22 UNIQUE PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR TODDLERS (2 AND 3-YEAR-OLDS): THE BEST FILLERS, FAVOURS AND ALTERNATIVES

Birthday parties for two and three-year-olds are the first time that toddlers begin to understand the delight of being given a party bag. But what to put in them? If you’re stuck for ideas, here’s a roundup of party bag ideas for toddlers, including fillers, favours and cost-effective small gifts that make fun alternatives. 

I’ve hosted my fair share of toddler and kids’ parties over the years. So, I’ve put together ideas to suit all budgets; the defining thread that connects them all is that they are junk-free. Whilst it’s lovely to see the look of delight on a child’s face when they are given a party bag, it’s good to have a guilt-free conscious that you haven’t just handed them a bag of brightly coloured landfill or junk that will get instantly discarded.  

22 BEST PARTY BAG IDEAS FOR TODDLERS:

1. PARTY BAG FILLERS

Here’s a list of brilliant things to fill toddler party bags with, including small toys, bathtime fun stuff, musical instruments, craft supplies and sweet little treats. Things that two and three-year-olds will actually use and love. 

2. PARTY FAVOURS AND ALTERNATIVES TO PARTY BAGS

Want to ditch the party bags and give out a single party favour instead? Here is a list of great alternatives that work well for toddlers.

A QUICK GUIDE TO PARTY BAGS!

Party bags are like Marmite for parents, you either love them or you hate them. And that doesn’t necessarily have a bearing on whether you have them at your child’s birthday party. 

If you are tearing your hair out working out what to put in party bags or wondering if you’d be better off skipping them, here’s a quick guide to everything you need to know about party bags for toddlers and kids. 

1. DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE PARTY BAGS?

No, you absolutely don’t have to hand out party bags at a child’s birthday party. There are other options:

1. Don’t give anything; just say thank you to each guest for coming along.
2. Give a slice of cake and a balloon instead – this is properly old school, and of course, the cake must be wrapped in a party napkin!
3. Buy pre-filled party bags. Use my guide to the best party bags.
4. Give party favours instead of party bags. Party favours are essentially small gifts that say thank you for coming. 
5. Give out a personalised party favour that doubles as a thank you card. This is a great way to save time and money. My favourite ‘thank you’ party favours are biscuit mixes in cute boxes. 

HOW MANY THINGS SHOULD YOU PUT IN A PARTY BAG?

I always suggest putting three to five things in a party bag. Either go with one main party bag filler and then some smaller items or choose three to five items of a similar size and cost. 

IS IT POSSIBLE TO AVOID JUST FILLING PARTY BAGS WITH JUNK?

Whilst it might be tempting to bulk buy small bits of brightly coloured plastic to keep costs down and get the job done quickly, there are better ways to fill party bags. I always put the focus on filling party bags with things that are eco-friendly, usable and stuff kids will actually want to keep. Use my many kids’ party bag guides to find the best ideas.

IS IT OK TO PUT SWEETS/CANDY IN PARTY BAGS? 

I think it is perfectly fine to put a couple of small sweet treats in a party bag. If you are worried about what other parents will think, you can always go for healthier sweet treat options, like Biona organic sweets, mini chocolate bars, like a Fredo, or even bake a batch of cookies if you have time. 

WHAT ARE THE BEST KINDS OF THINGS TO PUT IN KIDS’ PARTY BAGS?

I suggest going for fun-looking but practical and useful things. Things that will definitely get used. So, think along the lines of colouring books, stuff to draw and get creative with, things to read or edible treats. 

WHAT SHOULD YOU AVOID PUTTING IN TODDLER PARTY BAGS?

When filling party bags for two and three-year-old toddlers, it is important to avoid things that might be dangerous for them. So avoid things that can be easily swallowed (with the exception of sweet treats!), things with lots of little parts, and things that can get broken quickly.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GIVE OUT PARTY BAGS?

Ideally, you should wait until your guests are literally about to walk out of the door. This way, you don’t end. up with excited kids diving straight into the party bags and causing a bottleneck at the door when you really are ready for everyone to leave. 

This is also a good tactic if there are slightly different things in each party bag. If the party guests can’t see what everyone else has, there is no room for them to get upset. 

WHAT IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO PUT TOGETHER PARTY BAGS?

There are two really quick ways to put together party bags:

1. Bulk all the items in bulk.
2. Buy pre-filled party bags. 

WHERE DO YOU FIND REALLY LOVELY PAPER PARTY BAGS? 

I’ve rounded up a selection of the best paper party bags. There are also sorts of lovely colours, patterns, shapes and sizes.