30 GOODIE BAG IDEAS FOR KIDS: ORIGINAL AND JUNK-FREE

Goodie bags. Love them or loathe them; they are a thing, even though there are regular pronouncements that they are over. The reality is that kids absolutely love to get their little hands on a goodie bag when they go to their friend’s birthday parties.

So if you are going all-in on filling goodie bags but want to keep them junk-free and free of cheap plastic, you need this curation of the loveliest goodie bag ideas for kids that I’ve put together. 

BRILLIANTLY ORIGINAL KIDS’ BIRTHDAY PARTY GOODIE BAG IDEAS

I’ve put together a range of filler ideas that will work for boy and girl party guests. I’ve been careful to avoid plastic junk and focused on finding the best party favours that are either great as a main goodie bag filler or sets that can be divided up to make cost-effective fillers. 

There are some sweet treats, mini craft kits, fun goodie items, and cute little gifts that can be personalised. I’ve even found some super cute temporary tattoos that aren’t hideous. 

I’ve tried to include ideas on this list for kids of all ages, from three to 12 years old.

30 GOODIE BAG IDEAS FOR KIDS

THE QUICK GUIDE TO GOODIE BAGS FOR KIDS’ BIRTHDAY PARTIES

Goodie bags are the marmite of the kids’ party world for parents. You either love them or loathe them. Whether you are a parent who absolutely loves coming up with wonderfully original ideas for filling cute party bags or a parent who would really rather not have to bother, here are a few simple goodie bag tips to help you. 

1. DO YOU HAVE TO GIVE PARTY BAGS OUT AT KIDS’ PARTIES?

Goodie bags, party bags, loot bags… whatever you call them, you absolutely do not HAVE to give them out. However, if you don’t feel like you can avoid giving the party guests a little something altogether, you can opt for giving out a single party favour instead of a bag filled with stuff. 

If you are looking for good alternatives for kids’ party bags, you should take a look at my bumper roundup of kids’ party bag alternatives. 

2. WHERE DO YOU FIND DECENT BIRTHDAY PARTY SUPPLIES THAT DON’T COST A FORTUNE?

As you can see from my roundup of goodie bag ideas, it’s not so much where you go to get the party favours as how you search for them. The reality is that there are lots of brilliant options on Amazon, even though a simple search for ‘kids’ party bag fillers’ tends to bring up all the horrors that many of us want to avoid. 

The key is to think laterally about how you search (or simply use one of my many party bag guides!!). I am always on the lookout.  for cool kids’ brands and tend to search brand names, then see if the brand has a store on Amazon. 

I am also on the lookout for sets of things that can be divided up, which makes them so much more budget-friendly. 

3. HOW MANY ITEMS DO YOU NEED TO FILL A GOODIE BAG?

I suggest that you aim for three to five items per goodie bag. I tend to go for one main filler, then several smaller fillers. Another cost-effective way to tackle filling a goodie bag is to include a piece of birthday cake as one of the items. 

4. EDIBLE GOODIES

There are lots of fun ideas for edible goodies, everything from sweetie necklaces to cookie-making kits. Or you could simply buy a giant bag of sweets or chocolates and divide them up. 

5. WHAT AGE DO YOU STOP GIVING GOODIE BAGS?

While there is no set age, lots of parents stop giving goodie bags out once their kids get to secondary school. In my experience, there is a transition from giving goodie bags to giving a single party favour once kids reach their tween years (8-12 years old), and then the whole thing tails off once kids get to secondary (high) school.