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Parties/celebrations

Whether you're planning a birthday or a hen do, you'll find plenty of ideas for your celebration on our Party forum.

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Original poster

Revisiting the party bag question

16 replies

MrsDoolittle · 14/02/2012 10:51

I'm trying to think of an alternative to party bags. I know the children love them, however I don't, and I find myself scooping up the (often broken) contents of the bags after the children have gone to bed and putting them in the bin.
Now I have 30 children coming to a party and I'm loathe to spend/waste money on 30 party bags, to be honest I feel this could be much better spent on the party.
So how's this for an idea? I have half an hour, after food and before the kids go home, after the circus entertainer to fill.
I thought perhaps I could buy 30 Balloon Helicopters and we could play with them in the hall before they go home. Then obviously taking them home with a piece of cake.
Thank you all in advance

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 14/02/2012 11:00

Obviously this has been done to death...

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savoycabbage · 14/02/2012 11:11

I think that's a good idea. I have done magic wands as a party 'bag' and last year I made lollipops into spiders with pipe cleaner Legs and googly eyes.

Correctmeifiamwrong · 14/02/2012 11:14

Try the Book People and get packs of books. You can get sets of story books or joke books at about £1 each. Or Baker Ross activity kits - bookmarks of somethingl like that. Better than paper bags of tat and plastic toys.

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 14/02/2012 12:03

Thank you for your replies.
I like the personally like the book idea, and at the risk of sounding extremely smug, my kids love stories. However I am aware that many don't.
I recently when to a child's party (6) where a little boy handed the book back saying to the Mum hosting the party, "I don't want a book!"
Those of us there were appalled and the poor Mum was deeply embarrassed.

So what do you do?

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Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 14/02/2012 12:04

I also think I might ditch the tables and put blankets on the floor with a picnic kind of scenario.

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birdsofshoreandsea · 14/02/2012 12:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

iseenodust · 14/02/2012 12:09

Last birthday bag from DS each child got a wooden box of 'pick up sticks'. Cost me 50p each from one of those cheap book shops.

Correctmeifiamwrong · 14/02/2012 12:09

You can get 20 Horrid Henries for £15' or they did do some 'fact cards' in packs (like a deck of cards) at christmastime. We got packs of those sticker activity books - have a look and see what they what the have.

COCKadoodledooo · 14/02/2012 12:13

We did a pinata (was the Death Star, v cool), every kid filled their pockets and took home those and a piece of cake.

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 14/02/2012 12:28

Darn!
Should have thought of the balloons popping.

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startail · 14/02/2012 12:44

Balloon copters are a fine idea, just do give them out with a ballon each at the party. Then get them to take them home in a party bag with cake and a couple more balloons.
Big bags of balloons are pretty cheap.
(a couple of spare copters might be wise in case of breakages.)

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 14/02/2012 12:45

Okay instead of balloon helicopters, how about Arrow Helicopters?
We have a couple of these at home and they're good fun.

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chobbler · 15/02/2012 11:54

we did a lucky dip for DD's 5th. snap cards multidecks, small sticker books (bananas/book people) and pencil case sets all in a box boys side and girls- they each had to dip for a treat then dip another box for sweeties. went down brilliantly with the kids and no one got the same item. other than haribo of course.

Moomoomie · 15/02/2012 12:09

In the past, I have done activity books, reading books, strips of stickers, notebook and pen set.
My 4 year old went to a party the other day where the party bag was a plastic pint cup filled with sweets, wrapped in cellophane with a balloon on a stick sticking out of the top.... The children loved it!
Good idea to have blankets on the floor and a picnic.

EmptyCrispPackets · 17/02/2012 12:50

I have discovered the 99p shop for party things, last year I bought each child a book from there and as others have mentioned it goes down well. I popped mine into a lucky dip box and let the kids dip their hands in on the way out.
I recently went in there to pick up some party things and they had some gorgeous pop up classic fairy tale books. I think by the time you spend money on party bag bits it adds up to more.

This year dd is having a fairy party so I've bought each child a little bottle of fairy dust they come in cute ampoules and can be used on the facts and body, and will be popped into little organza bags. Not sure what to get the boys though? Ideas would be appreciated

inmysparetime · 17/02/2012 13:06

I never do party bags, I usually have something craft-based as an icebreaker and send that home with a bit of cake. Here are some things I have done with my DCs:
I did pirate bandanas for a pirate party, with sweets wrapped inside;
Guests Painted pots, planted herb seeds in, and took them home;
For a teddy bear's picnic, I gave each guest their own teddy (DD chose them from the charity shop);
For a pyjama party, guests decorated a mug (tesco value) and took them home with hot chocolate sachet and some marshmallows.
HTH

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