What usually goes in party bags?

If you’re in the late stages of planning your next kids party, you’ve probably started thinking about party bags. Do you need them? What usually goes in party bags? Should you hire someone to make them for you? Are they expensive? In today’s blog, we’ll dive into the wonderful world of take-home party gifts to answer all your FAQs.

Do you need party bags?

The first point to make is that you don’t need to provide party bags. If it’s out of budget or not relevant for your event, feel free to do without. Also, many kinds of kids parties will already have a take-home element, like a slime party or craft party, so don’t feel like you need to make goodie bags as well.

What are some good things to put in party bags?

Little toys, sweets, chocolates and craft supplies like crayons or coloured pencils are always nice to find in party bags for younger children. For older kids, think about activity gifts in addition to sweets. Slime pots, buildable figures and trading cards are great ideas. You could also make the bag part of the gift. We’ve seen personalised pencil tins with sweets in them and mini-handbags with the child’s name on and gifts inside. These are adorable and something they’ll get a ton of use out of for years to come.

How many items to put in a party bag?

We recommend one large item and 2-4 smaller ones per bag. This will allow them to enjoy a sense of discovery and selection without it being too overwhelming or expensive to make.

Should you hire someone to make party bags for you? 

If you’ve only now thought about gift bags and don’t have the time or creative talent to make something you’d be happy to display, then hiring someone to make party bags for you is a great idea. Most suppliers are reasonably priced and can get amazing items at a discount because they’re buying in larger bulk quantities than you would on your own.

How much should goodie bags cost?

£5-£10 per guest is a great benchmark. Allocating a fiver or a tenner will allow you to source items they’ll really value and enjoy. While you can do goodie bags for less, it will increase the likelihood that the items will not get much use and just end up in a landfill.

What not to put in party bags?

Leave the plastic tat at the arcades. We recommend (for the planet) that you don’t put any throwaway novelty toys in the gift bags. You know the ones… cheap tops, pocket frisbees, paper kaleidoscopes, plastic slinkies, gooey hands, flimsy clappers, finger traps, finger frogs and those kinds of items. Also, please avoid anything with glitter as it will just get everywhere. Lastly, it’s a good idea to think about the age of the children and any dietary requirements so you don’t include allergens or choking hazards.

Need more party-planning tips to tick off the other items on your list? We’ve got more right here for you.