Psst. Looking for some loot? Party bag loot?
If you are, you've come to the right place. Finding and filling party bags for children's birthday parties is a regular task for hardworking mothers everywhere. Now it's time you had a helping hand and got some cool resources to look at.
Fillers come in all shapes and sizes, and can be themed to suit both boys and girls parties - whatever age group you might be creating your loot bags for. Read this article if you want to know more about how to create themed party loot bags!
So whether it's pirates or fairies, cars or craft items you're after, this lens will provide an excellent starting point to get you going in the right direction.
So let's begin!
By the way, if you click on the link to the left of this column (the one that says 'lenses by Allison Whitehead') you can also see some of my other shopping related lenses, including a very cool one on Ipod socks and covers!
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Buying Party Bag Toys On A Budget
Fortunately party bag toys don't have to be that expensive, and if you plan ahead and keep your eyes open you can get some real bargains that will enable you to provide a cool loot bag for every child without breaking the bank in the process.
Most parties will have a mixture of boys and girls, so you have two main options when it comes to deciding which party bag toys to buy. You can either make up two sets of loot bags - one suitable for a girl and one suitable for a boy - or you can buy a generic set of filler items that would appeal to both boys and girls.
So which items might be good for everyone that aren't expensive to buy? Well you can try miniature Slinkys to walk down the stairs (much smaller than the regular size and very cheap to buy); a range of temporary tattoos in various designs; stickers that can be used for various purposes, and stationery sets.
Animal designs also go down well in party bags - you might be able to find a set of notebooks with different animals on them for example. And don't forget the old favourite for the garden - the mini water pistol! If you hand out the loot bags early you could have a water fight on your hands in this case.
As you can see, some grab bag toys are cheap and easy to get hold of at any time of the year, but it's always worth looking out for other items which are on sale so you can put them by until you need them. Always buy a few more than you think you will need, just in case you have a couple of extra children attending that you weren't expecting.
Try online auction sites as well as local shops and stores; there are often end of line or end of season offers on items that will be ideal for including in a child's party bag. In short, if you start looking around well ahead of time and keep an open mind about what you'd like to buy, you can find and fill party bags with toys and craft items that will be guaranteed to delight any child who receives them.
Here's my favorite link:
Party bag toys from Shop Smoo
Shop Smoo is our very own eBay shop, as run by Smudgie and Moo (okay I admit it, I'm the 'Moo' part).
We are constantly selling party bag and loot items and fillers to ship worldwide, and are always on the look out for new and low price pocket money items to provide you with.
Take a look at our current bestsellers (and you can click on any link to see our whole and current range, which varies all the time depending on stock levels and how fast stuff sells!)...
We also have some new items which have just arrived, including mini Springys (we call them Dinky Slinkys!), pirate stickers and water pistols (a great seller last year!). Bookmark us now to take a look at our new items when they come in too!
- Giggle Sticks
We had great fun posting the first batch of these out - they giggled as we dropped them into the postbox!
They're a wonderful oddity and guaranteed to be fiddled with for ages. They make a weird noise when tipped from end to end, which sounds strangely like simulated laughter.
An unusual addition to any loot bag, and suitable for both boys and girls. Ideal for office desks too!
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Party and Loot Bag Toys and Ideas for Boys
But how do you actually plan a great party bag for the boys that won't leave you too far out of pocket?
A great idea is to pick a theme for your loot bags, as this will make it much easier to search for the right items. Some popular themes include pirates, dinosaurs, football and other sports, and cars. It's always worth finding out what the current favorite movies and television programs are for boys, since this might give you some good ideas to think about.
Once you have chosen the theme for your grab bags, start thinking about some possibilities for the toys and fillers themselves. You will find that party bag toys tend to fall into several distinct categories that you can stick to, whatever your theme might be. Let's look at an example to see how this works.
Let's say you want to make up some sets of loot bag toys for boys, based on a pirate theme. First of all you would search for some grab bags to keep all the goodies in, and you should easily be able to find a colorful pirate design for a low price. Incidentally, bags and the toys which go in them are often available in sets of six or twelve, and you can even sometimes select the exact number that you want as well.
Now come the contents. Stickers are always a good bet and you can get them in all kinds of styles and options. Pirate stickers would definitely be a winner in this case. You can also try temporary tattoos, which again are very cheap to buy and will be guaranteed to go down well.
Small stationery items such as erasers, rulers and pencils can also be bought very cheaply and make a good addition to any party bag. You can also buy small coloring books and puzzle books which are designed to fit into loot bags and which complement stationery sets very well. Pirate designs are available here too.
Size is obviously a factor in packing your boys' party bags, so you need to think fairly small. Try getting some pirate eye patches and moustaches for them to dress up with; you might be able to get some small foldable pirate hats to tuck into the bags as well.
Most party loot bags for boys tend to hold about half a dozen items each, so there is a good mix of items and you won't need to spend too much money putting them together. Creating grab bags can be daunting at first, but once you've tried it you'll find it can actually be very enjoyable to do.
Need ideas for girls? Scroll down for a separate article on that very subject!
Party and Loot Bags on Amazon
Whatever toys you choose, you need a cool loot bag to hold it all in.
Check these out - there's something here for boys and girls of all ages. A really good range of options for everyone.
Party Bags - Dots
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Amazon Price: $3.00 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Rubber Duck Ducky Duckie PARTY FAVOR BAGS
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Amazon Price: $3.00 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Cl Prty Bag Mega Pk 5
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Amazon Price: $5.00 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Party Pups Gift Bags
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Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Favourite Character Party Bags
From Spongebob Squarepants to Sesame Street, sometimes all kids want is to see the characters they know and love.
Grant their wishes by opting for one of these bestselling party loot bags.
Blue's Clues Room Treat Bags - 8 Count
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Sesame Street "P is for Party" Treat Bags - 8 Count
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Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Cars - Party Supplies - Cello Treat Sacks
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Amazon Price: $2.49 (as of 07/20/2008)
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SpongeBob Buddies Treat Bags - 8 Count
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Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of 07/20/2008)
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... and here's even more character party bags to choose from
My Little Pony Treat Bags
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Dora World Adventure - Party Supplies - Loot Bags
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Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Elmo Loves You - Party Supplies - Loot Bags
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Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Bratz Loot Or Party Favor Bags
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Ahoy there! Here's some cool party bag items for all those budding pirates out there!
Pirate Tattoos - 4 Sheets
Price: $2.49
Leave a lasting impression on party guests with these washable pirate tattoos. Contains four tattoo sheets.
Gold Tooth Pirate Blowouts - 8 Count
Price: $2.69
It's a party, so make some noise with the Pirates! Nothing creates a festive party like Blowouts. Contains eight party Blowouts.
Gold Tooth Pirate Balloons - 8 Count
Price: $2.59
What is a pirate party without balloons? Balloons add color and fun to any get together. Package of eight colored balloons.
Pirate Treasure Cone Hats - 8 Count
Price: $3.49
Hats aren't just for the guest of honor! Give your guests a hat they can treasure. Contains eight paper hats with elastic.
Plexo List of Edible Goodies to Add to Those Party Bags...
White Rabbit Candy - Original Shanghai Milky Cream Chewy Candy - Sampler Value Pack (Original, Lychee, Strawberry) - (10 Bags)
The popular white rabbit candy in a valued samper more...0 points
White Rabbit - Coconut Flavored Cream Candy -- Buy 3 Get 4 Shipped!
White rabbit brand creamy candy is the famous cand more...0 points
Quality stickers
Stickers are a great low cost item to put in any party bag. Buy them to fit in with a specific theme, or simply get stickers that appeal to both boys and girls.
Party Supplies - Little Mermaid Sticker Sheets (4)
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Amazon Price: $1.99 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Star Wars Classic Stickers - Packet 2
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SpongeBob SquarePants Buddies - Party Supplies - Stickers
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Amazon Price: $2.19 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End Stickers Badges
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Pirate Party Favors
At Shop Smoo, we sell lots of pirate related items. Seems it's big business... and the items below will fit well in any young pirate's party bag.
They're also fairly inexpensive, which is a key factor in choosing these items.
Pirate Treasure Chest Bubbles
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Amazon Price: $0.59 (as of 07/20/2008)
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38mm Pirate Hi Bounce Ball
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Amazon Price: $0.59 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Party and Loot Bag Toys and Ideas for Girls
Party bags for girls are actually extremely easy to plan for. The best starting point is to think about what kind of themes girls usually enjoy and go from there. Think of fairies, Barbie, creative themes ('make your own' items, for example), princesses and so on. Once you have your chosen theme you can start looking for party bag toys to fit that theme.
Most grab bags for girls have around half a dozen items in them, and it's not too hard to reach that number once you start searching. More general items such as play jewelry and small purses also go down well, and if you are trying to stick to a fairy theme for example, you might be able to find a purse which has a fairy stitched into the design.
Fairy temporary tattoos are a good bet since they take up very little space in the party bag; they are also available very cheaply (just a few cents per tattoo) and you can even include more than one in the loot bag if you wish. Stickers are another great item to include for the same reasons.
If you go with smaller and cheaper items such as these, you can spend a larger part of your party bag budget on a single main item to go in each bag, such as a 'make your own' item or a small craft pack of some kind. While having a specific theme is a good place to start when you are looking for toys to fill your loot bags with, you might still find other items on your travels which will work far better, so don't stick too rigidly to your ideas otherwise you might miss out on a bargain.
In short, once you start looking you will find that there are plenty of different options available for toys, craft items and play jewelry that will delight every young girl who will receive a loot bag at your upcoming party.
Party Favors For Girls
We've made those young pirates happy, so let's find some stash for the girls...
DOZEN (12) BIRTHDAY PARTY Rubber Ducks/DUCKIES
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Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Hello Kitty Sunglasses
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Party Supplies - Little Mermaid Blowouts (8)
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Amazon Price: $3.39 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Hello Kitty Pen
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Amazon Price: $1.89 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Disney Fairytale Princesses Rings
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Amazon Price: $3.62 (as of 07/20/2008)
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More great ideas
Mini Star Wands - Dozen - Children party costume
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Amazon Price: $9.75 (as of 07/20/2008)
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2 DOZEN (24) SOCCER BALL HACKEY Sacks/HACKY Sack/FOOT Bags/Kick Balls/PARTY FAVORS/Toys
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Bean Bag Scrunchie
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Amazon Price: $0.98 (as of 07/20/2008)
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Smile Face Bean Bag Keychain
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Amazon Price: $0.98 (as of 07/20/2008)
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And Finally... A Shameless Promotional Plug For My Other Lenses!
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Let me know what you think - leave a comment below. If there's a particular category of fillers you'd like to see, tell me! I'll go hunting for it and report back with my findings...
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jnslssn1
Great work on this lens! 5* Posted September 19, 2007 |
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alexkazam
A great lens! I remember some of those novelties from my childhood! I could be stocking up for party bags to give away the next children's party I perform for. Posted September 06, 2007 |
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LABELSTONE
A MUST leSuper lens with great information and images! Come by and visit my lens when you get the chance.ns for any parent/whomever having a party! Posted July 15, 2007 |
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Janet21
Hi, Posted July 12, 2007 |
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crushwb
I rated your lense !! Posted July 08, 2007 |
