Party bag ideas?

my3girls

Hi everyone, sorry if this is the wrong place, you have just been so helpful over the last few months I thought it best to ask for advice here!

My dd2 is 5 in march and having her first ever party (always been too shy before lol) and there will be in excess of 60 children, eek!

I'm not sure what to do in regards to party bags. In the past I've always been original/inventive but I'm out of ideas! Money is a big issue too but I'm not adverse to getting crafty!

So, any magical ideas for party bags that are original, the kids will love, keep me popular as a mum lol and not too much out of pocket??! Not asking for much hehe.

Also got to get around 10 prizes but that should be fairly simple I guess

Thanks in advance everyone

Jenni
X

Bluejeanbaby

Why not do cupcakes with each party guests initial iced onto the top in pretty colours. They'd look lovely set out on a table, kids love cake (would save buying a big birthday cake too) and the parents would probably like you for not sending the kids home with loads of plastic tat! If you made them in batches you can freeze them before icing them to save time and spread the cost of ingredients (which would be pretty cheap anyway!)

We went to a party once and the favour was a little sunflower seedling in a little pot that the host has started a few weeks before the party. They were just in a plastic pot with a bit of tissue paper wrapped around. They again looked lovely and my DS loved watering the plant and waiting for it to flower. It wouldn't cost too much to buy seeds and pots but may take up a lot of space on your window sills to get them started!

HTH

mabelmoo_2

I'm not a parent but have been looking for cheap little activities/ toys for work. Hawkins Bazaar had some great things starting at 25p. However I heard the company was in trouble at the end of last week and my local one was closed on Saturday so not sure if they are still trading...

kayandy_2

The sunflower idea is a good one my auntie did party bags with the children and the things they contained where what the childer made won throughout the party!! She had lots of different activities like make a party hat, ice a cake, then games like pass the parcel but each layer had a little prize each child then put there stuff into a party bag once they won made something and all ended up with loads and she had lots of praises from parents as they didn't have loads of sweets and sugar!! They had a few sweets though!! It can be done cheaply too try £1 shops or b&m home bargains ect or eBay!!

Aarons_mummy

I agree I wouldn't bother going out buying plastic carp that will just be your money in the bin anyway. The cakes are a lovely idea, as are the sunflowers.

I don't know how open parents would be but how about home made cookies or even just ingredients in a bag to make them, would cost pennies for sugar, flour and raisins (healthy option and cheaper see ) and write/print little cards tied on with curling ribbon of cooking instructions.

otherwise how about a pik n mix style bag, pick up a few large bags of sharing sweets (£1 in majority of places) and add a handful into each bag. Cheap enough but also party style.

mum2one

When DD had a joint party there was about 30 kids, rather than do party bags, we brought some stuff from halfcost - they have a great £1 section, I've done swimbags, pump bags, never paid more than £1.

You should also be able to find the prizes you need on there, at the mo theres a promo where you spend £25 and get free postage saving £3.95. With that number of childen, trying to do individual bags, they all get the same.

www.halfcost.co.uk


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kitschkitty

I love the cupcakes idea, and crafty ideas too. Decorating paper plate masks are fun and simple too.

How about buying some felt (can get packs in the pound shop) and cut out simple shapes to make up a bunch of finger puppets. Use PVA to stick the parts together.

There are loads of websites where you can print off colouring in sheets, mazes and other puzzles to make up your own little books - you could print personalized covers too.

Balloons are cheap, most kids like having their own balloon to take home.

Home made popcorn is cheap, easy and healthier than sweets, lots of kids also like those little packets/boxes of raisins.

If you have the time I think these are adorable: http://www.cutefoodforkids.com/2011/04/candy-necklace.html and not too much candy!

You can buy big packs of stickers (singles and sheets) dirt cheap on ebay or in the pound shop or even "3D" foam shape stickers, and pop some of those in.

Or you can get sticker printer paper, or even magnetic printer sheets and make up your own.

You can also pick up paper bags on ebay a lot cheaper than "proper" plastic party bags, either nice looking ones, or plain ones for the kids to decorate themselves - more fun.

mr_knight

Aarons_mummy wrote: »

I agree I wouldn't bother going out buying plastic carp that will just be your money in the bin anyway. The cakes are a lovely idea, as are the sunflowers.

I don't know how open parents would be but how about home made cookies or even just ingredients in a bag to make them, would cost pennies for sugar, flour and raisins (healthy option and cheaper see ) and write/print little cards tied on with curling ribbon of cooking instructions.

otherwise how about a pik n mix style bag, pick up a few large bags of sharing sweets (£1 in majority of places) and add a handful into each bag. Cheap enough but also party style.

Just what I was going to suggest. Look here for an idea http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/scarletbakes/product/personalised-party-bag-baking-mixes Prices are silly.

alyssajones37

Glow bands work brilliantly as small prizes as childen are eliminated from games... plus if you make them into bracelets you can see who is out and who is in.

Punch ball balloons are usually quite cheap as well.

Though i like the "make a cake", "plant a flower" idea more.

P.s. It may sound like a numerical nightmare but 60 children are far easier to deal with than 12. Five year olds tend to copy a lot, so the more playing the more want to join in.

I'd also avoid blowing up balloons to decorate with, at age 7 the children are on a mission in the first few moments to pop them all. At age five, a few will pop them and the rest will scream at the noise. Streamers and banners are far better and less puff.

teasleym

We had a birthday party for 2 5year olds on Saturday and we had cupcakes themed with the main birthday cake. I bought domed holders from www.cakecraftworld.com. The other mums love them, I have done them for previous parties and they are better than the bit of cake wrapped in a napkin that gets squished in the party bag.

Also instead of a party bag, we bought each child a book and wrapped it. We managed to get princess, lego and octonaut annuals for a bargain price but for previous parties we got books from The Works for 4 for £5. Good books too by Julia Donaldson etc. I'd rather give each child a book that will last rather than some plastic tat that ends up in the bin. I've had thanks from the parents for these too. I know my daughter hasn't got many bits from previous party bags in her toys at home, but treasures every book she is given.

Cupcake domes : http://www.cakecraftworld.co.uk/viewproddetails.asp?pc=PON10F000002

hampshirebabe

I'm afraid I see it slightly different, to me a party bag is there to get the kids out the door and keep them happy on the trip home when they dont want to leave. So to me, a bit of cake to nibble, (I think cupcake's are a great idea, but I always like to have a big cake to blow out the candles and wouldn't want to make both, or end up with a whole cake to eat at home myself), a balloon, maybe those wizzy ones, a bouncy ball or a squeezy bath duck and a sheet of stickers, last week we went to a aprty and she just pulled out a page for each bag from one of those books of a 1000 stickers on a theme. After recieving dozens of party bags, I think thats what my daughter likes to get in hers. I love the idea of a seed in a pot, but recently my daughter got a tiny wee mcGregor, (a radish) from our allotment group and although she loved it at the time, tiny pots need lots of watering and we both forgot, I think for that many kids it'd be a lot of work that would be just as unapreciated as say a yoyo. Once they get a bit bigger and are more selective about who they want to invite, so less of them, then I think the extra work will be much better recieved. Last year I went way over the top with my little girls party bags, I loved them, but it was completely unnecasary. I might splash out on a flashing baloon though, we had them last year and they flashed for days!
Edited to add, for a personal touch you could add a home made thankyou for coming to my party card or bookmark. :-)