20 Birthday Party Favors for Kids They’ll Actually Use

I’ve cleaned out enough goodie bags to know how it goes. The kids tip them out in the car, eat the candy, lose interest in the plastic whistle by the time you’re home, and the little spinning top ends up under the couch until spring. Nobody needs another bag of that. Not you, not them. But you’d still like to send kids home with something, and they do love getting a bag at the door.

So these birthday party favors for kids are things that actually get used, eaten, planted or played with. Most are cheap, a lot of them kids can help make, and some double as the party activity. There’s a free printable pack too, with favor tags and bag toppers in eight themes, a fold-up seed packet, a mini coloring book and thank-you notes.

What’s in the Free Printable Pack

Favors Kids Can Help Make

Seed Packets

Fold our printable seed packet, spoon in a few easy flower seeds like sunflowers or marigolds, and seal it with a sticker. Kids love planting them at home and checking every morning for the first green shoot, and when it finally pokes through, you’ll get a very excited phone call from a parent you barely know. It’s also one of the cheapest favors there is.

Recycled Crayons

Peel old broken crayons, snap them into small pieces and pack them into a silicone mold. A grown-up bakes them on low until they melt, then lets them cool and pops them out as stars, hearts or dinosaurs. It uses up the crayon box everyone’s got. The swirly colors are gorgeous.

Homemade Playdough

Make a big batch of homemade playdough in a few colors, then divide it into small jars or zip bags with one of our tags. It’s soft. It smells nice. And it keeps little ones busy on the car ride home, which every parent picking up a sugared-up five-year-old will quietly thank you for. Keep it in a sealed container so it doesn’t dry out.

Decorated Cookies

Bake simple sugar cookies in the party’s theme and bag them with a tag. Better still, let kids decorate their own at the party (more on that below). Check the guest list for allergies first, and label the ingredients.

A Mini Coloring Book

Print our mini coloring book, fold it along the lines and add a couple of crayons. It costs almost nothing, it fits in any bag, and it’ll keep a four-year-old quiet at a restaurant for a good twenty minutes. Gold.

Painted Rock Buddies

Paint smooth stones with faces, ladybugs or little monsters before the party. Kids like having a pocket buddy. Don’t ask me why. They just do. Seal them so the paint doesn’t rub off.

Friendship Bracelet Kits

Put a few lengths of embroidery thread and a simple pattern card in a small envelope. Older kids can make one at home and swap them at school the following week, which keeps the party going long after it’s over.

Favors That Are Also the Party Activity

Decorate-Your-Own Cookies

Set out plain cookies, icing and sprinkles, and let every guest decorate two. They eat one. One goes home. It’s a favor and an activity in one, and it saves you buying anything else.

Party Crowns and Masks

Kids make and decorate a crown or mask at the party, wear it all afternoon and take it home. Paper crowns, card masks and a box of stickers are all you need, and if you’ve got glitter glue in the cupboard, this is the moment to use it, as long as the party’s not in your living room.

Pot a Plant

Give every child a small pot, let them paint it and plant a seedling or some seeds. They go home with something alive, and nobody finds it under the couch in March, though they might find a few sunflowers on the windowsill in July if they remember to water it.

Sticker Scenes

Hand out a blank scene, like a beach, a space background or a farm, plus a sheet of stickers. Kids build their picture at the party and take it home. It’s quiet, it’s tidy and it’s perfect for the last half hour.

A Party Photo

Set up a backdrop and take a photo of each child, then print it at home and pop it into a card-stock frame they decorated. Parents always keep these. They’re the favor nobody tosses.

Small Things Kids Actually Use

Bubbles

A small bottle of bubbles is cheap and popular from toddlers right up to ten-year-olds. It’s an easy win, every time, and you won’t find a single kid who’s too cool for bubbles.

Sidewalk Chalk

Chalk’s great. Tie a few chunky pieces with ribbon and they’ll get used on the first sunny day.

A Book Instead of a Goodie Bag

Lots of families swap goodie bags for one paperback book per child. It costs about the same as a bag of trinkets, and I’ve never once seen a kid throw away a book they liked, whereas I’ve personally thrown away more plastic whistles than I’d care to count. Pick something matched to the age group.

Mini Notebook and Pencil

A small notebook and a pencil is useful for school, drawing, a list of everything they want for their own birthday, or a top secret diary with a big “KEEP OUT” written across the front in their best capital letters. Add a theme sticker to the cover.

A Jump Rope or Ball

For an active party, a jump rope, a small bouncy ball or a hacky sack keeps the fun going at home. Skip small balls for toddlers.

Bath Toys or Bath Fizzers

Little ones love bath time stuff. Homemade bath fizzers are easy to make with a grown-up, or you could choose a simple bath toy.

A Puzzle

A small jigsaw puzzle, matched to age, is something kids sit down and do with a parent. That’s a lovely thing to send home. It’s quality time, wrapped.

A Kite or Paper Airplane Kit

For a spring or summer birthday, a simple paper kite or a sheet of paper airplane designs gets everyone outside.

Favors by Age

• Toddlers (under 3): stick to bubbles, a board book, a bath toy or a big crayon roll. Avoid anything small enough to be a choking hazard, and skip balloons and marbles.
• Ages 4 to 6: playdough, a mini coloring book, stickers, chalk and seed packets.
• Ages 7 to 10: bracelet kits, notebooks, puzzles, books and decorate-your-own cookies.

Tips for Better Party Favors

• Make one big thing instead of lots of little things. One good favor beats a bag of six forgettable ones. It’s less work, too.
• Match the theme with the tag. Our printable tags make a plain paper bag look planned, even if you filled it the night before.
• Ask about allergies before you hand out anything edible.
• Make one or two extra. A sibling always turns up. Always.

Download the Free Party Favor Printables

The free PDF has favor tags and bag toppers in eight themes, a seed packet, a mini coloring book and thank-you notes, everything you’ll need to finish off these birthday party favors for kids. It prints on US Letter and A4.

More Birthday Ideas

• Birthday invitation templates
• DIY birthday cards
• Superhero birthday party ideas
• Kids’ birthday party trends

Fequently Asked Questions

What are good birthday party favors for kids?

The best birthday party favors for kids are things they’ll use, like bubbles, sidewalk chalk, a book, a mini coloring book or a seed packet. Homemade playdough and decorated cookies are always popular too. One good favor is better than a bag of small plastic toys. Our free printable tags make any of these look party-ready.

What can I put in goodie bags instead of candy?

Try stickers, a small notebook, crayons, bubbles, chalk, a puzzle or a bracelet kit. A seed packet or a mini coloring book costs almost nothing. A book on its own makes a great swap for a whole goodie bag. Pick a few things that match the party theme.

Do you have to give party favors at a kids’ party?

No, party favors aren’t required, and plenty of families skip them. Many kids do enjoy leaving with something small, so a single cookie works if you’d like a small gesture. A party activity that kids take home, like a crown, counts as a favor too. Do whatever suits your budget and your child.

What are good party favors for toddlers?

For toddlers, choose bubbles, a board book, a bath toy or a big chunky crayon. Avoid small parts, marbles, small balls and balloons, because they’re choking hazards for children under three. Keep it simple and safe. Parents of toddlers will thank you.

How many party favors should you make?

Make one for every guest, plus one or two extras for siblings who come along or guests who turn up last minute. It’s also nice to save one for the birthday child. Making two more than the guest list is a safe rule, just in case.

How do you make party favors look nice?

Use plain paper bags or small boxes and add a themed tag or a fold-over bag topper. Tie them with ribbon or twine, and add the child’s name. Our free printables come in eight themes, so you can match any party in a few minutes.