What to Give for Bday Goodie Bag Item?

Updated on November 01, 2012
B.A. asks from Sacramento, CA
16 answers

My 10 yr old's son bday will be at a go kart place. Between the cost of that and the food, I want to keep the cost of the goodie bags pretty inexpensive. I don't like giving cheap plastic trinkets or candy. In years' past, I've tried hard to give things that can be useful or educational and that fit with the theme of the party. I'm a bit at a loss as to what to give this year. There will be 11 kids total, and I was thinking of getting a book about cars to give out to each child. It's not a very exciting item to give, but I can't think of anything that won't get thrown away. Do you have any ideas? This is also the last year we're doing the 'big' birthday party for my son. After this it'll just be sleep overs with pizza and a movie and invite just a couple of kids.

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So What Happened?

Thank you everyone for your wonderful ideas! They were too good to pass up, so I combined some: I bought RandMcNally Kids' Road Atlas (Backseat Books) at a 4 for 3 promotion on Amazon, I will put a microwave bag of popcorn atop that and tie it all together with a hot wheels car. I'll attach a note saying "Thanks for popping over to my birthday party and taking a spin with me!" Thanks again so much for your help!

Featured Answers

N.G.

answers from Dallas on

Why not get a basket full of matchbox or hotwheels cars that the kids can choose from at the end of the party? Those cars run about $1 each. Maybe a matchbox car and a candy bar.

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P.E.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi,
I have always given "goodies" that are useful. Last year I gave out Mario Sports Bottles. Birthday express online has some great goodies for under $3.00 each bottle.

good luck and have fun

P.
.

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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

I think the car books sound like a great idea.

Michael's sells kits for $1 that include an figure to paint, a paint brush and a few paints. A friend of mine gives these away at all their parties. They come in animals and vehicles. One year she gave everyone cars to paint, last year it was sea creatures and this year it was bugs. Cheap, fun and not complete junk.

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R.H.

answers from Houston on

Actually your SWH is the best idea!

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M.W.

answers from San Francisco on

Each get an individual microwave popcorn bag with a tag that says, "Thanks for Popping on over to celebrate my birthday with me."

A gift cert. for an ice cream cone

A matchbox car or the book with a goody like sweet tarts(kids love the sour ones) and a tag that says, "It was SWEET of you to come to my party. You are a SWEET friend."

Just a few ideas off the top of my head. Have a fun party!!

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D.G.

answers from San Francisco on

We got Cold Stone gift cards at that age.

☼.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

We give gift certificates to Baskin Robbins for a cone. I hate gift bags, too, so that's what we've done at several of our daughter's parties and they've been very well received. I believe the gift certificates are $1.50 each.

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

I LOVE the idea of the coupons for ice cream cones!! I am going to steal that for my kids party when we do it in June!

Otherwise I like the idea of the Matchbox cars.

The book is fine too though!

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

We did go-cart birthday parties for both boys this summer. We just gave each kid a full size chocolate bar.

⊱.H.

answers from Spokane on

My sister always gives out coupons to Baskin Robbins for ice-cream instead of the goodie bag.

For my 8 y/o's bday last year I gave the kids water bottles. He wanted to take some friends to Sky High so when I picked them all up from school I had their water bottles filled with ice water to take with us. Saved me $ at Sky High and they all used them the rest of the year in the classroom.

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Love the idea of a book!
You could add a bag of microwave popcorn or a candy bar, chewy bar, Gatorade.
HATE the "goodie bag"!!!

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A.T.

answers from New York on

Matchbox car and lollypops.

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

If you really hate their parents - give them whistles, slide whistles and harmonicas.
I can't tell you how much I've LOVED it when we come home with a bag of NOISE.
A book is ok, but how much goodie bag stuff do YOU keep forever?
Really you just can't - you get inundated with the stuff.
The high bouncing rubber balls are usually a hit as are the colorful knit hackey sack balls.
Glow sticks! - Everyone LOVES glow sticks!
The little plastic ball bearing mazes are cute.
Keep it simple.

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J.K.

answers from Kalamazoo on

If you are paying everyones way to the go cart park, I dont think you need to do goodie bags.

If you want to do something on the cheap, make sugar cookies in the share of race cars, put them in a bag with small container of colored icing and sprinkles. You can buy a box of plastic containers, the throw away kind you get with to go food, at sams club to use for the frosting. In a second small cup put whatever would look cute to decorate the car, like some sprinkles, two smarties for the headlights, ect. I bet you could get out for under $2 a kid that way, and Im sure they would eat the cookies, so its not some piece of junk plastic toy that just gets tossed.

We did similar for my dds party, except with princess theme cookies, it was a hit with the kids.

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J.H.

answers from Sacramento on

I think books are a great idea, especially about cars if they are going to a go cart place.

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

I love Nikki G's idea! Matchbox cars are fun and cheap and fit the theme perfectly.

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