Pretty much every party we go to has the bag of “crap” and candy. And I have no problem with it at all - my kids are thrilled. We play with the items for a couple of days, enjoy the candy and then pass on the items on Buy Nothing.

Biggest hits are probably bubbles and temporary tattoos.

We did kickballs one year. Just one kickball for each kid.

OP - you understand the absurdity of favors. You correctly identify they'll all end up floating around in the pacific ocean somewhere.

Be strong and just don't do it! Make it the norm!

Anonymous wrote:Live goldfish! We did this one year and the parents still talk about it

I love this idea!

Anonymous wrote:Are there party favors that are actually nice and not cheap garbage? Planning my kid's birthday party (he's turning 5) and I don't want to fill a bag with plastic junk or candy. Last year we did stickers, mini notepads, some mini bubbles, but as a parent, I get tired of him coming home from parties with stuff that breaks in a day, not to mention the environmental impact.

I give ONE item and tell the kids it's a goody, not a goody bag. They're always fine with it. Parents are happy becuase it's one item that's not tiny junk toys. Kids like it because they get something. I like it because it's about the same cost as filling goody bags with pure junk. Examples of things I've given: hot wheels cars (the kids get to choose which one -- we buy a few extra so the last kid isn't left with whatever), small lanterns, kid-sized mugs for a winter party, a little toy thing from the Target dollar spot (this is always a good place to look), a mini jelly belly dispenser. (I get that some people would call some of this junk. I think it's better than the stuff you find in the goody bag section of Target.)

Please, parents. Stop the madness. No one needs more slap braclets, fidget keychains, bubbles, or wind up toys.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why exactly do some families not like playdough?

Because real dough is better, cheaper, and you can eat it if you do it right...

Do not let your kids eat raw flour

For the love of g*d, skip it.

If you really really must, I do agree with others that bubble wands are usually a hit across ages.

There are plenty of kids who don’t eat candy at this young age, so why put the parents in position of saying no.

And to the parent saying kids expect it and it makes it easier to leave. I really don’t think training up 2 and 3 yo to expect something is a must. They will be fine. If they can’t transition from a party without picking up a bag of plastic junk they’ll lose interest in in two hours and end up in trash… you have bigger problems.

Don’t do the little junk. No favor is totally fine. I have also done a craft that is part of the party. One year I had a make your own drink bar for the kids- sparkling water, juice and fruits. Each kid received a stainless steel cup to take home as a favor. Parents really liked that.

bag of candy

Anonymous wrote:Why exactly do some families not like playdough?

Because real dough is better, cheaper, and you can eat it if you do it right...

Anonymous wrote:Wind up toys are fun

DD got one for a valentine's favor; it was a surprising hit.

We celebrated my 3 year old’s birthday at a butterfly house. Favor was a compostable pot with peat pellet, zinnia seeds, and a child-sized metal spade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Live goldfish! We did this one year and the parents still talk about it

I'm going to think of this post every time we get another bag of crap. "At least it's not a goldfish!"

Haha - you are my favorite.

The best favor we ever got from a party was a rhyming board book about construction vehicles. I had a two year old girl at the time and we had nothing like this on our bookshelf. Bubble wants are good. Simple art supplies, an appealing squishy... stuff that will be eventually used up is great. You could also do a (possibly decorated) cookie. I have to admit my kids are a bit older now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just do a bag of the birthday child's favorite candies. Lollipops for babies.

That sounds really unsafe, what a choking hazard!

Lol I was confused as well- can't imagine giving my baby a lollipop- was so annoyed that our dentist did