100 Party Themes
First Birthday
Favorite Birthday
Favorites by Age
Holiday Parties
Invitations
Decorations
Party Favors
Planning Guide
Checklist
Games & Activities
Fun Food
Helpful Hints
Party Directory
Lady Bug Favor
Dog Favor
Monkey Favor
Safari Favor
Firefighter Favor
Monster Truck Favor
Jets Favor
Mickey Favor
Yo Gabba Gabba
Circus Party Favor
Little Mermaid Favor
Disney Princess
Favor
Pink Poodle Favor
Horse Party Favor
Monster Truck Favor
Spiderman Favor
Batman Favor
Special Forces Favor
Cowboy Favor
Farm Favor
Sea Life Favor
Princess Favor
Mario Favor
Bowling Favor
Train Favor
Star Wars Favor
Space Favor
Pirate Favor
Gymnastics Favor
Racecar Favor
Wizard Favor
Magic Favor
Knights Favor
Dinosaur Favor
Hula Favor
Ducky Favor
Sesame Favor
Construction Favor
Cars Favor
Tony Hawk Favor
Baseball Favor
American Idol Favor
High School Musical Favor
Hannah Montana
Favor
Fashion Favor
Wizard of Oz Favor
Party favors are a nice way to thank your guests for attending, reciprocate for their thoughtful presents, and send them on their way with their own "present" from your party. Birthday Express sells dozens of cute party favor boxes that are an excellent value.
It's a good idea to have a couple extra favor bags for unexpected guests and siblings of guests who stay for the party. Be sure to make a favor bag for your child and any of his/her siblings who will want one.
Provide medium-to-large size, colorful paper bags (approx. $1.25 each) and have guests write their names on their bags and decorate them with stickers related to the party them when the first arrive. Guests can then put any favors, prizes, and completed art projects in their bags throughout the party.
Use small or medium-sized cellophane bags (approx. $2 per 8 pack) tied with ribbon to "wrap" collections of smaller items, such as a plastic toy animal, stickers, and loose candy as favors that become the goal of "hunt". Award individual favors, such as a pinwheel, a toy animal, or a "medal", to each guest when they complete a game or activity. Visit our Games page for ideas.
Arts & Crafts projects can also serve as favors. Visit our Arts & Crafts page for ideas.
A word of caution... party favors can become expensive. Decide how much you want to spend and then keep track of the cost of items you purchase. I usually budget $5-7 per child for favors and prizes, which includes one or two higher cost items ($1-2 each) and several low cost items (candy, stickers, pencils, etc.) per child.
Birthday In a Box sells favor items, including buttons, magnets, and stickers that can be personalized with a message or each guest's name.
Around 8-10 years of age your children and their friends may outgrow the traditional trinket-filled party favor bags. At this point one large favor tied to the party theme, such as a children's mystery novel for a Mystery Party, may be a bigger hit.
Activity Books |
mazes, crossword puzzles, word search, dot-to-dot, paper dolls, paper airplanes |
Any | $1-3 |
Aliens |
small plastic or rubber toys | 3-9 | $0.50-$1 |
Animals |
small plastic or stuffed animals that tie into theme (dinosaurs, horses, teddy bears, sharks, etc.) |
3-9 | $0.25-$3 |
Animal Crackers |
individual size circus-style box from grocery store |
1-9 | $0.50 |
Balloons |
inflated helium balloon to take home |
1-5 | $1 |
Balls |
beach balls, superballs, squishy balls |
Any | $0.50-$3 |
Bookmarks |
paper or plastic, store bought or handmade |
6-13+ | $0.50-$1 |
Books |
paperback books that tie in with party theme |
Any | $2-5 |
Bubbles |
bottle of blowing bubbles with wand |
0-9 | $0.50 |
Bubble Bath |
small packages or plastic bottles of fragrant bubble bath | Any | $1-2 |
Cameras |
inexpensive single use cameras | 6-13+ | $5-7 |
Candy |
small amount of candy that ties into theme (gummy bears for teddy bear party, chocolate soccer balls for soccer party, etc.) | Any | $0.25-$1 |
Card Games |
fish, crazy 8s, old maid, or standard card decks | Any | $1-2 |
Cars |
small plastic or metal cars, sometimes less expensive to buy large set and then divide up | Any | $0.25-$2 |
Chalk |
multi color chalkboard size (regular) or extra large sidewalk chalk | 3-12 | $1-2 |
Coins |
state quarters, Susan B. Anthony dollars, foreign coins | Any | $0.25-$1 |
Coloring Books |
inexpensive versions that tie in with party theme |
3-9 | $1-2 |
Comic Books |
inexpensive versions that tie in with party theme |
6-12 | $2-3 |
Crackers & Poppers |
small prizes inside paper covered tubes (pull to open) | 6-13+ | $2 |
Crayons |
small packs of regular or specialty crayons (glitter) |
3-5 | $1 |
Dolls |
small plastic, wooden, or cloth dolls | 3-9 | $0.50-$2 |
Erasers |
colorful, specialty shaped pencil top erasers that tie in with party theme (stars for space party) | 6-12 | $0.25-.50 |
Eye Glass |
magnifying or kaleidoscope | 3-9 | $0.50-$1 |
Finger Cuffs |
woven straw tube that temporarily "traps" fingers | 6-12 | $0.50 |
Finger Puppets |
small plastic or fabric puppets, usually animals, monsters, or aliens | 3-9 | $0.50-$1 |
Flashlights |
colorful, pocket-size versions |
3-13+ | $2-3 |
Frisbees |
mini or full-size |
6-13+ | $1-5 |
Fruit Leathers |
pressed fruit "candy" roll-ups and shapes | 3-13+ | $0.25-.50 |
Gliders |
balsa wood gliders and planes, sometimes in special shapes (dinosaurs, butterflies, etc.) |
3-9 | $1 |
Gum |
package of chewing gum or bubble gum |
6-13+ | $0.50 |
Hair Accessories |
barrettes, head bands, decorated elastic bands | 3-13+ | $1-3 |
Hats |
baseball caps, sun visors, straw hats | 6-13+ | $3-7 |
Jacks |
ball and jacks set | 6-9 | $1 |
Jewelry |
rings, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings (stick on) | 3-13+ | $0.25-$2 |
Jump Rope |
inexpensive plastic or rope version | 6-9 | $2-3 |
Kazoos |
small plastic kazoos | 3-9 | $0.50 |
Key Chains |
fun version that ties into party theme | 6-13+ | $2-3 |
Legos |
small individually packaged sets or buy large bucket and divide into favor bags | 3-9 | $2-4 |
Magic Tricks |
small individually packaged magic tricks (usually rings, cards, or puzzles) | 6-12 | $1-2 |
Magnets |
decorative magnets (refrigerator type) or science type (horseshoe, bars, etc.) | 6-9 | $1-2 |
Marbles |
assorted colorful marbles | 6-9 | $1-2 |
Markers |
regular colored markers and specialty markers (shapes, glitter, neon) | 3-12 | $1-3 |
Medals & Awards |
winner's medallions on a ribbon, award ribbons on safety pins or make own | 3-9 | $0.50-$1 |
Modeling Clay |
small blocks of prepackaged hobby clay |
6-9 | $1-2 |
Nail Polish |
small bottles of fun colors |
6-13+ | $1-2 |
Noisemakers |
horns, whistles, shakers, etc. |
3-12 | $0.50-$1 |
Notepads & Stationary |
specialty designs, colors and shapes that tie in with party theme | 6-13+ | $1-2 |
Paddle Balls |
rubber ball attached to wooden or plastic paddle with elastic string |
6-9 | $1 |
Paint Sets |
water color paint set with 5-7 paints and brush |
3-9 | $1-2 |
Pens/Pencils |
fancy number 2 pencils, colored pencils, pushup pencils with multicolored leads, multi color pens |
3-13+ | $0.25-.50 |
Play Doh |
special small quantity containers |
3-7 | $0.50-$1 |
Postcards |
art or travel postcards |
11-14+ | $0.50-$1 |
Punching Balloons |
large sturdy re-inflatable balloon on rubber band | 3-9 | $1 |
Puzzles |
small, individually packaged puzzles or make own |
3-12 | $1-2 |
Rubber Stamps |
small stamps that tie in with theme, also provide ink pad if possible | 3-12 | $1-4 |
Ruler |
6 or 12 inch ruler in fun shapes, colors, designs |
6-9 | $1-2 |
Shoelaces |
specialty shoe laces in bright color or fun designs | 6-12 | $2-3 |
Silly Putty |
elastic putty in plastic egg |
3-9 | $2-3 |
Silly String |
plastic foam string in aerosol can |
6-13+ | $3 |
Squirters |
water squirters (I prefer animal shapes instead of gun shapes) |
3-9 | $1-2 |
Stars |
plastic glow-in-the-dark stars | 6-9 | $0.50-$2 |
Stencils |
plastic stencils in shapes that tie with party theme | 6-9 | $0.50-$1 |
Stickers |
fun, colorful stickers that tie in with theme |
3-9 | $0.25-50 |
Tattoos |
small temporary tattoos |
3-13+ | $0.25-$1 |
Tops |
small plastic or wooden spinning tops |
3-6 | $0.25-$1 |
Trading Cards |
sports cards, Pokemon cards | 6-12 | $2-3 |
Treasure Balls |
small prizes wrapped inside crepe paper balls (usually have to make) |
3-13+ | $1-3 |
Wands |
magic wands, fairy wands, princess wands | 3-9 | $2-3 |
Whistles |
plastic or metal whistles | 6-12 | $1-2 |
Yo-yos |
plastic, wood or metal | 6-13+ | $2-5 |