FAMILY KIDS party

Kid Birthday Party Favor | Conversations on Seesmic

Posted on July 6, 2008

kid party favors by martha stewart and dabbled

I wanted to add surveys to my blog. Then, I taught about Seesmic as a quick and easy way to ask questions and hear your opinions. Moreover, I wish to speak more often in front of the camera.

Today, I am curious to know how you feel about the party favor trend that is going on at kid birthday parties?

As an event designer, it is obvious that I like party favors a lot. They are cute and fun. I find it is a nice gesture. For me, party favors are an element of every celebration.

Party Favors Ideas for Kid Parties

It is sure that you need time to custom make the party favors. They are plenty of sources and inspirations to give you a head start. Martha Stewart proposes these simple baseball-themed treats. All you need to do is to place the treats nicely in a cellophane bag and add a sticker. It is not too time consuming.

A spa-themed birthday party where the girls get home spa treatments certainly fit into a whole experience. Grooming gears in a handmade vinyl pouch makes a wonderful gift.

Dot D is a mother who prepared these cute goody bags for her son’s birthday. If you are looking for more robot party theme ideas, check out her Party Robot Round-Up on her blog called Dabbled. You can download the graphics free for personal use.

A Different Point of View

But I can understand why some parents may feel overwhelmed by this trend. They feel it has gone too far. I try to explain their reasons in the video. Moreover, not everyone is the crafty type.

What Do You Think?

Are you in favor or not of distributing goody bags at kid birthday parties?

>>> Sourcing:
Learn more: Baseball Birthday Party Favors by Martha Stewart
Learn more: Spa-Themed Sleepover Birthday Party by Martha Stewart
Learn more: Party Robot Round-Up on Dabbled
Photo credit: Goody Bags with the little space cowboy robot by Dot D on Flickr – some rights reserved

An ex-lifestyle and entertaining expert and UX designer who became a STEAM educator. At Bidouilleurs, I helped kids aged 5-12 become inventors and makers. An innovative mom who cares about gender equality and to get more girls and boys interested in STEM/STEAM.

  • Liberty Post Editor
    July 7, 2008 at 00:40

    I think that party favors are so important. Everyone loves to leave with a special treat, surprise…I know I did and I still do! Yes for favors! I am over the moon about seeing/hearing you on the video. Amazing!

  • Paula
    July 7, 2008 at 11:19

    I have 3 boys & make treat bags ALL the time!!! I feel that for children, it’s a great way to feel like you received a gift” too. If you can take yourself back to being 3, 5, or 7…..It’s soooo difficult to sit & watch the birthday kid open present after present!!! but you sure look forward to having a treat at the end !!! i take the edge off by buying all year round & picking up items on sale & putting them in a tote labelled “birthdays” & then the stress is taken off by the time the birthday comes! Hooray for treatbags!!! keep ’em coming!!!

  • At Home with Kim Vallee
    July 7, 2008 at 12:02

    Liberty Post Editor and Paula: I am so glad that you enjoy doing and giving the treats at parties.

    Paula, thank you for sharing time and money saving tips.

  • Dot
    July 7, 2008 at 21:21

    Thanks for sharing my favor bags with your readers! Honestly, I’m not a fan of party favors. As a mother of a 3 year old, I hate my child receiving yet another cheap plastic toy and a handful of candy. So I really recommend either something like a single book, or something disposable like stickers. For older kids, the ideal party favor is the outcome of some project you have the kids do during the party, like make t-shirts or beaded jewelry, or (as i’ve just been writing about) shrinky dinks!

    thanks for the thoughtful post!

    dot
    dabbled.org

  • Vanille
    July 8, 2008 at 00:10

    Kim, I don’t have opinion regarding goody bags at birthday party as I don’t have child… But I just wanted to let you know that I like this interactive idea of the video !

  • At Home with Kim Vallee
    July 8, 2008 at 00:47

    Vanille, I am glad you like the idea. Thanks!

    I am thinking of doing it once or twice a week. I am asking all of you, how many times per week do you think would be a good fit?

  • Jennifer
    July 8, 2008 at 10:23

    I love party favors. I have 2 children (11 & 9) and we used to go all out on the favors. But then after attending so many other parties and the “junk” you come home with, it’s just something to throw away. I know it entertains the kids for a few hours, but the parents have really just wasted their money. I like to give something useful. My daughter is an October baby, so we did a Halloween them, and the kids took home painted pumpkins, masks and other artsy stuff. Entertainment and goodies made at the party are the key.

  • At Home with Kim Vallee
    July 15, 2008 at 14:10

    Double Duty: Party Favors and Lunch Bags

  • Marked Event
    September 25, 2008 at 16:36

    Party Favors are a wonderful addition to any event. They are a great way to thank your guests for attending your celebration.

    We offer a variety of practical favors for birthday parties. Ranging from baseball caps, reusable journals, t-shirts and more.

    Each items can be personalized with a unique design as a take home memento for your guests to always remember your fabulous celebration.

  • Birthday party ideas
    December 5, 2008 at 21:11

    Every birthday party I have ever gone to, both as a kid, and with my own kid, has had some type of party favors or gift bag.

    I only remember once when I was a kid, we simply had “prizes” for games played, and I remember one kid won almost everything, and I didn’t win anything. I think gift bags are fine, but I don’t recommend game prizes, unless you make sure every kid has a chance to win. Especially the kid who’s birthday party it is. heh

  • Auntie Jo Jo
    February 10, 2009 at 15:51

    I am in the middle of planning a party for my daughter’s 2nd birthday and thought very hard on the idea of a party favor or not. I love to plan parties and LOVE to make and give favors. But a recent discussion in my mom’s group made me think twice about it because it has become a bit crazy and expensive, especially in today’s economy. Is it really necessary? I decided for my party, that yes, it was. I feel that it really shares in the party atmosphere by giving each kid something to take home. It doesn’t have to be expensive but I do think it should be practical. I think that you could go all out and spend as much as $4-6 per favor or more. My favors were a little less than $2 per favor, an art smock & pencil holder filled with chalk and paint pens! They are cute, practical, and I even saved a ton of money by personalizing them myself. It was a fun project for me and I hope the kids and parents will enjoy them!

  • Pauline
    August 18, 2009 at 13:12

    I personally think that party favors can become overboard! I once sent my daughter to a birthday party of a child we didn’t know very well. So spent about $15 on the gift. Well, my daughter came home with a gift bag that put our gift to shame. I felt so cheap! A little something is good but really hate the junk stuff and don’t agree that all kids need a gift. Children really need the lesson that it’s not always their turn to get a gift. We are really setting ourselves up to have material children.