Birthday party favors

[blondemoment123]

DS is turning 6 and the "theme" will be Monster Jam. The party is at a bowling alley.

Any ideas?

[momin2013]

We’ve skipped favors the last couple of years because DS’ parties have been at a bowling alley-type place that included a card for the kids to play in the arcade area at the end (where they redeemed their points for prizes). At that type of place, I don’t think a favour is necessary.

Prior to that, I think the last thing we did was customized cookies (they were Mario-themed). I like consumable/edible favours the best!

[thebreakfastclub]

I would skip favors, especially if the birthday is around or shortly after Halloween and there's already a ton of treats at home.

[thebreakfastclub]

Dup

[macmars45]

The party is the favor.

[dancingirl21]

You don't have to do anything. I hate the plastic junk that people send home. We always do decorated sugar cookies related to the theme of the party, from a local baker.

[purplepenguin7]

Since the theme is Monster Jam I would do a little bag with a monster truck and maybe a few other things (pencils, sunglasses, stickers). You can buy multipacks of the trucks for cheap on amazon. This two pack is only 7.50, but you can find even lower if you don’t want brand name hot wheels.

a.co/d/hJy9bmv

[dcn]

I like it when my kids just get a cookie or something. We don’t need more stuff!

[dcn]

You really don’t have to do favors, however, One year I did little spiral memo pads with an invisible ink pen and all the kids loved them.

[Blue Moon]

What about a monster truck temporary tattoo as they are leaving? My kids love helping to apply the tattoos.

[fortnightlily]

Count me among those who hates goodie bags and has skipped them and no one has ever said a thing.

[sparty04]

I do food if I'm doing anything. Boxes of different theater candy where the kids can pick one or a bag of gummy bears is usually my go-to

[konapoppy]

Ring pops or glow sticks

[dochas]

I love goodie bags and so does every kid I've ever known. The last thing we ever needed was more junk food so I would definitely do monster trucks for that age. My son was older when we did a bowling party and I added a bowling game I find on amazon.

[sdlaura]

I like to have something for kids to take when their parents want them to leave the party/when I want to get my kid out of the party. It’s not necessary but I like to do it. I would try to find little monster trucks on Amazon or someplace where you can get them for a few bucks a piece and have that be the favor.

[mainelyfoolish]

At that age, I would give a small die-cast monster truck to each kid, so it’s something that will get played with and not immediately lost or thrown away by someone’s minimalist parents.

If you don’t want to do a toy, you could give out a truck themed early reader or little golden books.

[gerberdaisy]

I went to a monster jam party where the favor was a balloon with a monster truck tied to it. Decoration for the party and wasn't too much plastic to bring home.

[noodleoo]

Not on theme, but for DD2's 4th bday we gave out mini squishmallows from Costco as favors. They come in multipacks and worked out to around $3 each. The kids *LOVED* them. I copied that idea from a bday part we went to and as a parent I loved it because it was 1 good quality thing, it didn't go directly in the trash, and it wasn't more candy.

For other bdays I've done goody bags that included spy pens and notebooks, goldfish and a few dum dums. Not a lot of sweets and the kids love the spy pens. You can get a set on amazon pretty cheap. Another year it was popits and stickers.

The favor bags I hate are the ones that include junky dollar store/prize bin type plastic toys. They usually suck and immediately go right in the trash. I'd rather one decent quality toy the kids will actually use or consumables (preferably not all candy).

[jennistarr1]

Oct 26, 2023 8:23:22 GMT -5 noodleoo said:

Not on theme, but for DD2's 4th bday we gave out mini squishmallows from Costco as favors. They come in multipacks and worked out to around $3 each. The kids *LOVED* them. I copied that idea from a bday part we went to and as a parent I loved it because it was 1 good quality thing, it didn't go directly in the trash, and it wasn't more candy.

For other bdays I've done goody bags that included spy pens and notebooks, goldfish and a few dum dums. Not a lot of sweets and the kids love the spy pens. You can get a set on amazon pretty cheap. Another year it was popits and stickers.

The favor bags I hate are the ones that include junky dollar store/prize bin type plastic toys. They usually suck and immediately go right in the trash. I'd rather one decent quality toy the kids will actually use or consumables (preferably not all candy).

we did the same with the tiny squishmallow, we got a 5 below. I like the advice of one quality thing. It can be a food or a toy or something useful but try to think, what would my kid be excited to get.

In your case, I think you said monster truck....can you buy a bunch of hot wheel trucks or something and everyone can pick one?

[lessel]

I have hosted 3 monster jam birthday parties. Two for the same kid. 🙃

We did Monster Jam trucks each with a balloon tied to them as table decorations, and then the kids took them home.

ETA: I just saw gerberdaisy 's post after I posted, and am now wondering if you've come to one of the three Monster Jam parties I've had. 🤣

[blondemoment123]

Oct 26, 2023 9:41:30 GMT -5 lessel said:

I have hosted 3 monster jam birthday parties. Two for the same kid. 🙃

We did Monster Jam trucks each with a balloon tied to them as table decorations, and then the kids took them home.

ETA: I just saw gerberdaisy 's post after I posted, and am now wondering if you've come to one of the three Monster Jam parties I've had. 🤣

I almost tagged you for advice since you were a huge help with all of my Monster Jam questions 😂

[blondemoment123]

These are great ideas! Thank you!

[cricketwife]

I, too, hate when my kids bring home goodie bags, but they have literally only once been to a party that didn't have them. I greatly appreciate consummables, books, or balls. I always give books as our favor, regardless of the party them. For my son's 6th birthday, I gave Elephant and Piggie books. (I bought the set on super sale and kids picked one as they left.) For his 7th birthday, we gave Dragon Master's book #7 to everyone. So it doesn't have to go with them them, IMO, it just has to not be annoying for parents, lol! A balloon sounds great!

[Susie]

I'm on team #nofavors for parties.  I personally prefer consumable favors if any at all, but you seriously can't win:

With food:  it's great that it's consumable, but nobody needs more treats around Halloween, plus there are allergies and dietary restrictions to be concerned with, and it's just one more thing to have to pick up, get accurate counts for, for kids to carry home and crumble in the backseat, etc.

With bubbles:  My kids spill them errrrrrrywhere, including on my garage floor, and I hate it.  I can't be the only one?

With balloons:  it presents a choking hazard for pets and younger siblings, which stresses me out - and I only really have the pet part to worry about now (a puppy who eats/steals everything).

With little toys:  omg make the stream of little junk stop!  plus it all ends up in the trash which feels environmentally irresponsible.

I know I sound like a scrooge, but I feel like a fun party with no take-home detritus is ideal.

[livinitup]

Little play-doh packs.

[CloudBee]

Small monster truck or consumable item such as a truck cookie.

[loira]

Tiny jars of jam? Maybe my DD is weird but she loves tiny jars of jam or honey.

[lo]

My kids just got kazoos at a party and (unfortunately for my ears) they have been a HUGE hit

[sent]

I don't like the cheap junk. I think I despise play-doh and slime more than cheap junk. However, I love goody bags, even as an adult! Even if it has cheap junk and play-doh, that's their once chance to have that stuff because I'm not going to buy it. There are lots of good suggestions here I wouldn't mind coming home like the balloon, a small truck toy, any consumables and even the jam though DS would prefer jelly.

[noodleoo]

Oct 27, 2023 8:02:26 GMT -5 lo said:

My kids just got kazoos at a party and (unfortunately for my ears) they have been a HUGE hit

Do the parents hate you? Why?!?!?