Loot Bag for 7 year olds?

I'm looking for loot bag ideas for a 7 year olds birthday party. I prefer the idea of one bigger/nicer object, instead of a bunch of cheap / plastic toys.

Any ideas? I like the idea of books - I've found chapter books (HSM / Bee Movie / etc) at Dollarama a few months ago, but of course now they only seem to have ones for younger kids.

I thought about those mini 'Sticky Mosaic' kits. I'm pretty sure the girls would like them (my daughter loves them), but I'm not sure about the boys. Anyone with boys that age that still like to do crafts like that?

Any other ideas would be great - or ideas for places in Mississauga / Kitchener area that might have cheap chapter books, or craft kits, or other ideas.

Thanks!

KW surplus has TONS of crafty stuff here in Kitchener

i'm not sure what your budget is but...you can get a gift card from one of the following places...chapters, baskin & robins, dairy queen...and put in a couple treats...

Michael's had some cute (and cheap) clearance items a few months back, you could check them out. They had little colouring kits and some cute toys.

If you're looking for something a little creative you could always try disposable cameras. You can find some for around 5 dollars, and the pictures the kids take let them be a little creative, have some fun, and once developed they're great memories (that being said, it'll cost some $ for the parents to develop them). Packages of nice markers, crayons, little watercolour sets and play-doh/silly putty are fun too.

Depending on if you have a theme, you can keep the kids busy by doing something related to that theme and let them take it come (crafts, baking etc.). For example, you can buy some of those wooden trinket boxes from dollarama and some different colours of paint (also at dollarama) for the kids to make their own treasure boxes.

Or you could package these in a nice bag or some cellophane for the kids to make themselves at home, just a box, a couple tubes of paint, and maybe some stickers/rhinestones/sequins/ribbons/pompoms etc. You could buy large packages of little decorations and divide them up amongst the favours. The boys could get sports themed stickers and blue paints while the girls get pinks and purples with some rhinestones. If you take the dollarama route you could end up with a favour of about $5 per child.

Nice little treats like cupcakes are also fun (you could make them yourself just be careful with nut allergies), and perhaps you could pair that with a little trinket or a good book.

Good luck :)

Personally I think the best idea is a Chapters gift card or Toys R Us..but depends on how much you want to spend. Where abouts do you live? Try a Liquidation World if you are near one, they always have odd stuff you might find some good books or craft like objects.
I am hosting a party for my son at Loblaws cooking school in September and their lootbag will be a cupcake and $5 Chapters card.

Great minds think alike!

$5 Chapter GC's are good for both genders--kiddies get to pick out what they want and Chapters also carries silly little trinkets in case the kid isn't an avid reader. It's really hard to gauge what kids are interested in (Hannah? Barbie? Spiderman?) and at this age, they can be a different reading levels too, so buying books could be hit or miss success. What one kid loves, another may hate. GC's eliminate that issue.

Michael's also has some killer sales. We use an incentive program for academics here, so I am always cruising for good deals on items for the "treasure box."

A few months ago I found some really awesome kits on for a dollar at Michael's. There were a bunch of different ones- a magic trick kit, a joke kit (complete with rubber mouse and fake spider on bar of soap) and DD LOVED these. I imagine any boy would too. Those silly kits provided hours of entertainment and laughs.

In fact, I am STILL finding that darned rubber mouse hidden where I'd least expect it. :hahaha: :yikes:

My goodness! Gift cards! Loot bags are going high end! My little guy is only one, so it looks like I'll have lots of loot bags to put together in the future! I'd better start saving now!

Personally, I think a loot bag should have a variety of little things. I think it's fun to go through the bag! I make loot bags for adults and kids at Christmas dinner, and I think sometimes they have more fun with the loot bags than they do the actual Christmas gifts!

I like the idea of the kits, Ninna! Those would be a lot of fun.

Card games? Stickers? Those foam airplanes that fly? high-bounce or water-filled balls? Jacks? Play-doh?

Thanks for all the great ideas!
I'm leaning towards some kind of craft kit, and a couple of other small items to round it out (candy / chocolate bar perhaps).

I like the idea of a gift card too - perhaps next year!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Minou

My goodness! Gift cards! Loot bags are going high end! My little guy is only one, so it looks like I'll have lots of loot bags to put together in the future! I'd better start saving now!

Personally, I think a loot bag should have a variety of little things. I think it's fun to go through the bag! I make loot bags for adults and kids at Christmas dinner, and I think sometimes they have more fun with the loot bags than they do the actual Christmas gifts!

I like the idea of the kits, Ninna! Those would be a lot of fun.

Card games? Stickers? Those foam airplanes that fly? high-bounce or water-filled balls? Jacks? Play-doh?

---

I agree, a bag full of little items could go a long way! When DS turned 1, we had mostly kids his age and filled them with stuff from the dollar store, and some cookies and crackers too... But we also had 2 older girls (4&7), and I made them their own goodies bags, not wanting them to think the other ones were too "baby-ish"...so I got them some Dishey Princess crayons, stickers, and a few other things also from the dollar store, which they loved because it was girly, and something they would actually be able to use! Mind you, we didn't spend anymore then 5-6$ on each of the goodie bags...

my daughter is turning 2 in aug. and instead of using a bag i'm using sand pails from WM in the $1 bin. gonna just put bubbles and maybe a couple of other dollar store things in there that kids can play with. i think the $5 gc to chapters/coles/indigo is a great idea. will consider down the road!