15 loot bags ideas for specific party themes:
1) Art Party - Dollar store canvases, paints, and paint brushes.
2) Baking Party - Containers filled with treats the children made at the party or packages of cookie mix with cute cookie cutters. Also, guests can take home their very own homemade chef hats. {Click on the link for a full tutorial.}
3) Book-themed Party - When a party is planned around a child's favorite book or author, the loot bag can be a book that fits with that theme. {e.g. Plan a party with a Dr. Seuss theme or A Hungry Caterpillar theme.}
4) Circus/Carnival Party {Click on the link for all the fantastic Circus party DIY ideas.} - Clown noses, ring master mustaches on sticks, and face paints.
5) First Birthday {e.g. a Monkey Party} - Loot bag ideas for "baby" guests: bibs, rubber duckies and wash cloths, books, and stuffed animals.
6) Movie Party - Popcorn buckets full of popcorn and "movie" treats.
7) Music Party {Click on the link for all the fantastic music party DIY ideas.} -- Back stage passes, homemade instruments and/or dollar store instruments.
8) Pirate Party {Click on the link for all the fantastic pirate party DIY ideas.} -- Handmade pirate treasure chests filled with treats or Pirate Booty (with cute printable tags you can find here).
9) Pool Party - Cute beach towels or buckets and shovels.
10) Princess Party - Handmade princess wands. {Just paint dowels pink and add hand-stitched felt stars to the top.}
11) Race Car Party - Driver's Licences {which you can see here} and matchbox cars. {Click on the link for all the fantastic race car party DIY ideas.}
12) Sledding Party - "Make your own snowman" kits. {Get all the supplies you need at the dollar store: hats, scarfs, and some big buttons.} Attach notes that say "Just add snow!" or... give out some Snowman Soup or Snowman Parts.
13) Sleepover Party - Homemade pillow cases, or chemical free nail polish.
14) Star Wars Party {Click on the link for all the fantastic Star Wars party DIY ideas.} -- Pool noodle light sabres. {They are really fun, easy to make, and you can find a full tutorial here.}
15) Super Hero Party {Click on the link for all the fantastic Super Hero party DIY ideas.} -- Handmade no-sew super hero Capes & Masks. {Click on the links for full tutorials.}
15 loot bags ideas that fit any party theme:
16) Homemade Playdough - You can find my favorite {no cook} recipe here.
17) Coloring Books, Crayons & Stickers - You could even make your own crayons in shapes that go along with the party theme. {You can find the tutorial for recycled crayons here.}
18) Personalized Clip Boards - You can use scrapbook paper to match the theme of the party, and you can find a full tutorial here.
19) Bubbles - You can give big bubble wands with recipes for homemade bubbles or give "make your own bubbles" kits that include everything they need to make their own bubbles.
20) Cupcakes - Individually packaged cupcakes are delicious and fun. Adding trinkets {like plastic rings} just makes them better.
21) Cookies - Who doesn't like cookies? Make your own or purchase them. {Check out these ones from Noelle's The Custom Cookie Company. They are super cute!}
22) Frames - Guests can decorate frames, and pictures of guests can be taken at the party and delivered at a later date. {You could write something like.... "The content of this frame is currently hollow, but a really cute picture is certain to follow. Thanks for coming to my party."}
23) Balls - Bags can be filled with balls, and tags can be attached that say "Thanks for coming. I hope you had a BALL at my party."
24) Labels - Who doesn't love a practical gift... like personalized name labels? {"Loot bag" packages can be ordered from places like Olivers labels for around $5/person.}
25) Cookie cutters - Cookie cutters that fit with the theme of the party make great loot bags when you package them with a favorite cookie recipe or cookie mix in a jar.
26) Homemade Hair Clips - Handmade gifts are always a little bit more special than stuff you buy. Hair clips are easy and inexpensive to make. {I have a great tutorial for monkey and frog clips that you can find here.}
27) Bookmarks with a picture of the birthday boy/girl - We made bookmarks for Valentine's Day, but they would work for a birthday too. {You can find the tutorial here.}
28) Journals - Dress up plain journals with cute personalized labels. {You can find an example of one we made here.} You could also include homemade flower pens for an extra bit of fun.
29) "Make your own sidewalk paint" kit - Wrap up all the supplies needed to make sidewalk paint, and include paintbrushes and full instructions. {You can find the "how to" here.}
30) Mugs and hot chocolate - Fill mugs with packages of hot chocolate and some marshmallows, and include notes that say, "It warms my heart to have a friend like you. Thanks for coming to my party."
More:
click on the links for additional info and free printables...
31) spy kits for a spy party {click link for additional info}
32) LEGO cupcakes for a LEGO party {click link for additional info}
33) pixie dust for a Peter Pan or Jake and the Neverland Pirates party {click link for additional info}
35) hockey card prize punch for a hockey party {click link for additional info}
36) treats from Honeydukes sweet shop for a Harry Potter party {click link for additional info}
37) breakfast favor for a half sleepover {click link for additional info}
38) midnight kisses for a New Year's Eve party {click link for additional info}
39) bowling party favours {click link for additional info}
40) sock puppet kit party favors {click link for additional info}
41) NERF party favors {click link for additional info}
A fun party favor is a great way to end a party and show your guests how much you appreciate them attending. Do you have a favorite idea for an easy and inexpensive loot bag? I'd love to hear about it.
♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)
