Baby's 1st birthday party bag ideas.

[Moxiechick]

Hi I've been thinking about my dd's 1st birthday. It's not till July but want to get ahead! I would be having family around but they all live pretty far away so thought I would invite four baby friends and their mums for a little tea party on my balcony. The other mums are planning bigger parties but as I'm a single mum without much money thought I would do something smaller. I'd like to give little party bags as an extra treat but am looking for relatively cheap ideas of what to put in them. Any help greatly appreciated :)

It's really hard doing party bags for kids that are too young for sweets and small toys. Best I ever manage is little board books and age appropriate treats/snacks ie raisin boxes or baby biscuits. Not wildly exciting I'm afraid!

Board or bath book with a helium balloon

Oohhh the books are a good idea:) thanks!

Personally I really really wouldn't bother. The party will really be for the mums to celebrate the first year of their babies, make sure there is a nice cake, perhaps take some mums and babies photos and everyone will I'm sure be very happy. IMO/E party bags don't really start to come into play until the children are old enough to eat the sweeties and play with the bits and bobs.

rubber ducks

Bubbles are usually a hit.

Not going to lie, I've been to 4 or 5 1st birthdays this year, and never had a party bag!!! I wouldn't worry about it if money is tight?

A bag of seeds to grow a sunflower or similar?

I did a very small party for my ds when he was a year old, just two of his friends, it was enough; having loads of children would have just overwhelmed him.
In the part bags were pot of bubbles, (6pk in supermarkets) bath boat or duck. Small reading book (again pack from supermarket) punch balloon, sponge for bath packs of 2 or 4 from pound shop.

Bubbles, cake and balloon. Anything more is pointless!

Read a blog once that suggested asking each child who attends brings an age appropriate wrapped up book to the value of £5 instead of some crappy plastic gift, you wrap a book too. Each child brings a book and takes one home instead of a party bag. Add a balloon or something.

Thought this was a magic idea ! Our baby is one in July too

Buy multi packs of these sorts of things and divide them between party bags:

• box of mini board books - v cheap on eBay or look in TK Maxx
• Crayola chunky crayons suitable for 12 mths plus
• depending on season, a pack of beach / sand toys (spade, rake etc) from the pound shop
• pots of finger paints and sponge shapes for doing paint stamps with (Asda do paints suitable for 18mths plus)

These worked for my little one's 1st bday bags.

I went to the pound shop and got a pack of wash cloths and rubber ducks. I also made some dummy strings.