Goody Bags

I am throwing both a wedding and baby shower this summer and I give the adults "goody bags" except that they are called "favors" for adults. I stay away from candy for kids and usually check out the cheap little section at Target, the Dollar Store or the Bargain Books at a book store. Girls are usually the easiest, in my opinion. The cheap section at Target and the Dollar store both had cute matching journals, notepads, sticky notes, and pens recently that I thought would be cute for older girls and I think 10 year olds are ready for that type of stuff. Target also had cute tiny pots with seeds and everything for $1 each and I actually got one for each of the women I work with and we have been having a ball growing our seeds in our offices/cubicles. The wedding shower that I am throwing has a book theme and just yesterday I bought a bunch of books from Books A Million's website in their Bargain Bin for less than $2 each and they have a lot of kids books in there for less than a $1. I got a really cute Strawberry Shortcake book for my niece for her 7th birthday for 90 cents.

Good Luck,
D.

2 moms found this helpful

My stepdaughter just turned 11 and it did not seem that they were all that interested in the goodie bags (I had a jewelry party and they did make and take some great jewelry though). I really don't think its necessary. What does your daughter think?

But, it you really think want to do something, I'd stick to inexpensive stuff that is their favorites: sugarless gum, fun candy, $1.00 store items like cute notebooks, pens, lip gloss, etc. Claire's boutique has cute stuff in their clearance sometimes (25 - 50 cents each item) and maybe the pizza joint will give you complimentary coupons. I also bought a box of stemmed plastic wine glasses for soft drinks that the girls could take home. Your daughter can decorate them for each friend if she wants ($7.99 for 12 at a party store) Whatever you do, it will be great! They really just want to be together!!

1 mom found this helpful

We have stopped giving goody bags with the cheap little stuff that breaks, even though my kids are 4 and 6. I have decided to do things like string backpacks that the kids can decorate themselves, or painter's hats, etc. same idea. For my son's 5th, we are doing sport cups with a paper insert that they can decorate as well. Journals that can be personalized are great, too. Oriental Trading has a lot of things like this, cheaper than other places, although you have to wait and pay shipping. I think Bare Books has blank journals ready to decorate, which should be right up 5th grade girl's interests! Cool pencils, pens or glittery markers are great, too.

M.

1 mom found this helpful

This is the 1st year that I stopped giving out goody bag for our 10 year-old son's bday party. I did give a couple out to the younger kids that came, but not to his friends. His bday is in March so we always go to a hotel and have a pool/pizza/sleep over party. I feel that the kids are getting enough as it is. Hope this helps! If you do feel like you need to get them something, go to the Dollar Tree where everything is a $1 and just get them a few little things.

My 17-year-old son long ago gave up parties, but still invites a few friends to join him and his dad at a hockey game, and I still do a goodie bag!!! I stick to candy now, though, and the boys love it!! My daughter had her last birthday party at age 16, and that was her last goodie bag event........since it was on a Friday the 13th, I went for a "good luck charm" theme, and filled the bags with all kinds of lucky pennies, rabbits feet, and other things I researched at the time to be good luck charms! Her friends still talk about it, and that was 4 years ago! Try not to sweat it.......the kids will be happy with candy!!!!

I "recycled" one year for the goodie bags. My daughter is an avid reader, so for the goodie bag, I gave everyone a book that she had read. The kids loved it and she loved it, because she enjoyed sharing the books with her friend. You can add a gift card to a book store for $5.00 or pick up a book mark to stick in there.. or even make them to match the invitations or theme of the party.
Girly stuff is also great.. nail polish hair clips, scrunchies.. how about beads and some string.. any craft kits laying around??.. use pieces from there.. the dollar store is a great place to find stuff like this.. and its not expensive.
Another idea I did.. my daughter has always worn mismatched socks.. since she was 10, so for at least 8 years now... at one time, she loved toe socks, but then she decided she didn't like the feel of them anymore. I mismatched all of her toe socks and added a pair to each girls goodie bag.. they loved them and it was a little piece of Amanda passed around at her party.. plus, recycling baby!!

Target has cute little pedicure sets in the dollar section right now that I just gave my 5th grade girl scouts for an end of the year gift. They also had boxes with 3 nail polishes for $1. I think that would be just the perfect little (inexpensive!) goody bag.

10 still seems young enough to enjoy some goodie bag junk :>) Why not buy some Dollar Store hair ties, bands, etc.. along with some small bath gels or fizzies, etc... picture frames, note cards, etc....The dollar store is a gem for these type of things. Most will come with a few in a pack - break them open & spread among the girls.... You won't have much longer to do this type of thing......... enjoy it.

Maybe at 12 we can stop calling them goody bags and start calling them party favors. Let's face it, we give party favors for baby showers, wedding showers, etc. Girls at 12 yrs old still want them. If you're craft that helps. If not, try the travel size section or clearance section for manicure or pedicure stuff. Even a small box of chocolate for each girl or a big chocolate bar with another cover on it decorated with Happy Birthday on it. Something small can be turned into something exciting.

hit the dollar store. chapstick, erasers, pencils, they always have something to put in a bag.

S.,

I agree with the others who mentioned CD's. Girls at 10 are interested in music. My daughter's girlfriend gave out homemade CD's after her 10th sleepover party. The CD had to do with the theme of the party...ie. Girl's Just Want To Have Fun! Songs like Cha Cha Slide, Girls Just Want To Have Fun, and That's What Girls Do... to name a few. She made her own labels for the CD's with red flowers on it and put it in the Colored Envelopes. This past March my daughter had a indoor pool party for her 10th birthday and we did a Hannah Montana/Pool Party Mix with songs like Pumpin' Up The Party, Splish Splash, and Just Keep Swimming! We made our own labels with a water background and put them in Blue Envelopes.

Buy a pack of blank CD's, Colored Envelopes and White CD labels by Avery. (I did not get the Applicator it was more money and it is pretty easy to put on without it if you have a steady hand and peel half at a time)

First, we downloaded some songs from Limewire.com and burned them onto the CD's. Next, we went to www.audiolabel.com and downloaded the template for a free trial. My daughter and I designed her own labels and put them on the CD's. Finally, we put them in the envelopes and we were done! It is all very easy.

Not everyone likes Goody Bags anymore. I personally hate to cheap stuff and so does my daughter. You could only have so much of the little trinkets! DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!

Something Girlie like Polish or a Sleep mask for the eye's or bubble bath is a good thank you gift too. My daughter loves that kind of stuff. Go with the theme of the party. I would only do one thing though. Remember...Less is More!

I stop official birthday parties when my kids turn 10. We actually just go out to dinner to their favorite resturaunt and do an activity that they enjoy and they can bring along some friends (5 at most). Anyway, I did not give any goodie bags out. But if you did feel like giving out something there are these things called smencils. Pencils that smell. Girls this age love them. Just a thought. I don't really know where to get them anywhere but in Lake Forest at Helanders Stationary store.

I just had my daughter's 13th b-day and my son's 10th is coming up. I still do goody bags. I collect inexpensive stuff, depending on theme. I do stickers, hair stuff, inexpensive earrings. Target has their $1 section and they usually have some cool things. If you don't want to do a bag....at one of the kid's parties, I bought 10 boxes of $1 theatre-size candy boxes (at Walgreens - i.e. Mike & Ikes, Milk Duds....etc...) and attached an envelope on the back. Either the envelope contained a few stickers, a few contained a $1 bill or the biggest prize- one had $3.00. They thought this was fun! They got to pick the candy they wanted - by playing a simple game. You can even check with the pizza place and see if they have a little arcade there - there might be tokens you can give in a treat bag. Have fun.

Here's one mom who gives you permission to stop with the goody bags. You're paying for food and entertainment.

I don't know when this became "the thing to do" but it's ridiculous.

Hi S.,

As my daughter got older I had the same dilemma. I tried to "age" the goody bags with the kids and still keep them affordable. I went to Kohl's and got the sets of bath gels and bubble bath. It is usually reasonable and you get 5 or more per package (even the small ones are ok) and I tried to match or compliment with lotions. Also, walmart or target for inexpensive nail polishes with toe separators are good. At Michael's they always have inexpensive projects like door hangers or foam frames they can take home to do. But don't forget the candy!!!! Happy Shopping

I think kids of most ages like goody bags, but ultimately it's up to you whether you find them necessary or not. I think for the age group maybe some candy or cute little pens or pencils would do. Another possibility would be going to a dollar store to try and find inexpensive little bracelets or hair clips. My daughter is only 6, but loves the girlie jewelry and hair items. She also is really fond of getting little pads of paper and pretty pens to carry around in her purse. Most dollar store have quite a few items you could pick from.

I think that the kids do like it! You could do something inexpensive like a journal with a colored pen or the clearance stuff from Claires 20 items for $5.00 normally, wrapped in different colored tissue paper and sitting on the table then it adds a little color to the table and helps set the party mood. Girls are so easy, you can get lots of stuff for 2 or 3 bucks nail polish, lotion, stationary, earrings on sale buy 2 get 1 free from Claires or Limited Too, socks, Old Navy Flip Flops are 2.50 a pair, you could burn everyone a cd, a picture frame with a note that says I will send you a picture from the party, lip gloss on a clip to attach to a bag (I actually received this that at a scrapbook weekend, and loved it!). My girls went to a birthday party that they brought home a full sized Hershey bar with a wrapper that said thaks for coming to my birthday party on it, also another idea.

I just did the buy one get one free Webkinz from Limited Too for the girls at my daughters 9th birthday party which was a huge hit! I also took the spinner from the Life game, and let each girl give it a spin and take as many pieces of candy as the number, some got three pieces of candy in their bags, some got 10 pieces in theirs.

No mattter what you decide to do they will be happy taking home whatever............ If your daughter thinks it is unnecessary to have a bag she will tell you. My daughters still ask what's going to be in our goody bags.............

Good Luck!

Family Dollar is your friend...although, even at $1, it can get pricey for a dozen girls' goody bags.

You could always bake cookies.

If your daughter enjoys music, you can burn cds of her
favorite songs and call it something like "Suzie's Top 10"
or something clever. I've been doing this for several years
now for both my boys (ages 6 and 10)and the kids love them.
You can get inexpensive cd cases at the office stores or
Target, then depending on how computer lit you are there are lots of cool things to do with the covers, either a cute pic
of your daughter, or Itune has a version you can print as well. It is a great souvenir from the party, and beats all the
cheap junk that no one needs. Have fun!

Never to old for goodie bags! It just changes with the age. I have a 14yr old daughter and a girl scout troop and they still love goodie bags. I discovered "The Plano Outlet" in Plano, IL RT 34. They make "Caboodle" Makeup boxes as well as little purses and tackle boxes. Great stuff!!! I went there and got the Caboodles (the big sparkely ones with mirrors $14 Walmart) for .50-$1.00. Then I put in a pack of Sugar Free gum and write on the mirror "You are Beautiful". They love it and they all use them too. Have fun! Good luck!

Everyone loves goody bags!! Go to the dollar store and see whats there. I would put in girl "stuff" lip gloss, key chains, head bands, bracelets and picture frames. I have even given disposable cameras and let them take their own pictures - pick up a small photo album - they will love it!! Good Luck and Happy B-Day to your daughter.

i bought a box of hershey bars and printed out a piece of clip art relating to the theme with a a note saying thanks for celebrating the birthday, then wrapped it around the candy bar...everyone loved it, super cute, cost effective, and theme related!

my son is 13. when we took the kids out to places, we pretty much skipped the goody bags. for the last birthday, he had kids sleepover, with pizza, movies and games. we gave them a bag with some candy. nothing fancy. just lunch bags..but..they are boys and don't really expect goody bags very much.

Ten is big for goodie bags, but kids still like them. Think it's your call.

If you do decide to do them, you can do cute cheap ones with clear cellophane bags from Walmart ($1.19 for a pack of 20), filled with stretchy bracelets, tiny nail polishes (Walmart has bins of these in sparkly girlie colors for as little as 25 cents each), flavored lip balms (like the Dubble Bubble, Reeses, Etc.). Just have fun with it!

Hi,

Tween girls are heavily into things like hair ornaments, the rubber wrist bands with messages, friendship bracelets, costume rings, and lip gloss. Dollar stores, discount stores, and beauty supply stores (in the Chicago area, at least) sell these items that can be used to fill their goody bags.

HI

Have you thought about just going to the dollar store and getting some hair items like barrettes/clips/ponytail holders?
Or clear lip gloss/flavored lip balm?

T.

the goody bag thing is ridiculous already. You are spending enough on the party. Some candy is FINE. My daughter is having a magician for her party at a rental place which is costing me enough. I'm not going to make goody bags too, but I am thinking of handing out little magic tricks from the dollar store.

I think it is your call. My son is nine and went to a birthday party recently. He received a thank you card in the mail, the next week, and it had a Certificate for Dairy Queen in it. That's an idea, or barring that, if you feel like giving something, I think girls that age are thrilled with nail polish and lip gloss. Little things like that. Throw in some bubble gum and your good to go!

i would not give out goody bags for a 10 year olds party. it is no longer a little girls party with pin the tail on the donkey. It is time for girls being silly and just having fun together. I think the pizza party is good enough but that is just my option.

S.

S., have you thought about something with Hannah Montana? Even High School Musical? They seem to be all the rage! Try orientaltrading.com they have tons of great ideas for goody bags! Even some beads and a little flex cording to make their own bracelets as a reminder of the fun they've had! Good luck!

Great ideas that I will file for later! If you do choose to do a favor, I like the cute mini spiral notebook idea with a pen or pencil. Your daughter can write on the first page of the notebook a thank you for coming to the party!

I have a 11 year old stepdaughter and for her goody bags I put in things like pencils, pens, erasers, stickers, pads of paper, etc. Girls seem to like these type of things. Usually Party outlets stores have those type of things really cheap. Hope this helps.

S.,

My daughter isn't 10 yet, but I get so tired of all the little trinkets that come in the goody bags. Mainly, because they end up all over the house and then in the garbage. I feel guilt about putting them in the landfill too. Last year, I put $2.00 gift certificate for McDonald's, so the children could get a happy meal or ice-cream. For 10 year olds, it would be nice to put in a($5.00) gift certificate for a book store and some candy.Instead of all the stuff that won't really use. This way it is something that the children can use. I just figured the amount they I would spend on the junk items and put that into gift certificates. The Dairy Queen cards work get too. Good Luck!

S., I'd say it's definitely safe to stop giving goody bags for your soon to be 10 year old. If you feel like you "have" to give them something, get a bunch of $5 gift cards to a store (TRU, Disney, Target, etc.)

lip gloss,things for there hair, you can get this stuff from the dollar store's. even candy

Hi S.,

I just did my 11 year olds party with 6 of her friends here at our home. We just put an assortment of candy and cool sticker, my daughter has a love a horses, so there were horse stickers to go with the her love. We wrote the children's names on brown bags with colorful markers to personalize them. It didn't cost too much. I stop with the goodie bags at age 12 because they don't really notice them, but I do feel they are only little for a while. I have found some great ideas where as they get older you get them a little purse at the dollar store and put mini nail polish and a brush ect. Money was an issue for us this year, so I I just did the brown bag.
In the next couple of years the public schools stop allowing them to have any parties/ so this why I wait till they are 12. It is a shock to their system when they have younger siblings who get those treats till middle school. I just wanted to share. My oldest will be 14 this August. At this age you still buy what used to be put in the goodie bag, but they just grab from the store candy bag and eat while they are there.
J. H.

I think it depends on you, I think goody bags are still fine at this age, the candy idea I'm not sure about that would depend on the how well you know the other parents.

You can do cheap small goody bags like each girl gets a nail polish and some kind of headband and lip gloss (kids fruit flavored ones).

A.
full time working mom with one amazing bright daughter and a wonderful husband.

Kids love goody bags and look forward to them at the end of the celebration. I even had parents looking forward to the goody bag also.

For a pizza place celebration many venues provide a goody bag for an additional cost.

For your event the Gummie pizza would match your celebration along with 5-6 more pieces of candy favorites and a small toy or two. There are cellophane bags that are easy to find and resonably priced.

I'm not sure where you are located, but my business Party Impressions offers filled goody bags for $3.00 each. Each goody bag is filled with a variety of 7 different candies. I would include the Gummie Pizza candy and 6 other brand candies and two toys, such as clappers, slide flutes, bubbles, bouncy balls, etc. The goody bag is a mini white or brown paper bag with handles decorated with glitter glue swirls.

I hope our ideas help you out or let us know if Party Impressions One Stop Shopping can help you out. 815-342-674

Wow - good luck with this one. I'd like to find the person who started this goody bag thing and have a nice long talk (or something). I've found with girls this age that Oriental Trading (if you have time) or Michaels are good options. Last year I ordered necklace craft kits from Oriental Trading and the girls liked them. A friend found really cute picture frame kits at Michaels on clearance. She took a group picture and printed out copies for each of the girls to put in the frames. My daughter still has hers on her dresser. Target and Michaels both had boxed craft kits for parties that were really reasonably priced at about $1 each. I also once found little light-up mirrors for about $2 each. Things like lip gloss (Bonnie Bell is good) or jewelry are good. Claires has some really cute necklaces and bracelets that are really inexpensive too. Or this time of year water toys are good too. My girls went to a party on Saturday and got super soakers that my girlfriend picked up at Party City for $1 each. The girls loved them. Fortunately, girls at this age aren't too hard to please. We seem to stress out more about it than necessary. They are usually pretty happy with almost anything.

Just a suggestion, but you can put in little nail polishes, and some barrettes. just some girlie stuff. you can try lotions also, kid friendly(of course). this seemed to work for my daughter(she is 14 now)

Kim-SAHM with a 14yr old and a 5mo. old (both girls)

I would go to The Dollar Tree Store or Deals and they have all kinds of things you can get for a dollar. Girls that age would like anything for hair, lip gloss, nails, etc. These stores have a great supply of good value things that aren't just your cheap items. Good Luck! Sounds like a fun party!!! N.

How about face painting, or temp. tattoos? We've done face painting at a couple events, and everyone love it.

Honestly, I think EVERYONE expects a goody bag after a party these days - even adults who come to a dinner party. I say stick with it (you don't want to be the mom who didn't give them), but keep it simple. Candy would certainly suffice. I've also been to kid parties where they give out little note pads in the bags and cheapie Goodie barretts.

Hope this helps!

I did goody bags for my daughter's. I found most of the items at Michael's in their dollar section - everything from bubbles to cute note pads and things, the girls loved it. I realize you have 12 girls, maybe pick two items each and then a couple pieces of candy and call it a hit!

Hi S.,
My 13 yr old just went to a home birthday party & each of the girls received a pair of those "huge" sunglasses the kids are all wearing. She loved it! I'm not sure what your budget is for 12 girls but at Discovery (the clothing store), they have $5.00 cute sunglasses. I'm sure these other clever Moms will help you with other great suggestions!
C.

At that age goody bags are still cool. Nail polish, hair stuff. Go to Target, they ususally have cute little kits and girly stuff in the $1.00 section.

Mom of 18 and 20 year old girls. used to be able to get away with goody bags! Ha Ha
A.

Hi! Goody bags are harder and harder to do as the kids get older. I have a 13, 11 and 8 year old. I always feel bad not sending the kids with something, since they did come to the party and brought a gift. What I've done for my daughter and will be doing this year (she'll be 9 in June) is either getting some cute notebooks and pens and/or pencils from the dollar store and tying them up with a ribbon or doing the bubble bath with a little loofah or lip balm or nail polish packages (again from the dollar store) wrapped up with ribbons or bows.

This way you still have something the girls will like and it doesn't cost you a fortune! Hope this helps!

I have gone to the dollar store and bought girlie things: lip gloss, bracelets, anything furry, stuffed animals, pens, stationary, etc. It was fun. Put 3 or 4 things in a cute loot bag. They will love it.

Girls that age love the kind of stuff you can get out of the dollar bins at Michael's. They have all kinds of fun girly stuff to choose from.

Instead of spending a lot of money on a lot of little things and candy to put into a goody bag what about going to the dollar store and purchasing some gel pens, stickers, and journal books. Girls love to write and journal at this age. I would give each girl a few gel pens, a book, and a few stickers. You could wrap them in a clear bag (also at dollar store) and tie with a ribbon (your daughter's favorite color). Instead of the journal book you could look for small photo albums and take pictures of the girls at the pizza party. The girls can then put the photos in the album to remember your daughter's birthday. Good luck and enjoy!!

When my son turned 5 he had a big party. I bought bubbles and chalk and wrapped them, and we gave each kid a little package when he left. Goody bags can get pricey, especially if you want them to look kind of full! You can get something somewhat inexpensive and wrap it for each of the girls to bring home. Maybe some nail polish, or some barrettes, or something girly, but inexpensive. I found that all of the kids were really happy to bring home a "present!" granted, they were 5, yours are 10, but i would think it would still work!

Hi S.,

Have you thought about giving out one item per child? Like if she is having all girls, maybe a few tubes of lipgloss or something that coordinates with her theme. I just immediately thought of lipgloss because I swear my 10 year old eats it.

this might help. I am doing Mcdonalds gift cards. I am so tired of the money you put into them and my friend gave me this idea. I am giving three dollars to each kid. hen when they go with there parents they have a free meal. Put each in an envelope and call it a day. hope this helps or something you like. I am sure tired of the goody bags. it is getting out of control
M.

S.,

My husband and I have stopped doing goody bags. We still do them for our little one (3 yrs), but not the older ones (7 and 10). We figure we're doing enough to have the party. If we have the party away from the house, we definitely do not have goody bags. Being at the party should be enough. I hope this helps.

B. :-)
SAHM of 3.5, 7.5, and 10 year old girls. Married to the most awesome man in the world!

hair scrunchies, barrettes, chap stick, stickers or temporary tattoos, cheap "friends" jewelry. I noticed when I helped my sister with my nieces party that the girls loved all this stuff. All of her friends were also into Hannah Montana, so we bought some small hannah stuff from the dollar store. Have your daughter go with you and ask her to pick out things she would want to get in a bag from one of her friends parties.
Hope this helps. Good luck.

Is it the work of goody bags you want to stop or the expense (probably both!) If it's the work...I like the idea of giving each child a book. I think it can be really fun to give all the kids the same book and have them talk about it and be excited...

My daughter is 10 and I've been shopping the Target $1 section for goody bag ideas. I'll stuff the goody bags with a manicure set, nail polish, lip gloss, a notepad,and a couple of mini candy bars. You can get manicure set & notepad for a $1 each. The nail polish and lip gloss are minisized and you can get 3 for $1.

Hi, we live in Arlington Hts, and still do goody bags, but we make CD's with their favorite music, or I just did for a hotel sleepover party for my 9 1/2 yr old daughter, hair brushes, nail polish, and elastic hair bobbies for a goody bag. Girls that age shouldn't eat candy, they are too young for makeup, but little trial sizes of hair products might also be fun. Good luck, enjoy it while you can!