Ideas instead of junk filled party bags please!!!!!!!!!

[aznerak]

my son is having a MAD SCIENCE party for his 6th birthday party and although I am more than happy to give each child a gift to take home, I don't want to buy a load of cheap tat that no-one really wants.
Anyone got any ideas? They are all boys, aged 5-6 and preferably science related???

Thanks

Look for packs of books on redhouse/book people web sites

You can get magnifying glasses quite cheaply or a dynamo torch.

Toy creepy crawlies?

Ive given out packets of seeds to grow at home before, and that went down well

DS went to one such party and he received a really good (at least for him) party bag which was all science related. I am sure it was done through the organisers. Do you have this option? Otherwise books, e.g. we got DS to hand out some on knights and casteles (good for both girls and boys) and a couple of years it was lots of fun-size chocolates.

I would say a science -related book each would go down well.

My ds (will be 7 this year) is having a lifeboat themed party. The party bags will contain various items purchased from the RNLI shop. They won't be tat, and the proceeds wil go to a good cause.

So I think there are good alternatives to the "plastic tat" kind of party bag.

Books from Book People.

Love the seeds idea.

BTW what is a mad science party? My DS1 is 7 this year and we're all out of ideas.

Not a science idea but for people doing parties at this time of year what about an advent calender ready for christmas countdown?

I got giant testtubes with science experiments in them last year for Christmas - I think they were about £4 each - Shall I see if I can find them?

Thanks everyone!
Having been searching The Book People and have some options.
Katymac - sounds ideal! Let me know if you find them!

I just saw a sort of magnifying little container that is on a string that you can put around your neck and put a bug into to inspect - £1 each (at Oxford botanical garden shop)

Well I found them - but the maplins site seems to be broke atm

here

Instead of a party bag, why not do a lucky dip at the end as guests leave?

You only need one thing eg a science book/magnifying glass etc, but they have the fun of the 'dipping' and you can give them their cake in a paper bag as they leave as well.

Books can obviously be different

I did it one year for younger 5 year olds and it worked well. I wrapped the lucky dips up so they opened them in their cars/on way home. Lucky dip was made of shredded paper

Saves bulking out a bag full of tut

fantastic. Hopefully it'll be working soon!

I bought cheap calculators this year, that went down well.

maplins don't do them anymore

but amazon do

or here

I had a mad science party and party bags were included iirc, they were quite good too, things that they actually played with.

ds1 had a science party and I included bits so they could recreate some of the experiments at home - so a film canister and alka seltzer, mentos and a test tube to drop them from, also got the usbourne science books from the book people and a magnifiying glass I think.

i did lucky dip last year for dd party

wrapped up book and one choc, all in box and they all picked one and dd had written on tags thanks for coming to party......

for boys i like the polystyrine planes we used to have as kids, they are 35p in hawkins bizzare.... boys and girls love them