68 Fun Party Bag Alternatives & Party Bag Fillers (That Aren't Lollies)

Party bags are a great way to say thank you to the guests who came to your child’s party, and for most kids, getting a goodie bag at the end of the celebration is one of their favourite parts of a birthday party.

But if you’re looking for party bag alternatives that aren’t lollies and candy, thankfully there are plenty of other fun party favours that kids of all ages will love! After all, who says lolly bag fillers need to be lollies?

And there’s a good chance their parents will like them much more than a bag of junk food and the sugar high that follows!

Check out some of our favourite alternatives to party bags and goodie bag fillers, with suggestions on what might work for different age groups, as well as what to put in lolly bags that aren’t lollies.

party bag alternatives and party bag fillers 5

The Best Party Bag Alternatives For Kids

You’ve got it covered – you have the cake, the snacks and the party games all sorted, but now it’s time to think about what sort of gifts you’ll give out at the end of the birthday party as well!

Whether they’re turning 5 or 15, there aren’t many people who don’t love getting a goodie bag to take home from a party!

But as a parent, I don’t know about you but I dread the bag loaded with extra sweets after the kids have already indulged in plenty of sugar at the party.

We always try to give out party favours or party bags with gifts that aren’t edible, so that way the kids have something they can cherish from the day, that won’t lead to a sugar high and that dreaded post-sugar crash!

These non-candy party bag alternatives are a great option if you want to avoid sending home sugary treats with your child’s party guests.

Non-Candy Party Bag Fillers

If you still want to give out kids party bags at your child’s birthday party, there are plenty of non-candy party bag fillers that kids will love!

Party bag ideas can be a budget-friendly option for giving out gifts to guests and are sure to create plenty of excitement and fun after the party comes to an end. Make your party planning easier with these fun ideas.

These are some of our favourite affordable and fun party bag fillers:

Craft Kits: Create mini craft kits that come with everything you need to get started. This is a great idea for older kids who might love to do arts and crafts! You could even incorporate a craft project into the birthday party itself and complete it as a group as a special take-home gift that child made themselves. Don’t forget to include the instructions.
A Mini Game: A pocket-sized version of a classic children’s game, such as a Rubik’s Cube, Connect Four or Barrel of Monkeys that they can play over and again after the party ends.
Mini Sticker Book: A fun little sticker book, with all sorts of themes for every age group: animals, princesses and superheroes! This is a great way to kick off their collection or add some new ones, as well as giving them something they can use to decorate with at home.
Playdough – You can purchase small tubs of playdough in bulk or make your own homemade playdough and add to cute airtight tubs with labels that have each child’s name on them.
Card Games: A small pack of playing cards or a deck of Uno cards make great party bag fillers.
Pamper Items: For a pamper party, add mini hand creams, bath bombs, lip gloss and nail art for a perfect pamper goodie bag.
Friendship Bracelets: You can easily make your own friendship bracelets at home and consider using letter beads to add each guests name for a personalised bracelet gift.
Mini Figurines or Toys: A small plush toy or activity figure of the hero from their favourite movies, shows or videogames. These are great options if your child is having a themed party.
Slime: Kids love slime and you can make your own homemade slime to gift to party guests or get little tubs of slime in every colour you can think of.
Stationery Sets: A notebook and a set of pencils make a great practical gift idea. You can even get personalised sets for an extra special take-home gift. Perfect for school, or just to keep in their backpack!
Science Kit: An amateur scientist kit is sure to keep kids busy with hours of fun experimenting and learning about science.
Scavenger Hunt List: An experience is always appreciated by kids and adults alike – send the kids home with a scavenger hunt challenge they can complete in their backyard garden or inside the house.

Here are more ideas for party bag fillers that aren’t lollies or food:

Stickers
Erasers
Novelty pencils
Pencil toppers
Ruler
Sharpener
Paintbrushes
Paints
Hair accessories
Kids jewellery
Keyring
Fun paperclips
Post-it notes
Mini notebooks
Lip balm
Nail polish
Bubbles
Stress balls
Mini bouncing balls
Fridge magnets
Fidget spinner
Toy car
Balloons
Mini slinky
Self-inking stamp
Cookie cutters
Skipping rope
Whistle (sorry parents)
Silicone bracelets
Headbands
Colourful shoelaces
Crayons
Lanyard
Mini skateboard deck
LEGO Minifigures
Surprise eggs
Sunglasses
Temporary tattoos

Keepsake Party Favours For Kids

If you want alternatives to party bags that are a little more special that kids will love to keep well after the party, there are plenty of great options to suit kids of all ages and interest.

Some party favour keepsakes can be created at the kid’s birthday party as an activity for the kids to do together and then take home their creation.

My youngest daughter has been to several fairy garden parties where the kids do a backyard scavenger hunt to find the items for their fairy garden, then with a little help, they add the soil, a plant and the decorations ready to take home.

You can do a similar thing with any birthday party theme for kids or party themes for adults or you can gift the party guests a personalised party favour ideas that they will love to take home as a reminder of the fun they had at the party.

Here are some great options for children’s party favour ideas that aren’t junk:

DIY Canvas: Let them paint their own canvas art to take home. This is a fun idea for an art party, but even if that isn’t the theme of your child’s birthday party, you can easily theme a painting activity around it, such as painting their own superhero for an Avengers party or a unicorn for a pony party.
Creative Gift: Give something special like an art set or colouring book with a set of pencils for them to take home, all wrapped up in tissue paper
Superhero Mask: A superhero mask or a different type of face mask they can decorate at the party to take home. Another option is a funny hat or headband, like these Trolls headbands.
Dress Up Accessories: A tutu, tiara or fairy wand are perfect for fairy or princess parties or a cape for superheroes.
Mixed CD: Make each guest a CD of your child’s favourite songs that they can listen to at home.
Cooking Gift: Cooking utensils and a favourite recipe your child loves. You may even want to include a few of the essential ingredients to make it easy for your child’s guest to create the recipe at home. Cookie mix jars are perfect ideas for this!
Photo Memento: A photograph of the guest and the birthday child snapped at the party is a special memento. If you have an instant camera, such as an Instax or Polaroid, or if you have a home printer you can print photographs on, you can do this while the party is happening and pop them in some small, cheap photo frames for the child to take home.
Ice Block Moulds: Gift guests ice block moulds and a few yummy ice block recipes on recipe cards to make their own ice blocks at home.
Planter & Plant: A small pot with a succulent is a wonderful gift for kids to help them learn how to care for their own easy plant. Plus you can either have your child decorate the pots before the party or have the kids decorate their own at the start of the party.
Disposable Camera: For older children, one idea is to include disposable cameras as a fun way to encourage some creative expression through photography.
Stationery Bundle: Gift a nice pencil case filled with crayons, pens and other stationery items that the child will love to use after the party.
Favourite Book: A picture book or chapter book for older kids that your child loves and wants to share with their friends.
Plaster Painting Kits: Gift kids a plaster kit that they can paint at home and add their own creative flair.

These personalised party favours for kids are also a wonderful option for keepsake gifts and party bag alternatives:

Eco Mermaid Party Bags: Instead of plastic goody bags at your child’s birthday party, gift the guests a personalised keepsake eco bag they can use after the party is over. These loot bag ideas make for cool party bags!
Personalised Lip Balms: Get personalised lip balms for your birthday celebration as a useful gift that kids can keep in their school bag.
Name Letter Chalk Party Favours: These letter chalk birthday party goodie bags are a cute gift for some creative fun as party favours that are not junk.
Personalised Paint Sets: These creative kits come in a cute personalised pot with paints and a brush for them to decorate at home (or at the party).
Personalised Banner: A personalised banner with their name on it that they can use as a decoration for their bedroom walls is a fun gift idea that your child can help you make before the party or have the kids make their own as part of the party entertainment.

So, if you’re looking for party bag alternatives without lollies or unhealthy snacks at your child’s next birthday party, these ideas are sure to inspire plenty of fun party favour ideas and party bag fillers that kids (and parents) will love.

For more unique party bag ideas, check out these non-candy Easter egg fillers and non-candy Halloween treats as well!

There are loads of cheap gifts and easy-to-make alternative party bag ideas that will last well beyond a quick sugar rush after the party ends! Plus some of these gift ideas also make the perfect party activities if you’re looking for a make and take party idea for kids birthday parties.

Make your party planning easier with the ultimate printable party planner and event planner bundle. Over 40 printable pages to plan every part of your next celebration for adults or kids parties!

Get It Now

Find more kid’s birthday party ideas: