Ideas for affordable birthday party favors?

[cicada]

Any ideas for affordable birthday party favors that aren't complete junk? I'm looking for favors suitable generally for ages 3-5.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[hollybloom24]

I have been giving Little Golden Books - they are less than $3 each at Barnes and Noble or Walmart. They also have won a Mr. Toy Classic Toy Award in the past which I like. I wrap them up in wrapping paper. (I "borrowed" the idea from a friend!)

I had been spending more than $3 on goody bags filled with schlock!

I also get quite a few thank yous from parents for not giving junk!

Good luck!

[Twoboos]

Here's a list of ideas I just put together for SIL.

These are all pretty generic for boys or girls!!

- Mini-playdohs (there should be party packs out there w/20 or so)
- Bubbles (I always do these, my kids love bubbles)
- Pencils
- Bouncy balls
- Coloring book/crayons (I've found books & coloring books at our grocery store for $!)
- Stickers/stamps
- Bandaids (all kids love bandaids!!)
- Toothbrush/toothpaste (Stolen from someone here). Target has little combo packs
- If you want a snack, I've also done the little snack bags of goldfish/pretzels/teddy grahams. Still a snack but not a ton of junk.


We've gotten but never given:

- Gift cert for ice cream cone (Friendly's)
- Mini WebKinz (This must have cost a FORTUNE!!)
- Train Whistle, but it was a train theme bday
- Sand Toy stuff (pail, shovel)
- For springtime, maybe a whiffle ball & Bat?

[MMMommy]

I found licensed character (Tigger & Pooh, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Dora, Diego, Disney Princess) boxed card game sets for $1 each at Michaels. I used a 20% off entire purchase coupon, making them only 80 cents each! Each set contained two different card games (Go Fish, Matching Game, and others). Michaels had a good variety of things in the $1 section suitable for party favors.

[mom2kaivi]

Last year I gave out puzzles and crayola marker/crayon/chalk/pencil sets. I bought the puzzles from the Disney store for $2.50/each. I think they were normally $10.00/each but they went on sale and I bought 20 of them. Then I watch the sales at Toys R Us. A couple of times a year they'll do Crayola products on sale, buy 1 get 2 free. So I stock up. Instead of buying 1 marker set for $5.99. I was able to get 3 for that same price. I bought an assortment so the kids could pick what they wanted. I have boy girl twins so their birthday parties end up being pretty big and I try to get things that aren't gender specific.

For favors this year, I hit up the end of summer sales last year and bought everything 50%-75% off. I just put everything in a storage closet in our garage. This year kids will be able to pick nice kites, jump ropes, bow & arrow sets, fishing poles, frisbees, beading sets and sticker sets. On average I spend between $3-$5 per child but they get something that isn't going to just end up in the trash.

I really watch great sales during the year and I stock up when I get great deals.

Other gifts that we've received that I've really liked have been activity books, puzzles and short story books. Everything else pretty much ends up in the trash.

[nabigus]

When Discount School Supply had that last big sale, I stocked up on things like this. They have a great sale section ongoing, too.

http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/...?welcomeid=326

[emily_gracesmama]

I nabbed a bunch of disney beach towels last year for less than $5 a piece and did those, that's still on the pricey side imo though. I hate the crap, but bubbles, play tattoos, and the little books are great ideas.

[Melaine]

If I am really really ambitious and on the ball (and start like 4 months early) I might make or at least dye playsilks as party favors for the girls' 3rd birthday. Here are directions for dyeing them:
http://kayciscrafts.blogspot.com/200...playsilks.html

[belovedgandp]

I usually try for one "nicer" item.

3 is the younger side, but I found Perler/iron bead sets on clearance at Michael's two years ago for kids 4 to 5.

Michael's has some fun stuff. They always stock mini-Perler sets for around $1. My favorite favor lately has been from there, they have tubes of 15 glow in the dark bracelets for $1. I use the tubes as weights for helium balloons then give each kid a balloon with the tube at the end. Provides decorations and favors in one.

We did big outside playballs one year. Biggest challenge was buying a dozen of those at one time. I'm sure I was quite the sight to see.

[cicada]

Thanks for all of the great ideas. I have one month so can't do much planning ahead, but these ideas help. FYI, last year I did thick outdoor chalk and inflatable beach balls, with some other stuff. The chalk and balls seemed to go over well with other parents.