Insanely Popular Birthday Party Favors For Little Kids

Planning a birthday party can seem stressful, especially in these not so post COVID times we’re living in. Last year, I didn’t get to plan anything for my son’s birthday so I’m a little bit rusty on party planning. And planning something while also watching the case numbers is rough. But one thing that shouldn’t be stressful in party planning is the favors! Take out the guess work of what to give as party favor for kid birthday with this short but popular list.

Are kid birthday party favors required? No. However, party favors or “goody bags” are a great way to say thank you to your guests. Thank you for coming, thank you for caring, and thank you for the gifts. If you’re a mom like me that cringes at the amount of candy favors your child receives, this is for you! A conglomerate of non-candy party favor ideas for your child and their friends.

Let me know which kid birthday party favor ideas are your favorite or additional ideas you’ve used for your child’s birthday in the comments.

Non-Candy Birthday Party Favor Ideas

I highly recommend heading over to you local dollar store to see what you can find before going to party supply stores or Amazon. However, the other two options are great if you are looking for a specific theme and/or have a larger party. It that’s the case, then it just makes sense to buy party packs of supplies.

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Watch Party Favors

These may be on the pricier side of birthday party favor ideas but it works well as a stand-alone gift — no bag of other things required. Become your guests favorite mom with little watches as favors. Kids love feeling grown up with items like mommy and daddy have and watches are the perfect way to make them feel important like they’ve got places to be!

Figurine Party Favors

Figurines make great party favors and can really bring your theme to life. Even if you choose figurines that are not on theme, kids will love them the same.

A popular item in goodie bags recently are small figures that come in the little prize cups like when we were kid going to the machines.

Don’t forget while you’re doing your party shopping to use Rakuten (formerly Ebates) to earn cash back while you shop!

Crayon Packs or Paint Set

Depending on the other contents of your birthday party favor bags, crayons can play a great add on role. But let’s be real, crayons on their own are great gifts. Nearly every child has coloring books,. Even if they don’t, crayons make great writing utensils at this age so they can just take “pen” to paper with this gift.

Balls

One gift that will never go out of style is balls. They work for every age and keep the children’s attention. If you’re looking for a space filler in your favor bags, add a small ball (preferably soft or bouncy) for a little razzle dazzle.

Sock Birthday Party Favors

This one may seem unlikely but I did this one year. This is the one time having a winter kid party comes in handy. Fuzzy socks are welcomed by all, kids and adults alike. If you’re lucky you’ll find some that fit your theme. But even if that’s not possible, sticking to a color scheme will work just as well.

RSVP lists come in handy for things like this. And since sock ranges are usually pretty broad, you really don’t need to ask for specific sizes. This is a personalized item that will make your guests feel special and like you really care and appreciate them attending.

Themed Birthday Party Favors

Throughout this post I talk about theme this and that. But if your theme has a specific toy associated with it, get that toy! Hot wheels theme? Give the kids a little car. Barbie them? Give the kids a doll. You get the idea.

Small Puzzles

My son loves puzzles of all sizes. It you can find mini puzzles that have a decent amount of pieces this can serve as your only favor. They are a great option for themes like super heroes or tv show characters as these can easily be picked up at your local dollar store.

Slap Bracelets and Wristbands

Well millennial mamas, we never thought we’d see the day. But slap bracelets are making their way back. Preschool age is the perfect time for these types of birthday party favors. The kids are so amazed with how they work. My son won’t take off the few that he’s gotten as goodie bag gifts.

An alternative to slap bracelets are wristbands. While I wouldn’t go out of my way to get custom “happy birthday [insert child’s name]” wristbands, these make cute favors. Just getting something that has the characters on it will suffice as an awesome favor. And it will be cherished by all the children who attend!

Don’t forget while you’re doing your party shopping to use Rakuten (formerly Ebates) to earn cash back while you shop!

Stickers and Tattoos

Stickers and tattoos are a great way to tie in your theme. Stickers are something kids really enjoy at most ages and seeing their favorite characters and toys really makes them light up. Leave your guests with something their kids can use up and throw out because we all know how some little favors linger around the house but are not played with. Also known as, CLUTTER!

Mini Lego Set Party Favors

These are harder to find than I thought! But if you can find them, these are the perfect addition to any favor bag. Boys and girls alike love building blocks so why not get them a mini version.

Sunglasses as Birthday Party Favors

Although this is one of those weather appropriate favor ideas, kids love sunglasses year round. And as parents we just don’t question it. Getting themed glasses can be your thing. But even getting assorted colors of sunglasses will do the trick. They’re much easier to find in party packs tan themes.

Water Bottles and Cups

Not only do water bottles and cups make great favors, they also make great goodie bags. If your cup is large enough, you can easily fit all of your little favors into the cup, sometimes with room to spare.

While any cup will work for this, try to stay on theme. Whether it’s on theme with the characters or maybe even just a color scheme, be sure to make your favors as cohesive as possible.

Play-Doh Party Favors

One of the most commonly gifted party favors is a small tub of play-doh. It’s been around for decades and kids enjoy them. This favor will definitely be used, unlike others that are sure to be thrown out. Play-doh can be a blessing and a curse for parents. A blessing because it keeps your child occupied and once it dries out you just toss is. A curse because some kids (mine) will crumble it into small pieces that can be a nightmare for clean up. It’s like glitter, is it ever completely gone?

Stamp Birthday Party Favors

When did stamps become so popular? Every goodie bag we get is filled with at least 2-3 stamps. They’re usually on theme for whatever the birthday boy/girl’s party theme was. This isn’t a personal fave of mine if you’re thinking of the others parents. However, kids go crazy for them. If you were a 3-4 year old with a stamper in your hand you would not want to be confined to a piece of paper. You’d be stamping the walls, tables, and yourself!

Keep your guest age range in mind when choosing this favor.

Bubbles

This is a common favor I see in goody bags that are sent home in preschool. Most kids love bubbles but if you’re going to be that parent, make sure they’re in season. For spring and summer birthday this is a must. But opt out of the bubble fun for winter months to save parents some clean-up time.

Pop-It

Not my favorite toy, but the kiddos are eating it up. It’s a simple as pressing the bubbles and flipping them over. Like bubble wrap but less satisfying. But if people can find joy in fidget spinners, this is the equivalent

Goldfish or Chips

Can’t resist giving the kiddos food? Opt for a salty snack over a sweet one. Individually packed snacks make great party favors. Goldfish, chips, and pretzels are perfect for this. They can also be money savers if you find value pack options. If you’re throwing a small party and don’t intend to eat the leftover snacks, head to the dollar store.

Final Party Favor Tip

Now that you have your party favor ideas set, just a few final things to think about. Make your favors personal! It’s a blessing to get anyone out to celebrate with you. Say thank you by adding personal touches to your favors. If you’re having small gatherings (which I highly recommend), it takes 2 seconds to put each child’s name on the party favors. Also no matter what the party theme is have a few items for each gender or that is gender-neutral.

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Not sure what gifts to get for your toddler this year? Check out our Toddler Gift Guide.

Moved up to a preschooler? Check out our favorite toys, here.