Favors in this list run from pencils tied with candy packs to plaster painting craft kits, and the price climbs with every item that is custom, personalized or made by hand.
The age of the guests decides which one is yours: toddlers rule out bath bombs and candy bouquets, while kids who sit and make things will keep a jigsaw puzzle or an art bundle long after the party.
1. Art Bundles
The finished piece also stays on a shelf, which a candy favor can’t claim.
Pair the kit with a "happy BIRTHDAY" card on top so the bag reads as a gift.
I would pick this for kids who like to sit and make things, since a child who wants to run around may leave it in the bag.
Paint and ceramic cost more than candy, so buy the donuts in bulk.
Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang recently bought a bunch for her 8-year-old daughter, who likes to trade them with her classmates. This pack of 100 can easily be divided among goodie bags.
2. Bath Bombs
Bath bombs suit parents who want a favor that feels like a treat and not another plastic toy.
Boxed ones with cartoon animals inside, in underwater or forest themes, make the packaging do the decorating, so there is little left for you to do.
Match the box theme to the party if you can; a sea-creature box fits a mermaid or ocean party without any extra work.
Skip them for a guest list of toddlers, who may eat what looks like candy. Older kids will like them most.
3. S’mores Kits
Graham crackers, a Hershey’s milk chocolate bar and a marshmallow packed in a small brown cardboard box make a favor kids eat that same night. Plain kraft boxes are cheap, and the contents supply the color.
Marshmallows decorated as ghosts on sticks turn it into a Halloween-season favor. For any other date, plain marshmallows work and cost less.
Every item is a grocery-aisle staple, so assembly is just filling boxes at the counter. Kids will need a grown-up and a fire to finish them.
4. Stickers
Custom round stickers printed with the guest of honor’s name, age and a "Thank you for coming" line are the cheapest favor of this kind that still looks personal.
Adding a small illustration, such as a duck or a bunny, keeps it sweet.
A roll feels more special than loose sheets, and one sticker can seal a favor bag or a treat box, so it works twice.
Stickers suit a 1st birthday especially well, since the guests are mostly parents. Order early, since printing takes time.
5. Friendship Bracelets
A beaded bracelet spelling out a word, like "LIMITLESS", turns a favor into a keepsake a child will actually wear. Pink and white beads keep it soft and easy to match with other party colors.
Tuck each one in a small box with a handwritten note naming the guest and signed by the birthday child. That note matters more than the bracelet.
Writing a personal note for each guest takes an evening, so do it ahead of the party.
Letting each guest make their own bracelet turns the favor into an activity, and it works best with older kids who can handle small supplies.
6. Mini Gift Bags
A mini gift bag works best when every item is small and the bag itself fits the theme.
Pick 3 items at most. Past that, the bag gets crowded and the budget climbs without making the favor feel any bigger.
Buy the bags and the little extras in matching colors, and you can fill every one in a single sitting.
7. Personalized Jigsaw Puzzles
A puzzle printed with the birthday child’s name and age gives each guest something to keep and finish at home. Clear boxes let the artwork show through, so the packaging doubles as the display.
Choose a character or theme the birthday child loves and keep it identical across every box. The printing is the work here, so order ahead of the party.
Puzzles suit kids who like sitting down to a project, and they last longer than candy.
8. Candy Bouquets
Wrapped candies on sticks, gathered into a small round bunch and tied with ribbon, make a favor that looks like a gift and gets eaten like a treat.
Build each bouquet from a mix of candy colors, then match the ribbon to the party palette.
Make them the night before, since each one is hand-assembled.
Choose individually wrapped candy only. Skip them for toddlers, because sticks and small candy are not a good mix.
9. Custom Dough Containers
Small dough tubs with a personalized lid are my pick for kids who want something to squish the minute they get home. The lid carries the name and the theme, so the tub needs no extra decoration.
Buy tubs in assorted colors and put a character on each lid. A name on every one means no arguments over whose is whose.
Fill the tubs yourself to keep the cost down.
10. Plaster Painting Craft Kits
A clear bag holding a plaster figure, a couple of plaster letters, 3 mini paint pots and a brush sends the party home with kids. A letter from the guest’s own name makes it feel personal.
Pack each bag the same way so nothing looks short. A printed "It’s my birthday" label on the front finishes it.
11. Temporary Tattoo Favor Bar
A tattoo bar costs little and gives guests a choice, which beats handing everyone the same thing. Pile the temporary tattoos on a counter behind a sign with the birthday child’s name.
Match the tattoo colors to the sign, so the whole station looks planned.
Let kids pick their own, and keep a few extras for anyone who wants a second. Tattoos are also easy to bag up for kids who leave early.
12. Pencils Tied with Candy Packs
A pencil with a candy pack tied on gives you a school-supply favor and a sweet in one, and it costs less than most favors here.
Tie each pack on with ribbon, white and gold, say, so a plain pencil looks finished. Pick a candy pack whose color suits the party, and keep the ribbon in the same range.
Tying dozens of bows is slow but easy work, so do it while watching TV, a few days ahead.
Budget-friendly Favor Ideas
Small, colorful and useful beats big and random. A bag of 3 items a parent would actually keep is better value than 8 fillers that end up in the trash by Monday.
Mini bath bombs and other small self-care treats make a bag feel more exciting for the price, so they earn a spot even on a tight budget.
Matching the season keeps the choices easy and the items useful:
- Winter calls for hot cocoa mix, knit mittens, fleece hats or patterned headbands.
- Spring: sidewalk chalk.
- Summer gets flip-flops, an oversized beach towel, novelty sunglasses and SPF 30.
Pick one or two from the right season, not the whole list. Towels and sandals cost more per guest, so I would save those for a small guest list and give chalk or sunglasses to a big one.
How to Personalize Favors
Labels are the cheapest way to make a favor look custom.
Avery’s free label templates accept your own colors and graphics, so I print the birthday child’s name, their new age or a short thank-you at home. There is no reason to pay a custom shop for that.
Keep the wording short and the same on every label, so the whole table looks planned.
A dollar-store bag reads expensive when you fill it with bright colors, things a guest wants to unwrap and items that feel like actual gifts.
A few well-chosen pieces, such as mini bath bombs and cute add-ins, look more polished than a bag of random fillers.
Where to Buy Favors
The easiest shopping is the kind that fits into a trip you were already making. Walmart and Five Below carry gift bags, ribbon, candy, small toys and bath bombs, so one stop can cover the whole favor table.
Buy the bags and ribbon first, then choose the fillers to match their colors.
If the party falls in a particular season, check the seasonal aisle for items like sidewalk chalk in spring or sunglasses in summer. Those usually cost less than a specialty order and need no wait for shipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best party favors for kids?
Bath bombs and temporary tattoos are my top picks, since kids get excited about them and parents see them as treats, not clutter.
Boxed bath bombs with cartoon animals do the decorating themselves, and a tattoo bar lets each guest choose. Keep bath bombs away from toddlers, who may try to eat them.
What should I put in a birthday goodie bag?
Pick 3 items at most, with one main item such as a mini bath bomb and a couple of small extras like candy or a tattoo.
Add a 4th or 5th item and the bag just gets crowded, the budget creeps up, and the favor doesn’t feel any bigger. Buy the bags and extras in matching colors so filling them goes fast.
