ok i am having a birthday party for my DD next weekend with 30 children attending. Do you have to do goodie bags i know whenever we attend one there is but what are your feelings? if they are necessary what cheap items can i put in?

thanks
nikki

I don't think they are necessary. I party plan in my spare time and if you are having a nice party with lots of fun stuff to do and lots of food I would hand out goody bags. It's just like a thank you you're handing out.

As for things to go in them, they playdough you posted ISO is a good idea. Maybe little plastic bracelets and rings, small pack of crayons, stickers or temporary tattoos, and of course candy!

Good Luck!!

we are having a gymnastics party and i am already paying way more then i wanted so i guess maybe i will run to the $ store see what i can find

thanks
nikki

I am having a party for my son this month also. I am going to put in the free Buddies I got, bubbles, small packs of crayons, granola bars, stickers and of course candy. I am planning on getting clearence Halloween candy and little things of Playdoh. If you group is old enough maybe gum.

I agree, they're not necessary, but a nice thank you for the kiddos to enjoy after the party. 30 kids is A LOT of goody bags though! Maybe you could do plain latex balloons with helium, kids love balloons. The dollar stores have them for $.50 or $.75 each. I would make a cute little thank you card and tie it onto the ribbon. Or you could get some inexpensive clear goody bags, fill them up with cheap halloween candy, tie them to the bottom of the ribbon and then the balloons would even be weighed down, so they don't float off during the party. I've done this before for my kids parties, the balloons are a cute decoration (get them in your little ones favorite colors) during the party, then you pass them out as everyone's leaving.

HTH

Good luck!

I would think outside the bag. Since your party has a theme try to find a goodie to match your theme. But, nothing is necessary.

I really hate those birthday parties where the parents are one uping each other by spending the most or giving away the most. Just relax. You could have your birthday girl write out thank you notes before the party and then hand them out as people are leaving. You could tuck a couple mcdonalds ofrosty free coupons in them.

HTH

I really like the goodie bags- giving and receiving. I know it is a chunk out of our family time to attend a b-day party and it is nice of parents to take the time to come to your kids party b/c I know they'd rather be elsewhere. Whoever said helium balloon that is a good idea. When we do going away parties at playgroup (like someone moves) I always run to the store and get helium balloons to decorate with and then we hand 1 balloon per kid as they leave. They absolutely go crazy for it. That's less than $1 per kid.

Target has cheap paper lunch bags that are blue or red. You could buy the holloween candy, small balloons to throw in the bag(depending of the age of the kids), a bag of chips, juice box. I would not invest in the small cheap toys they always break and go in the garbage.