Party bags

[Coldcoffeekindamorning]

I'm trying to make up party bags that are not full of scrap the kids will look at once and throw away. The party is mostly girls aged 7 but there are a couple of boys coming who are around 5 years old and an older cousin who is 9. I think I've got it sorted but for the girls I'm going to include a scrunchie but just can't think of a small (inexpensive) thing for the boys. This is what I'm planning to include;

Animal stick pads
Animal pen
Temporary tattoos
Scrunchies
Cake

It's worth to say that they will also have a small toy to take home from the birthday party activity but I just like party bags and it helps the kids leave.

Any suggestions for a scrunchies substitute for the boys?

A bouncy ball maybe (the girls would probably like that too). I used to put in some sweets and crisps

It sounds like a great party bag so I would think the boys will be happy with just that minus the scrunchie. But otherwise - small toy car, toy that you spin in your hands and it flies, whoopee cushion, sunglasses, pop tubes ( I would probably got with the latter, though the noise is annoying, we've had a couple in bags over the years and they always seem to be around getting played with). We also had these rings with eyes that make your hand into a face and they play with those sooooo much.

We done little football fidget spinners, mini rubix cubes, a little pot of putty. My son recently went to a party and got a mini scratch art set which he enjoyed.

I would just leave out the scrunchie for the boys, you already have a few fillers, and lets be honest, the cake is the best bit of a party bag!

I was also going to say bouncy ball. It's the only bit of party bag tat that lasts and gets played with ime.

Or a keyring. I don't know if this is a thing where you are, but here all the kids have 100 keyrings on their school bags/book bags so keyrings are always a highly prized item!

I wouldn't bother doing gendered party bags, it's an odd concept to me. What you have sounds fine, maybe just put in another sweet treat (Freddos were massive hits at our last party) or a notepad/puzzle book.

My kids have March and December birthdays, so when they had parties I bought each guest a small Easter egg / chocolate Santa instrad of a party bag. No plastic tat and less faffing about.

The problem with gendered party bags is that the dc will inevitably want what the others have. Personally I'd do the same for everyone.

Most of the items suggested for the boys are "immediate gratification" items (like a bouncy ball or a car) that can be played with straight away, while the girls will get a "delayed gratification" gift (scrunchie) that can be used in the future. So the girls will have to watch the boys being able to play immediately. It is imo a recipe for conflict and bad feeling!

Sounds great to me. I’d pop in a sweet of some kind as well and be done with it.
My kids love getting party bags, they love opening them on the way home.

Finger skateboards!

My son did a joint birthday with a girl from his class and we gave everyone a little plant starter kit to grow their own flower at home and a chocolate treat.

All great suggestions, especially the bouncy ball they are always well received. A pencil, novelty eraser or pencil sharper are also a good shout. Since they always seem to grow legs in every house. I got some lego brick type pencil sharpeners before and all the kids loved them

Just give them all sone coloured pencils and a notebook. What if a girl has short hair? Add a penguin biscuit and job’s a good un.

Magic potion. Get a plastic jar, 3/4 fill with equal parts citric acid and baking soda. Kids just add water for an exciting chemical reaction.

I think it’s better to just give everyone the same. I’d just remove the scrunchies, you have plenty of things in there for them.

I used to buy Lego minifigures to add to party bags. They sell individually wrapped ones and my boys liked to collect them.

My DC are in their 20s, and party bags were a nonsense then. Such a waste of everything, I used to do some sort of reusable plastic beaker filled with sweets.

Last time we did one of these sets from the smiggle clearance plus a packet of Percy pigs, went down pretty well!

https://www.smiggle.co.uk/shop/en/smiggleuk/sale/sale-by-price/3-sale-under/snack-time-eraser-gift-pack-470529-pink

Hate gendered bags. Kids want something to play with straight away. Get rid of the scrunchies and put in a balloon and sweets. Everyone loves a balloon, and it gives them something to do on the way out. Or bubble mix. It is tat but still.

I bought the Roald Dahl box set and gave them one each instead of a party bag.