of them (little one is 3.5)- and she adores books and picks them over sweets for treats!!

Newusernameforthiss · 20/09/2023 21:54

OMG let them have the tat, they love the tat, father Xmas, books trust and Dolly actual Parton are giving them free books, let them have a snap bracelet, balloon and a pot of bubbles (all of which they will play with and enjoy) (blowing bubbles is great motor skills practice too)

Kwasi · 20/09/2023 22:12

We bought the entire Mr Men box set for £30 off Amazon and gave each kid a book.

dancingdiva12 · 20/09/2023 22:14

Pokemon cards are a big hit. I’ve also bought hair clips/bows for a bunch of girly 5 year olds

Ellen1990 · 20/09/2023 22:25

T1 kids can eat sweets! Please educate yourself on this!

CoffeeBeansGalore · 20/09/2023 22:56

www.bakerross.co.uk

They do some lovely craft stuff. They have a fair few kits which are wooden. Well worth a look. Good ideas for Christmas stocking fillers as well.

Arts and Crafts Shop | Baker Ross

Shop our huge range of craft supplies and exclusive themed & seasonal craft kits for children. Next Day delivery available in UK.

http://www.bakerross.co.uk

Mumofferralkid3 · 20/09/2023 23:07

U had the ice cream van for our party bags once. It was brill, kids could choose their toppings etc, pkus it was a brill way of getting everyone out on time.

Reetnice · 20/09/2023 23:10

Zhougzhoug · 20/09/2023 07:44

Seeds and flimsy The Works type books never go down that well with kids. I feel sort of more burdened by them then supposedly worse things.

Pens, pencils, crayons, novelty rubbers are fine by me - they go straight in the stationery box.

Hobbycraft craft sets are great - kids genuinely excited and it fills a rainy hour.

Lego mini bags are good if you want to spend a bit more money on one quality thing.

Wiggly reusable straws were a big hit.

I like how much kids like party bags. It’s exciting for them!

Seeds went down really well at my 3 year olds birthday. It was nearly a year ago and I’m still getting shown/sent photos of what they’be grown into. I thibk it totally depends on “how arsed” the parent is though

Summerlovin24 · 20/09/2023 23:26

I never used to bother. Had enough to do. Give them some cake. Done
Don't have to keep up with the Jones'

HMW1906 · 21/09/2023 01:01

ds(3) went to a party at the weekend and was given a box of chunky wax crayons and a big colouring book, he’s played with it loads since. It’s been the most useful ‘party bag’ he’s been given, better than all the usual tat. The mum had wrapped them all individually so it was like opening a present for him.

Ap42 · 21/09/2023 01:37

I did plant pots with personalised thank you packs of seeds. A flump and a pack of haribo (or something diabetic friendly) and they went down really well with the kids. Cost about £2 a head

KAM1997 · 21/09/2023 02:10

I think the works 10 for 10 is a great idea. I would also add some sweets and cake. My daughter is Type 1 and we would just give the right insulin for sweets/cake. Kids might even need them if been running around!

Thirdsummerofourdiscontent · 21/09/2023 02:50

We have done books, bubble wands, matchbox cars, ribbon wands, 12 colour scento pens or superhero capes/ masks in the past just added a sticker or card that said thanks for coming to child’s name party. Much better than lollies and crap.

PeopleAreWeird · 21/09/2023 04:38

Baker ross has some great bulk deals

As well as Halloween and Christmas stuff

Much better than plastic tat

LeedsMum87 · 21/09/2023 05:49

It was recently my daughters party and we handed out books from the works. They are 10 for £10. I got little personalised stickers made to put on them.

Museya15 · 21/09/2023 06:27

Just get 25 sweet cones £1 each, diabetic kids eat sweets too you know. Kids look at that tat then it gets thrown and never looked at again.