To ask what your KIDS actually like in a party bag?

[wibblewobblebottom]

So many people here suggest a book and a packet of seeds saying 'they go down a treat '. As if a 5yo is "thrilled" at receiving a seed bomb and a book from the works? 😂

We used to give stuff like a big bar of dairy milk. Or a bag of haribo. Or whatever hanging bags were on special offer. And would also chuck in something else. Things like whizzing balloons or gel pens or blind bags or whatever the latest craze was at the time and depending on age.

So what do your kids actually like in a party bag?

Cake and sweets

As a parent I hate it when they get books - agree with PPs the books are always shit anyway. We have so many books at home already and borrow books from the library too so I'm very picky about any new books we acquire.

At a 5th birthday party we went to once it was superhero themed and the host gave out superhero masks and capes - kids could choose the one they wanted - which were great, the kids liked them and they've been used since.

My kids always like sweets and chocolate in party bags and want to eat them all but I don't like it when there are too many because it's sugar overload and the kids are a nightmare. I'm not puritanical about sweets though, I let them eat treats at parties (and at home) and don't mind one or two treats in the party bag.

i do hate plastic tat I'm afraid... don't mind the bouncy balls too much (and the kids like them) but everything else is shit quality and ends up in the bin.

I recently hosted a 3rd birthday party for a mix of ages (2-6) and in the party bags I put:

• small bottle of bubbles
• punch balloon (I loved these as a kid!)
• printed out colouring sheet linked to party theme (no crayons, everyone has those already)
• sticker sheet
• chocolate lollipop
• box of raisins

They went down quite well I think. Hard to tell for everyone but they're the type of items we use and like.

Plastic tat.

But they like lots of stuff that's not good for them so perfectly happy for them to get some seeds and a book.

Or even better, nothing. They don't need a present to thank them for coming to a party and having a lovely time. They're lucky to be invited at all.

Of all the traditions this must be the very worst one.

Seeds and books have never gone down well 😅

Bubbles
Stickers
Balloon
Sweets
These are firm faves

Less is more IMO.

I try to do one “decent” gift rather than loads of crap. And I try to theme it to the party, where possible.

Dd has had the following parties and favour combos:

-zoo party with mini animal keyring
-pamper party with a bath bomb, nail stickers and a hairband that they all wore at the party
-pizza and paint party where they all painted an ornament and took it home as a favour
-slumber party where I’ve got them a water bottle each, and an eye mask

I usually stick a few little extras in like stickers, gel pens, or temporary tattoos, which I pick up through the year when I see them for cheap.

Along with the main favour I do a cupcake (dairy free, since two of the group are df) and gelatine free sweets (haribo giant strawbs or similar) as there is a vegetarian.

Anything that can be eaten really.

Sweets mainly!
Cake
(Reason why I've often done a cupcake and a sweet cone instead of a party bag)
Someone gave the little sticker books where you dress the dollies - DD really liked that at about 7.
A hairband with cat ears was popular.
Nothing else stands out really.

Bubbles and sweets. Everything else ends up in the bin.
Although I suppose the empty bubble things end up in the bin too. So maybe just sweets

More than one person has mentioned a bottle of Prime - had to Google it - why would you give excited kids (or indeed any kids) an energy drink?! 😱

My 6yo is like the Duracell bunny as it is (admittedly he might have ADHD, but still!)

I wish the plastic tat even up in the bin. Mine keep it, and if i try to sneak it away I get a teary child going 'but this party blower was given to me by Millie on her birthday and it's the best one ever. I loooooove it sooooo much'. We have a drawer the tat goes in now and I just try to get rid of bits when I can.

😂

Cake, bubbles, balloons, sweets and key rings all go down well. No to books or seeds.

DD - hair accessories, stationery, friendship bracelets, cake, keyrings

DS - keyrings, Pokémon cards, football, cake, packets of biscuits

They both prefer chocolate over sweets (as I let them eat all the chocolate but make them ration the sweets)

Pokémon cards. They were all opened before any of the kids went home so they could compare and swap. Also those sticky men that you throw on the window. Glow sticks. They love those. Cake and haribo obviously.

Bottle of prime is an excellent shout!!

But whhhhyyyyy?!

Sweets chocolate cake.
They also like stickers, fidgets, hair bits, snap bands. But to me its just more shit to have scattered round and never used after a day.

We also have so many books we don't need more
I stick with sweet cones

Oh sorry I've just seen that some of them don't have caffeine whereas others do I hope assume you all mean the caffeine-free ones!

My 10yo DS got a handball in a party bag recently and loved it. It was in with lollies and chocs.

Post it notes, a pen and a balloon

@NuffSaidSam speaks truth. End the Party Bag Tyranny!

I throw bloody awesome parties and resent the assumption that on top of all that I’m supposed to give people presents just for turning up 😡

(That said, my son does like getting seeds. They never get planted but he enjoys fantasising about growing them 😁)

Plastic shit and sweets

My DS loves a bag of Haribo and a superhero tattoo. His friends are Marvel mad so we've had a fair few Spider-Man tattoos at recent parties.

A mini tub of hummous and some nice crunchy crudités.

Bubble mix.
Little monster finger puppets.
Any incredibly annoying party blower - the ones made of part paper and a feather on the end so they don't last forever.
An octopus jelly splat thing.
A tattoo.
Haribo.

I do similar for small children, too.

Exactly this.