Ideas for Goodie Bags – Birthday Parties
One of the fun parts of planning a birthday party, back-to-school party or other celebration for the kids is choosing party favors! These range from items that go with the theme of the party, to traditional favorites that most kids love, to useful items that the child can use at home or at school. Instead of relying on pre-packaged goodie bags filled with things that, quite honestly, are likely to end up in the trash once the festivities, consider some of these fun ideas:
- Small plants: Particularly if you’re hosting a party with a flower theme, one of the activities can be to have each child plant his or her own marigold, sunflower or other easy-to-grow plant in a small terra cotta pot (and actually, painting the pot with quick-drying acrylic paint could be the first part of the activity). This is a gift that will last for weeks, hopefully. Send home a small card that will detail whether to put the plant in the sun or in a shady spot and how often to water it.
- A reusable lunch bag filled with snacks. This is a great one for a party that takes place in the late summer or early fall, to coincide with the return to school, but it can really be used anytime: by wintertime, kids are often bored with their lunch bags, which might be looking pretty shabby by that point! Snacks like individual sized bags of chips, pudding or applesauce cups, packs of crackers and other non-perishables will make welcomed additions to the next week’s packed lunches.
- Outdoor toys to go with the season. During mild seasons, hand out bags with sidewalk chalk, bubbles, a jump rope, sunglasses and other things that can be used outside. If it snows where you live, include a pair of gloves, snowman accessories (like a hat, a carrot, buttons, a scarf) or a pair of warm socks. In the summer, consider a bucket, a small plastic shovel and a few sand toys.
- Themed goodie bags. Depending on the age and gender of your child, consider a spa basket (gel eye mask, bubble bath, nail polish); a craft bag (glue, scissors, felt, pom poms, glitter, watercolors, craft foam); or an explorer kit (binoculars, magnifying glass, a map, a flashlight, perhaps a field guide relevant to your local area). Use your imagination and ask your child for input!
When putting together your goodie bags, be creative with the containers. Some examples of interesting or reusable packaging include tea cups or mugs (you can fill these with candy or small trinkets); Chinese takeout boxes (decorate them as one of the party activities, if you desire); purses (fill with lipstick, tissues, pens, gum, and other treasures that the kids try to take from your purse!); and baskets of all shapes and sizes. Remember that they don’t all need to be identical, but that each bag or basket should contain similar items in order to prevent squabbling and hurt feelings.
What are some creative objects or containers that you’ve used in making goodie bags for your children’s parties?
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i love this very innovative and will come in handy for this yrs halloween party!!
I really like the idea of having each kid plant his own flower and send it home with them as a gift. The idea of outdoor toys and themed bags are great ideas too. I also like the idea of being creative with containers. There are so many neat ideas on pinterest these days. I saw where you can take a pringle can and decorate it and use it to give cookies as a gift. Thank you for the great post!
I really like the idea of reuseable lunch bags and of plants .. Thanks for sharing 🙂 Keep it up 🙂
What ever I can find at the dollar store.
We like to make arts and crafts gift bags, sometimes they are themed for the person – once we made a sewing gift basket with thread, pins, stitching rings, etc. I like your idea of filling little purses! I think that would be a hit!
Thank you for the great gift bag ideas. I love the plant one – have a Halloween party coming up and will have the kids do something.
I love these unique ideas! We learned this year we’re not allowed to bring any type of food/snacks to school for kids’ birthdays so I’ve been trying to think of some alternative treat and you’ve got great ones. 🙂 I love the small plants idea. Something they’ll really love and enjoy watching grow!
Thank you so much for these ideas!
The plant idea is so clever! I did that for a ladies tea one time, but giving it to children would be just as perfect. Thanks for some great ideas!
I like the plant idea too.
I loved party goodie bags when I was a kid, and these ideas are better than some of the things I got back then.
These are some very good ideas! I especially like the idea with the plants, although this would most likely go over better with girls! I love the creativity here 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
This was very helpful, with my daughters bday being in December I never know what to give the kids. THanks!
I love the idea of the reusable snack bag. Great ideas you have compiled.
Pretty good loot bags– I like the lunch bag filled with snacks the best,that would be different
I loved you ideas fora spa basket. Such fun ideas
You always have new ideas! I love the plant idea…what a great learning experience for a child to care for a plant!
Goodie bags or small gifts are always fun. Thank you. Jerri Davis
This is a great ideal for any type of party you are planning. Especially kids parties.
These are all great ideas. Thanks for sharing them.
Great ideas! I will have to bookmark this page for my son’s birthday!
thanks for the ideas
These are such cute ideas!! I usually just visit the dollar store!
These are some very creative ideas for Birthday parties, I will have to try some of them.
These are fantastic ideas! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
I’m always looking for goodie bag ideas! Thanks for the suggestions!
Such fun ideas! Thanks for posting.
I love the idea of plants. I never thought about that
I like the Chinese takeout boxes instead of bags. My daughter would love to give out craft things to her friends
I really love the winter themed goodie bag idea with snowman accessories and gloves! Great ideas! The lunch box one is cute too 🙂
I love the winter themed goodie bags with snowman!
I love all these ideas. Think that I’ll start trying some of them out the next time I have a birthday party for my kids.
This is some great idea’s! Thank you for sharing them!
Great Idea instead of bags the Chines box.