by Goody bag “filler” toys are the worst. The products are the absolute worst. For so many reasons:
They break easily
They add to the clutter
They are small and therefore a choking hazard
They’re bad for the environment
They’re a waste of money
My son comes home from school with goody bags all the time. Most of the stuff ends up in the trash within a day or so. It’s so wasteful. I know, kids like the junk… so it makes it worth it. I get it, it’s cheap and easy. With a little bit of planning though… you can give out better quality, useful items without having to spend more money.
Here’s what we do for Valentine’s Day classmate gifts. My sons school has a rule that all Valentines have to be non-edible. Since we are not allowed to give out candy or cookies, we like to give out something practical. Usually we will pick a box of crayons, set of colored pencils, markers or watercolor paints.
At the beginning of the school year Target has great deals on Crayola products. The Target store brand (Up & Up) is even cheaper. Boxes of 24 crayons for literally 25 cents. Crayola brand is usually 50 cents. Plus I use my Target Debit Card and get an addition 5% off. We print these cute cards from Etsy, depending on how much time I have, I might print a small coloring card and it’s done. Easy Valentines that are cheap and useful, Valentine’s Day Goals! I do the same thing for birthday party favors. I just can’t bring myself to spend money (any amount) on tiny plastic junk that ends up in the trash.
Amazon also has great deals. Check out my storefront, I’ve personally purchased and used every product I recommend. Things like packages of colorful clay, watercolor paints, and all sorts of arts and craft items for a great price. By the time you account for everything in the goody bag and the cost of the actual bags, I bet you’ll actually be saving money. Michaels Arts and Crafts also puts Crayola on-sale for 50% off sometimes and you can use a coupon with it. My goal is about a dollar a kid. However, If I plan in advance, I spend less. If I have to buy last minute, than it’s usually about $1.00 per kid. Which isn’t bad, last time I calculated the costs of goody bags, I would have been spending almost 2 dollars per kid and had a bunch of extras because of the way those items are sold (in big bags with odd amounts).
Valentine’s Day Goals:
Picture from Marguerite’s Main St. on Etsy that shows the super cute cards I print:
Here’s a list of my favorite products (for party favors or class gifts) to order from Amazon:
Watercolor Paints
Play-Doh or Kiddy Dough – (I give 2 or 3 per kid depending how many classmates I have to divide between).
Crayons
Colored Pencils
Markers
This is the paper I use to print the cards – it’s a cheap cardstock that works in both inkjet or laser printers. It’s thick enough to not tear but thin enough to print like regular paper. I love this stuff and the pack is so cheap and lasts forever. I use 3 or 4 sheets for the Valentine’s. One package lasts for a lot of holidays. I used to buy cardstock from Staples, but it was a huge pack and the ink would smear sometimes. I’ve never had that problem with this paper.
All the products I recommend are in my Amazon Storefront.
Valentine’s Day Goals
Valentine’s Day Goals – No Goody Bag Junk
FULL DISCLAIMER: I make a small commission on my affiliate links.
