Goodie bags are a popular addition to birthday parties for both boys and girls. These presents for the guests of the party can go from small and simple to large and extravagant. If you have never prepared goodie bags before, but would like to add them to your child’s next birthday, here are some ideas to help you determine what would be appropriate to put inside.

The first thing to remember is to keep the “goodies” age-appropriate. Buying small candies or toys for a birthday party of toddlers is not smart or safe. Look at age warnings on toys and follow them.

If you include any kinds of food in your goodie bags, find out about allergies your guests may have. Common allergies include nut allergies and flour product allergies, so adding cookies or peanut butter cups might be bad choices and dangerous. Placing them in the bags could lead to a trip to the hospital, which would ruin the atmosphere of your festivities.

Another good policy to follow: ask yourself “What would I like for my child to get in their goodie bag?” As a mom or dad, you know what is appropriate for your child and what you would like to see them receive in a goodie bag. Normally, your instincts for what you would like your child to have will be the same as the parents of your guests. This means: no junkie little pieces of plastic! Granted, these items are plentiful, found everywhere and inexpensive, but as a parent you know that these things are hardly ever used and just end up in the recycle bin. Why waste your money?

Some ideas for goodie bags for younger children are:

• Coloring books and crayons – most children have crayons of basic colors, so look for unusual boxes of neon or pastel crayons.
• Small stuffed toys – discount stores have dolls that look like well known princesses, bears, dogs, etc. for very reasonable prices.
• Craft materials – in the goodie bags, place all the pieces that would be needed for a craft project. Several online companies sell ready-made craft projects for very reasonable prices.
• Ink pads and stampers – make sure the ink pads you choose are washable ink. Children love stamping on construction paper and on other craft projects.
• Bubbles – they make very small containers of bubbles now that are great for play in the tub and outside.
• Thematic goodies – if you are doing the party theme of “princesses”, put a wand and tiara in each goodie bag. Books based on the theme of the party are always great items for goodie bags.

Some ideas for goodie bags for older children are:

• Playing cards – many older children love playing cards at home and during their free time. Discount and dollar stores everywhere carry decks of cards that are very inexpensive. You can also find playing cards that have thematic designs on them, if your party happens to have a theme.
• Pocket games – jacks, jump ropes, marbles and the new electronic games like Yahtzee are always great goodie bag additions. Some pocket games can get pretty expensive, so shop around and look for the best deal.
• Collectables and figurines – appropriate if you have a theme to your party. Just buy figurines that depict the characters of your theme.

Even though goodie bags are nice, remember that they are actually not necessary at your next birthday party. There is no rule stating that you have to give the guests a present to thank them for coming. The fun and food you provide (plus any prizes from the games) is plenty and they cannot expect more.