Strollerderby

Yes Yes and Yes!!! I have never given a goody bag at my daughter's parties and don't intend to, precisely because of reason #5!!! Thank you soooo much for making me feel like I'm not the only crazy one out here. Why give a present just for showing up? Really- like the 2 hour bounce wasn't enough of a fun time or the pirate theme park isn't enough for a four year old? Whenever we go to a party my daughter likes getting a goody bag, but come on people, what's the point? And how did these even get started I'd like to know. I never got one going to a birthday party when I was a kid so what the heck?

The only good suggestion I ever read about was decorating this kind of treasure chest as a party game and then you get to fill it with pirate "booty" and take it home.

I hate goody bags now that I have kids.  I'm 34 and I always got goody bags when I went to birthday parties. It was fun to get something after having just watched a playmate open a boatload of toys.

But I just hate to think of all that junk ending up in the trash -- that is right where I put it when my kids go to bed.  I don't do goody bags, but I give books at parties.  It doesn't cost much -- using Amazon -- for little books for a few kids.  And when they are done with the books they can pass them on to another child or donate them to the library.

We had "experience" birthday parties this year, my daughter had hers at an urban farm and my son had his at a martial arts studio.  Each group got to do some stuff (feed chickens, try food just plucked, play Monkey/Tiger tag & practice walking like a Crane) and we had the usual cake & ice cream and snacks.  No goodie bags at all and when I talked to the parents about my reasons why (same reasons you mention above), they were relieved and agreeable.  I think many parents don't want to be judged so they keep on doing things "they way they've always been done".  I hope to see fewer crap bags at parties in the future!

i try to give something simple that might be fun and age appropriate / theme appropriate. not a bag of crap just for the sake of it. i gave pinwheels at my twins 1st birthday party. and small books at our halloween party. we did monster stickers at my sons monster-themed 3rd birthday. i avoid food/candy because my son has allergies, so we try not to make food/candy a big deal at parties. and i love giving beach balls...because my sons all love playing with them. hope that helps your list of alternative ideas.

A party we just went to last weekend had a petting zoo in their backyard, rabbits, ducks, chickens, sheep, goat, pig, and mini-horse. It was great and the kids were of course thrilled. The goodie bag consisted of a unswallowable small metal cowbell, and some homemade animal cookies. So I think something thoughtful and durable can still work for a goodie bag. For some of the plastic filled ones, I just pretend to forget to pick it up.

The whole point behind the goody bag is not to provide anything of real value, but to add to the fun of the party. (You know, fun usually being the whole point of a party.) Kids love getting things.

I mean, the rationale here behind not giving out goodie bags is because they have no redeeming value. By that logic, you may as well not have birthday parties in the first place, because what is their redeeming purpose? An excuse for kids to have fun and celebrate something. And the goody bag is part of the celebrating.

Something tells me the OP's kid's parties are a total drag. Probably carrot cake with sugarfree frosting, gifts of socks and pants, followed by a nice fun day at the art museum. Probably the only kids who show up are the ones whose parents want to dump them on someone. (My guess is those kids could use the cheap thrill of goody bags even more.)

I think if you're secretly throwing your kids' things out, you have control issues.

K... why did you feel the need for a personal attack?

I think your statement was extremely rude.  

Control issues??? Nah... I just have issues with slimy toys that get full of dirt and hair after a few moments of play.  I also have issues with candies that will cause my 3 year old to choke.  

My kids are young, so I'm not going to be able to make them understand my rationale behind disposing of the toys.

By the way, they haven't yet missed any of the goodies that have made their way to the landfills.

I have always had a pinata for my daughter's b-day.  I put in some candy and some stickers and that's it. If you don't want your kid to get a bunch of sugar, you can probably "share" their bag at home -- much like you do at Halloween ;)(don't tell me you don't do this) -- or "edit" the candy while at the party. I don't do goody bags otherwise and the kids are so busy having fun with the pinata and simply playing with each other anyway, that leaving with a goody bag doesn't matter.

At the twins' first birthday, we gave a few small board books to each toddler, and origami paper with a how to book to the two older kids that were there. Most of the people we know are conscious of the choking issues and don't give out crappy stuff or candy.

My daughter just had her birthday last week and I gave a box of crayons, a glue stick and a small book of blank paper. No candy. That's pretty much my usual. I stock up at the back-to-school sales when all that creative stuff is cheap. Last year we had a pinata and I stuffed it with stickers, beaded necklaces and rings and a little candy. I did my best to make sure the play jewelry was safe. My daughter is 6 and still can't resist putting things in her mouth.

I'm a Kindergarten teacher, I completely agree with the anti-goody bag thing.  If you want something to send home with the kids, why not have a craft that everyone makes together at the party?  Or better yet, take a picture of all the kids together and send a copy to everyone along with the thank-you cards.  It seems to me that my students get super psyched when they get something in the mail, especially when it's from a friend.  

: )

I agree. Hate the crap and am relieved when my son goes to a party without goody bags. But I also think kids should get something for showing their generosity of time and money. This year, we gave out Lego backpack charms to the kids that attended my son's birthday! THe kids love them and the parents don't mind. It's nice to go to school and see all my son's friends with their Star Wars or Sponge Bob backpack charms on their school backpacks. So I know they are getting used and not filling space in our landfills!

My daughter's birthday party is next weekend and I am dreading the goody bag decision and aftermath. I don't think I'm going to have them. Her birthday is at the gym where she does gymnastics, and maybe we'll attach a balloon to each kids chair and let them take those home and have that be it. And I love the idea of taking photos of the kids and sending them as thank you cards.

We don't do goodie bags either.

At one party, I gave each child a Polish handpainted wooden easter egg (the party was the week before easter). Last year, our first party with lots of kids, I got lollipops and a bag full of assorted silly toys and each child could choose one of each on the way out the door. At my toddler's first birthday party in June we gave the three children's families (my sister's/step brother's kids) each one Barenaked Ladies Snacktime! CD to enjoy.

My sister has done stuff like commemorative t-shirts with all the guest's faces on the tee and I've heard of other parents making mixed cds of kids music.

i'm just wondering "why isn't sending a thank you card enough?" my main issue is with #5!

You are such a picky bitch.

NO!!! I disagree with you!! This is the excitement of going to a birthday party! Even we as parents cant wait for our kids to get a goody bag. In reality they play with the toys on the way home and then we toss them...because they will be tossed all around the car, but that is the excitement for being a child!!  Birthday fun!!  I loved it as a kids.  I think people need to not think so much!! Even the air we breathe is toxic. Just relax!

I worked as a children's B-day entertainer for 12 years and just recently decided to get out of it and start a goody bag business. My initial thought about creating original goody bags was that I wanted to make bags with decent toys--not a bunch of stupid junk!  I started looking at goody bag webstores and I'm really appalled at the junk they're selling.  I can't understand why anyone would buy that stuff.  I was/am also concerned about the choking hazard.  As I was researching items to include, I avoided dangerous toys.  Not so at many goody bag stores.  I appreciate the suggestions about alternative gifts, (like the kickboard idea).  As for candy, when I get my webstore operating, I will offer small cand packs as an add-on option.  Unfortunately as a capitolist, I make a living off of other people's materialistic inclinations.  I can't stop it, but can only profit from it.  However, I can empathize with the anti-materialist sentiment.  This country has gone way overboard with materialsm

My daughter's second birthday is approaching and I was planning to do a goody bag.  I agree with all of you that the dollar store stuff is just crap and I also would throw it away.  Since her "kids" party will be at her daycare, I was planning on buying each child a BPA Free Sippy Straw cup (there are 10 kids all 18 months - 2 yrs) and maybe stick a Earth's Best fruit snack bar inside the cup.  I'd much rather spend $5 bucks a kid with something useful then have a parent throw my hard earned money in the trash.