When kids attend birthday parties, they bring presents, eat lots of food, and come home with random trinkets and toys that they may or may not ever use again. And if you’re hosting a birthday party, these favors can feel pricey, especially since they’re one more item on the party budget.
Fortunately, there are fun and affordable birthday party favors that guests (and their parents) will love without breaking the bank. Your birthday kid, and even the whole family, can even help you prepare the supplies and favors.
Here are 10 of our best ideas that you can adapt for boys and girls of all ages:
1. Bubble wands
An excellent birthday party favor to send home with kids of almost any age is a bubble wand. These inexpensive, delightful toys come in several bright colors and can contribute to hours of bubble chasing fun. Parents will appreciate that they facilitate outdoor play and are even safe for small children.
To add a fancy twist, attach ribbons to the top so they can double as wands or streamers for fun dancing and twirling.
2. Flower seeds
For an affordable birthday party favor that won’t clutter up the house, send guests home with flower seeds and instructions for planting them. They’ll double as a learning experience as kids learn about the plant cycle and taking care of their own flowers.
You can even have kids decorate small flower pots as part of the birthday party fun. Just buy some pots, paint, and stickers for a fun party activity.
3. Art clipboards
Childhood is the perfect time for creativity. Consider sending kids home with a party favor that inspires their inner artist. Purchase generic clipboards and attach coloring sheets. If they match the party theme, even better.
The best part about these birthday party favors is that they’ll be a wonderful, portable drawing surface that kids can use at home, in the car, or even at restaurants.
4. Craft sunglasses
It doesn’t have to be summertime for kids to enjoy taking home sunglasses that they decorate themselves. Purchase cheap kids sunglasses – you can probably even find them in bulk – and some craft supplies like sequins, Pom Poms, stickers, pipe cleaners, and foam pieces.
When it’s time for party games, let the guests have fun decorating the rims and earpieces of their sunglasses. This is a birthday party favor you won’t just be sending home; kids will wear them right out of the party.
5. DIY bath bomb
Bath bombs have been a self-care trend for a couple of years, but they can be pricey to purchase. Fortunately, DIY bath bombs are fantastic birthday party favors that the birthday girl can make in advance for her friends. Teens can make these on their own, or kids as young as five can make them with supervision.
You might even have the ingredients around your kitchen. Here’s a link to an excellent recipe and tutorial with suggestions for optional add-ins.
6. Cookie cutters
Cookie cutters are the perfect, inexpensive birthday party favor that are sure to be a ton of fun in the kitchen at home. Choose some cutters that go along with the party theme, like animals, trucks, flowers, etc. Then just attach a delicious recipe for sugar or gingerbread cookies with colorful ribbon.
Your guests don’t even have to use these for cookies. They also make entertaining tools for playing with playdough.
7. Themed candy poop
For some reason, kids love the word “poop.” So if you create some candy poop, you’re sure to get some silly giggles. It’s easy to make this affordable birthday party favor with mini marshmallows or chocolate chips in a plastic bag or container.
Think rainbow mini marshmallows for mermaids or unicorns, or butterscotch chips for teddy bears. The options for character “poop” are only limited by the imagination of you and the birthday boy or girl.
8. Handmade treats
This is another birthday party favor that doubles as a fun party activity. Guests can create their own delicious treats to take home with them. There are several options, from decorating premade sugar cookies or cake pops, to dipping large pretzel sticks in melted chocolate and sprinkles, to using candy molds for DIY hard candies or chocolates.
Kids will love that they are taking home something they’ve made, and parents will love that once eaten, there are no little toys around the house.
9. Superhero capes
This birthday party favor is a fun and affordable idea for boys who aren’t as interested in pretty crafts and cookies. Let them make their own superhero capes to play in and take home.
All you need are pieces of fabric cut to an appropriate size. You can make holes or just add a loose string for tying. To let the guests completely run wild, find fabric in colorful colors and patterns, and offer markers, iron-on superhero symbols, glue, and random craft supplies.
For a complete superhero ensemble, add plastic party masks to the mix for decorating and saving the world.
10. Polaroid photographs
Photo booths and accessories are inexpensive to make, and the resulting instant photographs make for wonderful memories of the birthday party.
You can use craft sticks and cardboard to make mustaches, glasses, word bubbles, and other fun objects that the guests can hold for funny poses. Snap pictures with a Polaroid or other instant camera, and guests can take home their silly photographs as birthday party favors.
Photos are the type of favors that will end up on refrigerators, walls, and in memory boxes, sometimes for years.
All of these birthday party favor ideas will be guest favorites and help your birthday boy or girl have an incredible party with friends. Plus, they’re fun and budget-friendly. For another tip for a seamless birthday party, check out Giftster, an online platform for simple wishlists. Your kid will love selecting gifts, and guests will love the ease of looking in one place for present ideas.
