Party Bag Fillers That Aren't Sweets

Why skip the sweets in party bags?

Sweets in party bags are traditional, and plenty of parents are happy with them. The trouble is that a party is usually already full of cake, squash and crisps, so the bag of sweets going home on top tends to get confiscated at the car.

There are practical reasons too. A guest with a food allergy, a child with diabetes or a family that keeps halal or vegan may not be able to eat what's in the bag, and you won't always know in advance. A bag with no food in it works for every child in the class.

The other common filler is the tiny plastic toy that's broken or lost by the next morning. Parents tend to notice that one as well.

What to put in a party bag instead of sweets

The trick most parents land on is one decent thing plus a few cheap extras. The decent thing is what the child remembers. The extras make the bag feel full without costing much.

The one good thing

This is where a fidget fits. It's small enough for a paper bag, it needs no batteries or instructions, and children of very different ages all seem to get it straight away. A clicker or a little spinner gets used in the car on the way home, which is about the best review a party bag can get.

Cheap fillers to go with it

• A sheet of stickers
• A pencil or a crayon pack
• A mini colouring or puzzle sheet you print yourself
• A bubble tube or a balloon
• A slice of birthday cake wrapped in a napkin, if you'd like one food thing

Paper bags with each child's name written on look nicer than plastic ones and make the handing-out at the door much quicker.

How much should a party bag cost?

There's no right answer, and nobody at the school gate is adding it up. It helps to be honest with yourself before you start, though, because party bags are where a birthday budget quietly doubles.

Pick a figure per bag first and multiply it by the number of guests. Then decide where the money goes. If the main toy takes most of it, keep the extras to things that cost pennies. If you'd rather spread it out, skip the main toy and go for more small things.

We should be straight about one thing: a fidget costs more than a handful of sweets. Our smallest ones are a few pounds each. Multipacks and trios bring the price per toy down, and one mixed pack split across three bags can work out cheaper than buying single toys. For a whole class, a fidget in every bag is a real expense, so some parents give the fidget as the bag and leave the rest out.

How many party bags do I need?

One per invited child, plus two or three spares. Spares are the part people forget. A younger sibling turns up, a child who said no changes their mind, or a bag gets left behind and needs a replacement. Having a couple ready saves a tearful moment by the door.

If you're mixing kinds of fidget, make each bag look roughly the same from the outside. Children compare, and the one who got the different colour will want to swap. Letting them pick from a tray as they leave gets round that and takes about the same time.

Are fidget toys OK in party bags for young children?

For children aged three and over, yes. Our toys are not suitable for children under 36 months because they contain small parts, so they shouldn't go into a bag that's heading home with a toddler.

This matters more at parties than you'd think. Little brothers and sisters come along, and a spare bag often gets handed to the smallest person in the room. Keep a separate bag or two with stickers and bubbles for the under-threes, and tell the parent which is which.

Which fidgets make good party bag fillers?

Small and simple wins. The best party bag fidgets are ones a child can work out in a second and stuff in a pocket.

• Clickers are the favourite with most children. They do click, so they're better for the car home than the classroom.
• Little spinners are easy to share and fun to compare.
• Flexi animals wiggle and bend, and children tend to name them.
• Multipacks give you a few different kinds to share between bags.

If you want more ideas at a few different prices, our guide to fidget toys under £10 runs through them. And if you're planning a Halloween party, there's a separate piece on fidgets instead of sweets for trick-or-treat.

Every toy we make is 3D-printed by us in Kent, in small batches, from PLA, a plant-based polymer, carries the UKCA mark and is made to the UK toy safety standard, BS EN 71. Give yourself time for the post before the party and check our delivery page when you order.