I'm honestly looking at my side table and there are three different unopened party favor bags on it. We also have a few unopened bags of candy.

Seriously nothing is fine, really.

We did home parties so I always tied the take home gift to the theme and it usually was part of the activity. Art party? Kids took home the canvas they planned. Harry Potter party? Kids got a wand they decorated and slime they made in “potions class”

But I never did a bag of stuff from the party store. My kids loved getting them, but we just did it differently.

The party is the favor. The party is the fun. The party is the generosity.

Anonymous wrote:Cards, pick up sticks, dominoes, dice

I love this! We have some small games that we keep in the car or to a tote bag and pull out on long drives, airports, restaurant waits etc (more along the lines of cards or those self contained ball mazes)

Cards, pick up sticks, dominoes, dice

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 think you can do whatever you want. it won't please everyone , as evidenced here.

i think some of the ideas here are good. a cupcake for later? a cookie? the book idea seems popular.

i usually have it go with the party theme. one year we had teams and each kid got a tshirt in their team color. also, was the party favor.

we had goldfish at that party, but the kids ate them! (fear factor party) that still gets talked about!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Homemade play doh wrapped in wax paper?

Oh God no - this is like giving out raisins for Halloween

NP here, I disagree. I think that’s a nice favor for that age.

Anonymous wrote:Homemade play doh wrapped in wax paper?

Oh God no - this is like giving out raisins for Halloween

Anonymous wrote:Generally, the best ones are consumables or something the kids can use or wear immediately.

At age 5 my kid had a superhero birthday party where everyone decorated and took home a cape and mask. A helium balloon (also used as decoration) and anchored with candy was a favorite. Character socks, slime, play doh, candy, seed bombs, watercolor paints, keychains, etc. Kids like this stuff. Yes, adults understandably see it as junk, but kids universally like it.

This gave me nice memories. One year, my kid had a Ninjago party, and I had them decorate headbands.

We also gave out neckerchiefs at a cowboy party.

Nothing is great!

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.

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 😊

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 planted seeds in biodegradable pots for a Lorax-themed party. I also made Truffula tree pencils, with brightly-colored fake fur glued to the end.

Such a great idea!

No goodie bags! It’s freeing and so much better than crap.