Birthday party - Alternatives to "junk" party favors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Live goldfish!

I hope you are joking

The kids loved it and the parents still talk about it years later!

In not a good way. I would leave gold fish behind...I have cats so fish would not last long

It was a hit! A few parents still call my daughter "Goldfish"

How fun is that! Ahhh 😊

I would decline hte goldfish and leave it behind.

[Anonymous]

One year I got a really good deal on those squishmallow blind bags so that is what I did.

[Anonymous]

With that age it’s helpful to have a party favor to signal “it’s time to go.”
We usually did early reader books — I got the bundles from the school monthly scholastic order.
One year I did watering cans plus flower seeds because I think most kids that age like to help with watering plants.
Another year I did big frosted cookies matched to the theme for take home.

[Anonymous]

$10 Robux for older kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$10 Robux for older kids.

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Skip the party favors. I have three kids and have never given party favors, and no one cares.

Really?

My 10 year old went to sleepover and got roller rabbit pjs,, silk pillow, eye mask, and a sack of spa goodies. It was strange because I think the party favors were 3-4x the cost of the gift. The girl had 15 girls for the sleepover. That was the other end of the spectrum.

OP, I try to give something they will use. I've done a book and a blow pop when they were young. When they got older I would do scruchies and a fidget something or other. Now, at 10 I would do some scented lotion and a bath bomb or something like that. If I had boys. I'd do water guns or sport toys. (I have very girly girls, even though I'm a total tomboy and would have preferred the water gun at that age). And yes, at our coed parties I gave the boys the sme things - I just tried to get some in dark blue and black so they were a bit more gender neutral. I even had some scrunchies with skulls on them one year and the boys wore them as bracelets.

Yes, really.

I’m sure kids like all that junk you listed if you give it to them (everyone loves getting a surprise gift) but no one will notice or care if you DON’T give them random crap on someone else’s birthday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Skip the party favors. I have three kids and have never given party favors, and no one cares.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’ll have to buy online weeks prior
Some ideas

mad libs
decoder rings
invisible ink notebooks
prank candy
box of carmel corn
stickers
game booklet

I love the Mad Libs idea. They're actually a great way to teach parts of speech!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not do goodie bags, but the birthday child wants them...so I do things like pencils and mini notebooks or post it notes, stickers, fruit snacks or a lollipop, one year we did a sports party so I gave tee balls. The dollar tree often has small crayola colored pencils and different crayons- neon, pastels so I have given those. I have also done socks with the party character. If we do an activity that they take home, I don't do a goodie bag. I try not to give into the plastic/one time use favors.

Some good ideas here although I feel refinement is in order:

- yes to pencils and “notebooks,” but please refers to them as “journals;” in fact you could set up a mini-station to explain the benefits of journaling and maybe have a brief demonstration of journaling techniques;

- no to any lollipops, “fruit snacks,” or other high-fructose / sugary snack foods.

- instead, try organic apples, Clementines, or kale-chips; also

- include mini-tubes of toothpaste (Tom’s organic is the best) and toothbrushes/ floss (but only on rolls; no flossers!) and maybe a fun guide on proper brushing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We've tied party favors in the party theme.

One year we did a s'mores party -- gave kids the metal stick as a favor .. as I labeled them with their names

One party sleepover we puffy painted pillow cases .. Every kid takes theirs home -- that was the favor.

We did pillow cases at a slumber party once. I used printable iron-on sheets to put a b&w graphic on them, and they used fabric markers to color the design and sign each other’s pillow cases.

DD used hers as a camp pillow case for a couple of years afterward.

We got a decorated pillowcase from a party once and it immediately went in the garbage when we got home. My daughter didn’t even remember she had it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks nice. anything else about that effort you want to share ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’ll have to buy online weeks prior
Some ideas

mad libs
decoder rings
invisible ink notebooks
prank candy
box of carmel corn
stickers
game booklet

I love the Mad Libs idea. They're actually a great way to teach parts of speech!

My parenting is sub part but both my kids liked that game. I used to love it to .. it can get naughty and I never censored them

[Anonymous]

sup par, like my thumb typing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With that age it’s helpful to have a party favor to signal “it’s time to go.”
We usually did early reader books — I got the bundles from the school monthly scholastic order.
One year I did watering cans plus flower seeds because I think most kids that age like to help with watering plants.
Another year I did big frosted cookies matched to the theme for take home.

Ha! My son who is this age knows the exit plan: find the birthday kid and say, “happy birthday!” Then find the mom and say, “thank you for the great party!” Which she replies, “ohhhhh you’re so sweet take a goodie bag” and we leave. It’s a win for both moms - party ends, kids leave without a struggle.

I also haaaaate junk bags and the ridiculous candy. Watering cans is cute!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not do goodie bags, but the birthday child wants them...so I do things like pencils and mini notebooks or post it notes, stickers, fruit snacks or a lollipop, one year we did a sports party so I gave tee balls. The dollar tree often has small crayola colored pencils and different crayons- neon, pastels so I have given those. I have also done socks with the party character. If we do an activity that they take home, I don't do a goodie bag. I try not to give into the plastic/one time use favors.

Some good ideas here although I feel refinement is in order:

- yes to pencils and “notebooks,” but please refers to them as “journals;” in fact you could set up a mini-station to explain the benefits of journaling and maybe have a brief demonstration of journaling techniques;

- no to any lollipops, “fruit snacks,” or other high-fructose / sugary snack foods.

- instead, try organic apples, Clementines, or kale-chips; also

- include mini-tubes of toothpaste (Tom’s organic is the best) and toothbrushes/ floss (but only on rolls; no flossers!) and maybe a fun guide on proper brushing.

I bet you’re a ton of fun at parties!