Your Kids Birthday Party: Ideas for Party Favors

One of the seemingly unavoidable expenses in hosting your childs’ birthday party is the inevitable “Loot Bag” party favor. My personal opinion is that this concept was dreamed up by the party supply industry just so you’d have to spend more money in their store or on their website. At just $3 for each of 12 guests, that’s 36 bucks out of your pocket for a bunch of stuff the kids really don’t care about and certainly don’t need. You can do better, cheaper, and much more memorable.

A birthday party is all about sharing the celebration with your child’s friends. A basically free but very nice party favor continues this sharing and gives everybody something else to look forward to.

With your digital camera and a willing helper, you can create delightful take home photos to remind everyone what a great time they’ve had at your birthday party. As you’re waiting for all your guests to arrive, take either individual shots of each guest, or (this is my preference) take a snap of each guest with the birthday child.

To the extent you can use props in your picture that go along with your party theme, so much the better. For example, for a detective party, take the obligatory full front and side views with each child holding a pre-made card with their name and alleged crime. For a Pirate party, take the photo with each child in their bandana, earring, and mustache. At minimal cost, you can supply each of the above for the birthday child and each guest- to be re-used by the next guest you're photographing. If your theme doesn't lend itself to such props, just use a silly hat or headband instead.

While the party is going on, your helper can print out all the photos either onto card stock or photo paper. Go one step further and have pretty or fun printable frames already made, printed out and cut to size ahead of time. Print out your digital photos sized to fit your frame, glue them on the frame, and it's all done. Simple, inexpensive, and not something they get at every party they go to.

Most early elementary school kids don’t even know what a certificate is, but if something looks important, then they think it IS important.

You can easily create an official looking certificate in Word or your favorite graphics program. Add a picture! Spend a few extra dollars and print it out on parchment type paper- available at Staples or Office Depot type stores. Roll it up and tie it with a pretty ribbon to make the presentation even more effective.

All girls seem to enjoy these paper fortune tellers, and they make a very nice and no cost party favor for an all girl group.

Instead of a handwritten one, give them one that looks much more "official" that's computer generated, as in the picture.

Each of the inexpensive party favors suggested on this page are available for you to download in Word format on my Birthday Party Games Lady website. (No strings attached- no signup, no email address request, just grab them and go). You can change colors, photos, size, text, etc. for all except the Fortune Teller.

While searching for ideas for my own parties, I've discovered some intesting sites with crafty type activities that can easily be used for party favors. Instead of doing these rather simple crafts as part of your party, do it ahead of time with your birthday child and enjoy some quality together time as a bonus.

• HP Activity Center
• Send each (female) child home with a Paper Flower bouquet
• Make your craft activity into your party favor with Paper Hats
• Everybody needs a pencil- and these pencil toppers are cute and fun.

Do you have a simple and easy party favor idea that can replace the expense of loot bags filled with toys or candy? Please add them in the comments below so more people can save their money for the important things.