i just got done having a "the dog" bday party and gave each child a mini "the dog" stuffed toy, and then they got to take the candy they got frm the pinata. All were happy


I did like it when my DD one time came home with one of those washclothes that are compressed into a shape, it was smething useable and she liked it too.

We always do a DQ "free dilly bar/sunday coin" We still have them available at our DQ in town here. The kids usually like that one! We get 10 for $8...we sometimes buy extra just for us! We also do a craft at the party that they put in their goody bags ( last party we had the craft was a bead necklace). For our girls party we do lipgloss and fingernail polish (the small tubes) I got a bunch of clearance action figures (superman) for my nephews party. His theme was a superman party, so it worked out well.
I like to give adult goodie bags for the parents that come as well, here we do a can of homemade fruit preserves or we do a goddie bag of bath salts and homemade soaps.

__________________
One happy wife and mommy!!!

I made take home treasure hunts that the kids thought were cool (and some parents I talked to later thought so, too and asked if everything was really in there because THEY were doing them, too!), we did the magic towels (got them at the Dollar Store), crayons and coloring books. DQ has tokens for ice cream that they'd sell you. I'm always happy to see the bubbles, though because the boys go through a LOT of them in the summer.

I've gone to the Mattel store and gotten cheap cars to give to boys. They were cheap pricewise but they were really nice semi trucks with a car in the trailer. Huge hit!

__________________
Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you. ~Oscar Wilde

I only do school supplies. I buy enough to last a year during back-to-school. I have a Sterlite container in my closet that contains crayons, pad of papr, highlighters, colored pencils, glue, etc. I will occasionally throw in something else, but I refuse to spend more than $.25 for a treat bag item. Other stuff usually comes from the dollar or thrift store.

I don't know if other Wal-Marts carry these, but my local store had spray mist fans for $1. They come in a variety of colors and even have straps so they can be carried around the neck or on the shoulder. I bought one for my dd and a few for her friends and they've been a big hit. Perhaps you could do something like that in lieu of a goody bag.

By far the best goody bags ds has received have come from me

I always include a craft and a bookmark. Oriental trading has some great crafts but you can also make up your own craft kit yourself and include it. I like to go to the Dollar store and get cardboard frames - small ones that are in the wedding section - they are 10 to a pack. I include one of those and some foamy stickers or if the kids are older they can glue on beads, etc. The moms have always raved about these craft kits ~ after all they are an activity! I also love to make homemade bookmarks and enclose them. To me it is a fun way to encourage reading at any age.

Some of the cool ones we have received instead of a goodie bag.

A $5 gift card for a bookstore.

A book (everyone got the same one)... This idea is really popular in our area. From board books for really little ones all the way to chapter books for older kids.

A cool flowery frame with a photo from the kids at the party in it (they must have had a digital camera and a photo printer at home but it was a cool gift.)

Another one was a photo of the child and my child with one of those business sized magnets at the back to put on the fridge (again must have had the photo printer at home because it was taken at the party.)

A small lego bionicle (the really small ones are $4-$5 each)

A small stuff animal (my dd loved this).

A beaded necklace with the child's name in 'letter' beads. (This one was the favourite with the girls).

__________________

my daughter just had her party last weekend and i bought some little trinket boxes for the girls- i got them from claires for a really great price they seemed to like them . the girls were 10 yrs old. i usually just pick up stuff through out the yr if i find good prices

__________________
Wife to Marc , Mommy to Kayla

for my dd's november birthday i did hot chocolate mix, small baggif ofmarshmallows, and plastic spoon dipped in chocolate, and then some stickers. as well as i took pics of the party with my digital camera and printed them up and sent home a picture with each child so they had a photo memory of dds's birthday. started a trend to, cuz any parties she has been to have had pictures sent home with them. lol.

__________________
Kimberley

"there is nothing to worry about, just plenty to think about" from an episode of Extreme Makeover House edition

check out my blog:
http://mommysavers.com/boards/journa...owjournal&j=21