I am in the process of planning my son's birthday party and I think I have finally come up with a creative and yet fun party favor. This year my favor will be either a craft kit/art kit for each child. My question is, what is the cutest/most creative/unique/best party favor you have ever received or given at a child's birthday party? Also would you rather your child get the traditional favor bag of small items and candy or a craft/art kit?
*My son is going into the first grade. The craft I have picked out is making a foam model car and a door knob cover. For the few girls I have a girly version picked out. I will throw in washable paint and a paint brush. The bags will be plain but I am spelling out Transformers across them. Each bag will have one letter of Transformers on the front of it. They will be placed on a table as a decoration until they are handed out. I am also stuffing them with tissue so it resembles a little present from him. All this for about $3 a child!
Thanks Moms!
The art kit is a great idea! Honestly, most of the stuff in goodie bags ends up in the trash. If you don't already have a bunch of stuff planned, you could lay out plastic table cloths and let the kids make their craft at the party. I've done that and the kids have fun and don't run wild around the house.
For a post like this, it would be nice to have a general idea of how old your son it. I can see, based on your history, that he's in elementary school.
Some ideas we've seen include:
paint a picture frame (you keep it, and return it with the thank you note and a picture from the party of that child)
Use permanent markers to "paint" plain white ceramic tiles (bought from any home improvement store.
Have kids decorate the bag that the favors will be brought home in (plain white gift bags available at any party or craft store).
Depending on how much time you have before the party, you might check with your local Home Depot or Lowes. See if they have any extra kids' workshop kits you can purchase (they're usually free for a single child, but they may not want to hand over 10 kits for free). They have all kinds of things like cars, pirate ships, tool caddies, and the usual bird house. Obviously, this would take more parental supervision (and would best be done outside). You might even ask them for aprons, too (again, usually given for free on Saturday mornings). Lowes has a pirate chest scheduled for this week and a helicopter scheduled for the 25th - either would be cool for the boys.
Boys could also paint balsa wood airplanes (the kind you shoot with a rubber band), but they're kind of flimsy, so they may not last very long.
Save some mayonnaise or peanut butter jars and have them decorate "bug jars."
I would also check out Oriental Traiding (.com)... they have lots of ideas and craft kits. Even if you don't get anything from them, it may inspire you with ideas.
Good luck! Sounds like fun!
www.familyeguide.com Your free electronic guide to affordable family activities in Flower Mound, Lewisville, Highland Village, and the surrounding communities.
I think the craft idea is great. I quit doing the traditional goody bags. It usally has smaller stuff that end up at the bottom of the toy box. I usally do a craft or a item related to our party theme. Ex: Pirate hats for a pirate party, wands and tiera for a princess party. (usually I can find them at the Dollar store or party supply) and it is usally cheaper than doing goody bags.
I love to do creative party favors. I try to keep it with the theme of the party. I think the craft idea is great and would much rather my daughter have that than a bag of candy or silly plastic toys that will get thrown out.
Last year, she had a monkey themed party so I tied a helium balloon to a banana and found little monkeys that grew when you put them in water and attached those to the balloon as well. It was cheap, easy, and healthy.
This year, I think we are doing a bug/garden theme and I plan on giving each child a little pot with seeds or a little plant in a small pot like an herb that can be transplanted into their own yard at some point.
My daughter received a small board book at one party she attended and I liked that as you can never have too many books. We've also attended several parties and they did not give out favors which is fine also. But as long as I can afford to, I will give out favors just because I think it's fun!
A craft kit is a good idea. I usually wait for my kids to forget then throw the junk goodie bag in the trash the day following the party. It is all plastic junk that no one has any use for. If you have time, Oriental Trading Co. has some good prices online.
My kids love giving goody bags. At their last birthday party (we have three girls 4,6 and 8 with b-days in Oct and Nov. They have a big joint party) we made cute bracelets for the guests (most of them girls) They got to choose the beads and decorations. It was inexpensive and the guests really loved them. They were placed in cute little pink boxes and had a note thanking everyone for coming and letting them know that the girls made the bracelets themselves.
BY THE WAY, my husband and I are professional clowns living in Anna. We offer facepainting, balloon sculptures, magic along with fun interaction and games. We've entertained at birthday parties and large events like the Plano Balloon Festival.
Our prices are very reasonable (we have four great kids of our own so we know how expensive things can get)and we do our best to work within a person's buget.
Please feel free to take a look at our website at www.freewebs.com/bubblesandwowza for samples of our work.
Give us a call at ###-###-#### if you have any questions at all.
Hope to hear from you,
K. Schmidt
Bubbles the Clown
Bubbles and Wowza, LLC
Hi,
you have gotten a lot of good responses, and I agree goodie bags are usually filled with plastic junk, and I am not a fan of candy either. we have given webkins, or $5 gift cards to the blockbuster, or to the book store.
just some other ideas, your idea is a lot cheaper, so you may wish to save the $$$.
good luck, let us know how it turns out.
I am NOT a big fan of the party favor bag. The little trinkets and candy all get thrown away, and I feel it is a waste of money and bad for the enviornment. I don't feel obligated to hand out goody bags at our parties-- the party itself is normally enough. We rarely do home parties, though... ours are usually at a local business, like Chuck E. Cheese or Justice, Sweet and Sassy, etc. Those places give favors anyway, but even if they didn't, I wouldn't do it. The best ones we've ever gotten were a clay pot, soil, and seeds for each kid to plant... and at an "eco friendly" themed party, the kids made robots out of recycled materials and a battery (they actually worked), and that was cool. Although, that too got thrown away! :)
Good luck-- just don't waste your money or feel obligated (the kids just want to play with their friends, and the parents seriously do not go to parties for goody bags!)
