I recently lamented on the waste of money party favors may be. In addition to possibly being a waste of money, party favors may also become waste in our landfills. Most party favors are cheap plastic that easily breaks or does not hold a child’s attention long.
If you cannot forgo the social norms and must provide a party favor, consider some of these creative party favors based on seasons. Not only will your hard earned money not go to waste, but less contribution to the landfills is always a win.
Spring Party Favors
With spring in the air, consider providing a small pot and having children plant a seed. This craft can double as a party favor and may be really inexpensive. Our neighborhood has used this craft every year at our local Easter Egg hunt and children enjoy decorating their pots, planting their seeds and watching the seeds grow over the next few weeks.
Sidewalk chalk is always fun for kids. It is a great outdoor activity once the weather warms up. A large container can be bought and split up among children in paper bags.
Summer Party Favors
Summer birthday parties are great for providing pool toys for kids to enjoy well past the birthday party. Pool toys can often be bought in large packs and can easily be broken down to hand out as party favors. Kids always enjoy something to play in the water.
Cool and fun colorful sunglasses are always a hit. Kids are notorious for losing things, and kids eyes need protection from the sun.
Bubble wands do not necessarily reduce plastic waste in the landfills, but bubble wands can be refilled with bubbles to be enjoyed until the plastic wand or container breaks. We have used bubbles wands at multiple parties as favors by tying a thank you note to the end with a bow. Kids love them, and they are inexpensive but big enough to make a statement.
If the party is close to the end of the summer, consider school supplies as part of your favors. Fun pencils, erasers or markers will always be a hit and well used.
Fall Party Favors
Fall offers more opportunity to have a craft at a party that is an easy party favor to take home. Consider purchasing small pumpkins for kids to decorate with paint and take home. Kids will enjoy seeing their craft sit around during the season, and once fall is over the pumpkins break down into compost. Biodegradable favors do not result in added waste to our landfills.
Winter Party Favors
Winter offers a wealth of opportunity for party favors. If the party occurs before Christmas, couple a party craft with a party favor by making an ornament to take home. Ornaments can be as elaborate and as expensive as you determine them to be.
Don’t want to do a craft? Consider bagging up holiday cookies to send home or hot cocoa mix. The cocoa mix can be enjoyed well into late winter and treat for kids to look forward to.
What other creative party favors have you used?
