Birthday party bag alternative.

[LouBan]

Ever since my DD started attending birthday parties she has always come home with a bag of tat. Lots if little things, most of which she loses interest in pretty quickly.
I used to put together the same sort of bags for her party guests but last year we gave each guest a book which seemed to be much more appreciated than a normal party bag. I would like to do something similar this year but don't want to do books again. I'm alsop not keen on foing food due to allergies and preferences.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a unique alternative to party bags for 5 and 6 year olds?

We gave gliders one year, the sort you fit together. They went down really well. You could give a character mug or a note book and pen. Or how about a small craft kit to make something. The Works tends to stock them or you could try Hobbycraft.

grow your own veg seeds kit went down well for us. And temporary tattoos but they could be classed as tat! My dd is only interested in the sweets tbh

We gave a little bunch of flowers & some chocolates one year, which went down very well

I went to the local cash and carry and got paper take away bags and added:

big chalk
pack of cards
3 euros in coins

Book - lots of the online bookshops sell multipacks, and then split them

Depending on the party what we have done a few times is activities during the party that are then the party bag gifts, eg make suncatchers, fabric pen drawing on T-shirts...

Also personalised cups for during the party were a hit and then children get to take them home with slice of cake

These are all within £2-4 per child

I was going to say a book as well. Add a few sweets and birthday cake, and bingo!

Apart from a reading book how about a colouring book ?

Depending on budget & attendees - are they all girls?- I'm thinking a bracelet (could be named) or perhaps a small gauze bag of pretty hair lips/bands , a pretty little necklace ,

We gave water bottles one year, all diff colours. Inflatable hammer another year, bubble wand with water pistol another year.

We did nice bath bombs one year, went down well

We did coloring calendars last year, it was certainly a hit. You can make personalized ones with characters the kids like if you want to, here is a guide to that.

I used to do a lucky dip. A mixture of things, wrapped up in a bucket with shredded paper. Id stand one side of the door and dh the other with a tray of cupcakes. Avoids the cake cutting and napkin wrapped cakes woes of the party bag.

All of the ideas above are great. The works do little craft kits (make a glass hanging thing, boxes you paint yourself, that kind of thing) and they were popular as were any kind of ball!

One gift per attendee (and always a couple of spares in my bag for the siblings that snuck a hand in the bucket!)

Craft kits are great, small soft toys can be really good too- adopt puppy/kitten/unicorn etc
I teach this age and they are really into things like key rings, notebooks, fancy pens etc so I feel like any of these could work. I think it’s nice to link to the party theme.

Baker Ross do craft kits in multiple packs, you could get something that matches your theme. I did bags of make your own foam caterpillars once...

Summer birthday we have given
footballs and frisbees
bake your own kit
bath bombs / bath fixers (bathtime potions theme)
Pavement chalks and bubbles
sticker books / magic painting books
pain your own money boxes (these were popular and £2 each at hobby craft)