101 Things to put in party bags that kids will love
Time and again I hear from fellow parents that working out what to put in party bags is the thing most likely to send them over the edge after they’ve sorted a venue, entertainer, party games and food for their child’s birthday party. For games, themes and the rest of the preparations, use our kids’ party planning guide.
Finding stuff that kids will love, that isn’t just a bunch of junk and won’t bankrupt you can be a challenge.
So I’ve put together a list of 101 ideas for party bag fillers that will help you put together bags that will be the talk of the playground.
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Related: 32 Eco-friendly party bag fillers and Cute favours that make great alternatives to party bags
101 Best kids’ party bag filler ideas
I’ve tried to keep the ideas on this list eco-friendly, original and fun.
I usually suggest aiming for around five things in a party bag, with one or two higher-value items and then two or three tiny fillers.
1. Fun stuff in pots and tubes
Buy multipacks or sets of fun stuff in pots and tubes and divide them up into the party bags.
2. Cute Stationery
You can also get plenty of cute stationery, like pens, erasers and pencil sharpeners as bulk buys to divide up. Here are some of the cutest…
- Cute Kawaii style pencil case
- Fun highlighter pens
- Dustless sidewalk chalk
- Cute stickers
- Mini bath crayons
- Colour-in paper mask
And here are a few more stationery ideas….
3. Books
Book – buy a boxset and split it up. Really good book box sets include:
7. Thing to grow
Little kids in particular love the excitement of planting seeds and then watching them germinate and grow.
8. Useful everyday stuff with a fun twist
9. Random other ideas
And here are a few more ideas that I just love… glow stars are a classic! The polaroid idea steals from the past for a retro twist.
- Glow stars – sprinkle a few in each party bag!
- Polaroid photo from the party – here’s a great classic polaroid camera
Party bag filler ideas by age from 2 years old to 10 years old
I thought grouping filler ideas together by age would also be useful.
PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR TWO-YEAR-OLDS
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Buy from AmazonWooden musical instruments can provide lots of fun for toddlers. How about buying this 30-piece set of instruments and then breaking it up as individual party favours for two-year-olds?
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Buy from Baker Ross
Baker Ross has a selection of different sets of novelty rubber ducks, but this safari set caught my eye. Perfect for safari and zoo animal-themed toddler parties.
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Buy from Amazon
This lovely set of Baby Einstein books has 12 books, perfect for breaking up and giving as 12 individual party favours or popping a book into each guest's party bag.
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£14.29Amazon
This set of four fingerpaints is a great party gift for toddlers.
11/02/2024 07:30 pm GMT -
Buy from Amazon
These little wooden spinning tops are eco-friendly and will hold two-year-olds' attention as they watch the bright colours swirl.
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Buy from Amazon
Score big eco-points by gifting Bio Bubbles as party favours. Every two-year-old loves bubbles!
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PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS
How about one of these lovely ideas for party bag fillers or party favours for three-year-olds?
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£10 (at time of publication)Buy from Kidly
What is better than play dough? Glittery play dough!! You can buy this gorgeous Djeco play dough in sets of four pots. Give every child a set, or divide them up, pop each pot in a cellophane bag, tie it with a fancy bow and give as individual party favours.
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£5.10Buy from Amazon Buy from eBay
This mini garden tools set is super cute and really tough, great for messy play in the garden and even at the beach.
11/02/2024 06:19 pm GMT -
£12.99Buy from Amazon
These super cute mini wooden jigsaws are perfect for little three-year-olds' hands. Buy a set and divide it up to give as individual party favours or to help fill party bags.
11/02/2024 06:14 pm GMT -
£9.98Buy from Amazon Buy from eBay
Buy a multi-pack and divide it into party bags or stack two or three together for individual party favours.
11/02/2024 06:54 pm GMT -
£3.50 each (at time of publication)Buy from Not On The High Street
This is a cute little unicorn wand crafting kit with which three-year-olds can get creative. It's perfect as a party favour or alternative to giving a party bag, especially for unicorn-themed parties.
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Buy from notonthehighstreet
These make-your-own mask kits are brilliant for three-year-olds to craft and then make. Give them as party favours or add them to party bags.
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£3.69Buy from Amazon
These kids' gardening gloves are for ages 3+ and perfect for little kids messing around in the garden. The pairs of gloves can be bought individually or in a two-pack, which gives a little extra cost saving.
11/02/2024 06:26 pm GMT
PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS
This is a selection of really cool party bag and party favour ideas that four-year-olds will love.
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From £15 (at time of publication)Notonthehighstreet
Each balloon is individually packaged. PERFECT for ready-made party favours.
There are sets of four or sets of 10.
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Buy from Amazon
This air-dry clay kit has a rainbow of 48 colours, perfect for dividing up as party favours or popping into party bags for four-year-olds.
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Buy from Amazon
These felt masks are super cute and would make great party bag fillers, especially for animal-themed kids' birthday parties.
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Buy from Amazon Buy from Next
Scratch-art is super popular with kids, and this party pack set is great for dividing up and using as party favours or popping into party bags for four-year-olds. You could also use it as a craft activity at the birthday party.
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Clockwork Soldier | Not On The High Street
This Grow Your Own Magical Garden set is super fun, it comes complete with pop up unicorns, what’s not to love?!
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Buy from Amazon
This set of 36 brightly coloured wooden animal bookmarks is perfect for dividing up and popping into party bags.
PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR FIVE-YEAR-OLDS
Wondering what to put in a party bag for a five year old? Here’s my top suggestions for alternative goodie bag fillers or party favours that you can give instead of party bags, that five year old girls and boys will love.
Five year olds are still at an age where they love lots of loot in their party bag, the thrill of being given a party bag kind of outweighs what is actually in it. But that doesn’t mean you should just fill it with junk!
Here’s a list of junk-free party bag fillers and favours that five year old kids will think is lovely loot that they will actually use.
PARTY FAVOUR IDEAS FOR 5-YEAR-OLDS
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£5.97Buy from Amazon Buy from BigJigs
This set of three animal yoyos is perfect for dividing up as party favours. The yoyos are made from sustainably sourced wood and decorated with non-toxic paint.
11/02/2024 11:15 pm GMT -
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Buy from Amazon Buy from eBay
This Kitchen Lab STEM kit is a great party favour for five-year-olds. They can learn how to power a clock with an apple amongst other brilliantly fun science experiments.
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Buy from Little Otter
These bright and cute sets of ten colouring pencils make lovely party favours.
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Buy from Not On The High Street
By five-years-old kids love the idea of making their own treats. This dinosaur baking kit is a complete party favour-in-a-box that doubles as a thank-you.
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Buy from Amazon
These little wooden bracelets are fab little party bag fillers that five-year-olds will love to wear.
PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR SIX-YEAR-OLDS
Here is a list of really bright and fun party bag filler and party favour ideas for six-year-olds.
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Buy from Amazon Buy from Waterstones
What six-year-old doesn't love a joke? Either to read to themselves or to entertain their family and pals.
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Buy from Amazon Buy from Waterstones
Kids and their parents will absolutely love this book. It contains a bunch of fun projects to do with old toilet rolls and other bits and bobs that can be found around the house.
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Buy from Amazon
Jacob's Ladder is a Victorian kids' toy that is still popular today. It is mesmerising to watch the wooden slats turn and click-clack up and down.
PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR SEVEN-YEAR-OLDS
Here are some lovely ideas for party favours and party bag fillers for seven-year-olds.
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Buy from Amazon Buy from Sublime Science
Buy a bundle of 15 prefilled Science party bags from Dragon's Den winners, Sublime Science. The kits each contain the following educational and fun science experiments:
- Gold Sublime Science Party Bags
- Flying Finger Rockets
- Air Powered Helicopters
- Micro-Catchabubbles
- Rainbow Diffraction Glasses
Plus a link to a FREE eBook packed with awesome experiments
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£8.99£7.95Amazon WaterstonesThere are tips, tasks, and story-theme prompts to help kids write amazing stories.
11/02/2024 07:15 pm GMT -
Buy from Meri Meri
These unicorn hair pompom sets are gorgeous. Give them out as party favours or divide the pompoms up and use them as party bag fillers.
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£4.95 each (at time of publication)Notonthehighstreet
The lid has enough space for a name and a few more party details.
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Buy from Amazon
This Lego pen comes with a little Lego figure attached. It's a fun party favour that boys and girls will love.
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Buy from Amazon
Brrm brrm!! These temporary tattoos will please any boy or girl into big monster trucks!!
PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS
Here are some fabulous ideas for party bag fillers and party favours for eight-year-olds.
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Buy from Accessorize
This cute little kit is lovely for kids to make and then they can wear it endlessly.
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£5.99 (at time of publication)Wicked Uncle
These treat boxes are retro style and contain all the penny sweets from yesteryear, so kids will have to fight to keep their parents' hands out!!
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£11.99Amazon
These bath bombs are super duper charged with special effects. They're also eco-friendly and the colours won't wreck baths!
11/02/2024 07:51 pm GMT -
£8.75Buy Now
These lemon clock-making sets are great little science projects and great STEM party favours.
11/02/2024 07:56 pm GMT -
Buy from Amazon
These cute little animal-shaped sticky notepads come in sets of eight, perfect for party bag fillers.
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Buy from Amazon
These cute animals eraser-topped brightly coloured pencils make great party bag fillers.
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Buy from Not On The High Street
These T-Shirt painting kits are fab. Each kit has a T-shirt, a set of themed stencils, an initial template (personalised for each party guest) and a brush. Use them as a craft activity during a party or give them out as party favours.
PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR NINE-YEAR-OLDS
Browse these lovely ideas for party bag fillers and party favours for nine-year-olds.
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Buy from Not On The High Street
These shark-shaped bath bombs are great for girls' and boys' party favours or bag fillers.
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Buy from Hotel Chocolat
These Smile chocolate lollies have a retro 80s feel, which will put a smile on parents' faces too.
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Buy from Amazon Buy from Cowling & Wilcox
Decoupage is a lovely craft, it takes a steady hand, so it is great for kids aged 9 years plus. These kits make great party favours.
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Buy from Sass & Belle
Friendships start to become really important for nine-year-olds, so these gorgeous friendship plaques make great party favours for a birthday party of close friends.
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Buy from Amazon
These gratitude journals encourage mindfulness for kids and are lovely party favours for nine-year-olds.
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Buy from Not On The High Street
Out of ideas for party bag fillers? How about giving cold hard cash? Or, failing that, edible paper money!!
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Buy from Amazon
This pack of ten friendship bracelets is perfect for popping a bracelet into each guest's party bag. The bracelets are adjustable, and each has a different pattern.
PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR TEN-YEAR-OLDS
Are you wondering what to put in party bags for ten-year-olds? If you are, I’ve put together a roundup of lovely party bag ideas for ten-year-olds. The list is a mix of party bag fillers and party favours that make great alternatives to party bags for ten-year-olds.
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Buy from Swizzles
These giant Love Heart chocolate coins make brilliant party favours for ten-year-olds. There are 18 in the set, so they are great value for money as party bag fillers too.
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Buy from Not On The High Street
Party cones filled with sweets make a welcome party favour for kids of all ages.
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Buy from Amazon
This book is a brilliant way to get kids into origami and makes a lovely party favour for ten-year-olds.
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Buy from Amazon
This set of 48 fab doll-shaped nail polishes is by the British small business brand Beauty4bBritain. It's perfect for dividing up for use as party favours or as party bag fillers.
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Buy from Not On The High Street
This natural lip gloss is the perfect party favour for ten-year-old girls. There are four fruity flavours - - strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and cherry to choose from.
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Buy from Amazon Buy from John Lewis
This 12-pack of Lego marker pens is perfect for dividing up to use for filling party bags.
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Buy from notonthehighstreet
This Make Your Own Paper Birdcage Kit is just magical. I also love that it is made from recycled card.
The birdcage is SO EASY to make; there’s no need for glue or scissors, so it makes a great party bag idea for kids aged 7 years old and upwards to make on their own or for younger kids to make with help.
How many things should you put in a party bag?
Clearly, there are no laws on this!! But what I would suggest is to aim for around five items of varying value.
Opting for one or two higher value things and then supplementing them with two or three smaller filler items is a good way to go.
And there is nothing wrong with going for the age-old tradition of having a slice of cake wrapped in a party napkin as one of those items! That said, cake slice boxes like these are budget-friendly and great for making slices of cake look a little more fancy (and keeping the cake from squishing!).
Another tip I can share is to try and set yourself a budget for the overall cost of the party bags and then work backwards from there, to establish how much to spend on each party bag.
And finally, try to avoid cheap plastic tat that is multi-coloured landfill. Less is more when it comes to caring about the environment.
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Hello, I’m Luci, founder of Mums Make Lists. The site is full of useful and fun ideas for life and seasonal celebrations. Plus a growing selection of instantly downloadable fun printables and party planners. Read more.