When you think about the party favors that your kids usually come home with after a typical birthday party, you probably think something along the lines of “bags of little junk that all go in the trash the next day.”
This is not meant to blame any well-intended mom or dad. Following the idea that “more is better,” most every store promotes and supplies a selection of hundreds of little trinkets that can be stuffed in cellophane bags as a token of the birthday boy’s appreciation towards his guests.
But, with just a little creativity, we as parents can do better. We can deliver a party favor that lives on beyond your child’s initial high of receiving a gift of any kind. A favor that actually has some personal meaning, even one that makes a difference.
Here are five party favor options that will show your guests that their gifts of appreciation for attending your child’s party were not an afterthought.
Make a Donation: Have your child help choose a worthy cause that interests him. Make a monetary donation in the name of the party guests and send home an informational card or flyer explaining the cause and stating the donation. One fun example is found in many zoos that allow you to adopt an animal, which actually just means pay for a portion of that animal’s care.
This is a great opportunity to educate, and to make children feel good about being a part of something important. Most charities have some type of flyer available that you could send home with each child, but if not, work with your child to design and print off your own information sheet.
And if you think this sounds a little too much on the boring side for your child’s age, attach the flyer to a sucker or some other treat that will definitely get your child’s positive attention.
Books: Books are a great way to help memories of a fun party live on. Include a personal inscription inside each book that the child can read (or have read to her) as the book begins. This is bound to spark many conversations about the party or the special friend that gave the book as a party favor.
The book can either be something that is consistent with the theme of the party, or one that the birthday girl chooses based on what she thinks each guest will enjoy.
If you’re thinking this sounds like an expensive option, it doesn’t have to be. Many discount retailers stock a wide selection of children’s books, and the discount table at the big bookstores is often stocked with fun options. The Scholastic book fair is another good place to look, if your child’s school participates. And, it’s probably worth adding a few dollars to the party favors budget knowing that a book is something that won’t end up in the trash the next day.
Party Crafts: Plan a simple but fun craft the kids can make at the party and take home as their party favor. Again, this is something that will create lasting memories of the party. One unique idea is to have the children design a painting on a piece of silk that they can take home and use as a scarf or headband, or in any number of ways during free play. Silk dries quickly and play silks can be purchased for about $5 a piece.
Other ideas might be tie-dying an item, making slime, friendship bracelets, sand in a bottle, or making a picture frame. With the picture frame you can then send a group photo with your thank you note that can go in the frame. Browsing the aisles at your local Michael’s craft store will give you an unlimited number of ideas here.
Seeds to Plant: Sending each child home with a pack of seeds, and even a little starter pot of dirt is a great way to spark a new interest in many children. Watching the seed sprout and grow each day is fun, and a good learning experience for the kids.
This idea has caught on enough that you can even buy prepackaged starter pots that are meant for children. They include a small package of seeds, a pot of dirt, and instructions, all put together in a way to minimize the mess and make them easy for the children to understand and plant on their own.
Decorate a Cookie: Kids absolutely love doing this, and it gives them a special treat they created to take home and enjoy after the party. All you need is a batch of large sugar cookies (the bigger the better to make it easier for the kids), and an assortment of icing colors, sprinkles, and other small candy pieces.
Allow some time for the decorated cookies to dry, and wrap them up in a bag for each child to take with her as she leaves the party.
Hopefully these five options have given you some ideas for your next party, or sparked your creativity to help you come up with party favors that will leave your guests commenting about “what a great idea that was!”
At kidspartycharacters.com we have all the bases covered when it comes to planning the perfect party for your child and his or her guests. We have over 200 of the most popular characters, as well as balloon artists and face painting. Visit us today at kidspartycharacters.com and check out the different packages we have available for your next party.
Also connect with us on Facebook to see what characters we have showing up at parties, and get inspiration for planning your own character-filled celebration.
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