Birthday Party Favors Kids Can Actually Use

It's been a long while since we hosted a child's birthday party, so we're a bit out of the loop. Apparently, loot bags at kids' parties have become a topic of controversy. Who knew? It seems that parents are either spending an inordinate amount of money buying birthday party favors or the contents of a loot bag are condemned as "junk" that just gets tossed anyway. Some view loot bags as simply a pay-off to partygoers who come bearing gifts for the birthday boy or girl. While this may be true to some extent, wouldn't it be better to think of birthday party favors as a simple "thank-you for coming?" And, wouldn't it be better still if the loot bags and their contents could continue to entertain long after the last balloon has popped? Hmmm...is there no middle ground, no hope for this cherished symbol of kid culture? Well, we can certainly try. Here, then, are some suggestions from the dollar store that cost about $6.00 each for three different kinds of loot bags and their contents.

An idea that would be appropriate for either girls or boys is a double zippered, kid-sized portfolio case filled with art supplies like construction paper, scissors, a coloring book, a package of pencil crayons and some wax crayons. These portfolios come in different cartoon prints for a buck apiece.

Many little girls love to play "grownup." To that end, why not offer these partygoers a treat bag that's reusable for that purpose. Dollar store handbags come in an assortment of patterns. Tie a small colorful scarf to one handle and add some play make-up, an item of costume jewelry (appropriate to the age group), a comb brush and mirror set and a notebook and pencil for jotting down important engagements. Character notepads come in a package of two and the pencils are packaged six for a dollar.

When looking for birthday party favors, don't limit yourself to the toy or candy aisles. For a group of explorers, fill a mini backpack loot bag with a small camping lantern or flashlight (batteries not included), a pair of child-sized binoculars, a clip-on sports watch, a critter pen (appropriate for kids 6 and up) and a notebook to write down important observations about ant activities or the like. These backpacks come in a variety of colors and are reusable as lunch bags or to contain toiletries for sleepovers.