One of the most common complaints I hear about planning children’s birthday parties is the party favor issue: what to give? No one wants to give (or receive) a baggie of cheap, plastic crap, but that happens all too often—with all the other things that go into a planning a birthday party, party favors often get sidelined until the last second.
Here are five ideas for affordable and thoughtful party favors that your guests will actually be excited to take home and keep:
Books: You can find Little Golden Books on Amazon for under $5 (some titles are even under $3!) and the plethora of titles makes it easy to find something that matches the party theme.
Bubble Wands: Young children love bubbles! These giant wands come in a variety of colors, and they are less than $1.50 each! The large size makes these a bit easier for little kids to handle and use. To add a personal touch, tie a little tag with a message onto the handle of each wand.

Photo by Angela Carlyle
Baking Kit: Guests can bring the party home with this sugar cookie baking kit! Each box of sugar cookie mix, priced at about $6, is made from organic, non-GMO ingredients and will look just darling if you tie a fun cookie cutter onto the package with a pretty ribbon. Bon appétit!

Photo by Angela Carlyle
Beach Ball: For less than a dollar each, these beach balls are sure to incite squeals of excitement from your guests. Inflate them ahead of time for full impact when distributed—and for instant gratification. While they’re the absolute perfect idea for a summertime pool party, they’re fun enough to work year-round—and at an unbeatable price!

Photo by Angela Carlyle
Gardening Kit: Give your little guests the gift of nature with this gardening kit! These colorful, kid-safe gardening trowels are $3, and these pretty seed packets are another dollar or so each. Tape the package onto the trowel or tie them together with some gardening twine!

Photo by Angela Carlyle
Featured Photo by Angela Carlyle