Birthday Party Fun: Goodie Bag Alternatives

 by: Deborah Shelton

If you're looking for alternatives to pricey goodie bags, here are a few ideas that will make your guests--and wallet--happy.

Any Fun Party:

Take Polaroid photos of each guest with the birthday child, and decorate cardboard picture frames, or make frames with popsicle sticks.

Dance Party:

Let the birthday child create a mix CD of favorite music. Burn copies for everybody (and play it at the party too!).

Hawaiian Party:

Decorate inexpensive plastic sunglasses with artificial flowers. String together more artificial flowers for one-of- a-kind leis.

Royal Party:

Decorate paper crowns and make scepters from wooden dowels and plastic jewels.

Sleepover Party:

Decorate plastic light-switch plates with stickers. Allow your young guests to embellish white pillowcases with fabric paints for a take-home sleepy surprise.

Spring or Garden Party:

Paint flower pots and include a pack of flower seeds for children to grow at home.

Survivor Party:

Send the children on a scavenger hunt equipped with compasses and trail mixes that they can make before the hunt. The compass will become a new favorite gadget, and the trail mix is a lot healthier that candy treats.

Tea Party:

Let the girls decorate straw hats with artificial flowers, which they can wear for the party, and later take home. Complete the party with candy necklaces.

Have fun!