Children's Party Bag Ideas, News and Views

Win a Party Planner - in association with Organised Mum

2009-07-13T04:55:00.000-07:00

Win an Organised Mum Party Planner!

Organising a children's party? Then you need an Organised Mum Party Planner - a clever little book that will help you to organise some of the most stressful social events of the year - children's parties

With a gorgeous cup cake design to get you in the mood, the planner has space to organise up to 6 parties as well as tear-out shopping lists, guest lists and space to note who gave what present. With extra sections for noting useful contacts such as venues and entertainers and a storage pocket for receipts, this handy little book, which is available from Organised Mum for just £4.99, will make sure that nothing is forgotten.

We are delighted to have 6 Organised Mum party planners to give away. For a chance to win one, all you need to do is answer the following question:

Funky Dory Party Bags sell a range of character party bags and loot bags, featuring favourite Disney, TV and movie characters, but only one of them is made from paper. Which one is it?

Send your answer, along with your name and address to comp@funkydorypartybags.co.uk.

All correct entries will go into a prize draw to take place on Friday, 14th August, and the first 6 entries pulled out will each receive an Organised Mum Party Planner. Good luck!

For competition rules please see our competition page.

Personalised Cotton Party Bags

2009-07-09T02:07:00.001-07:00

Take a look at our latest new product - personalised cotton party bags.

Each eco friendly unbleached cotton party bag measures 22cm x 23cm, and can be personalised with your child's name.

As well as a truly unique party bag, this product also makes an excellent gift bag and wedding activity bag, and can be used long after the event for storing toys, crayons etc.

You can see them in the personalised cotton party bags section of our site.

Summer Giveaway!

2009-07-02T05:05:00.000-07:00

This summer we are giving away 3 free Tinti bath water colour tablets with every order.*

Made with natural ingredients and dermatalogically tested, Tinti bath products are kind to young skin and leave no residue.

They are great fun in paddling pools and a great way of tempting hot and tired kids into the bath at the end of the day. Pop one into the paddling pool or bath, watch it fizz about and change the water colour to red, blue or yellow. Teach your very young children about primary and secondary colours by putting 2 tablets in and watching the colours magically mingle.

You will receive a random selection of colours, and we cannot guarantee you will get 3 different colours.

* To claim your three FREE Tinti bath water colour tablets, enter discount code TINTI at checkout.

Offer ends 31st August 2009 while stocks last

Funky Dory Party Bags on Facebook

2009-06-30T01:40:00.000-07:00

You can now become a Facebook fan of Funky Dory Party Bags by clicking here.

Keep up to date with latest product news, announcements or simply spread the word amongst your friends.

The Politics of Birthday Parties

2009-06-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

You've got little Johnny's birthday party looming. You've decided on the theme, the venue, the food and games (more or less), you're almost ready to give out the invitations..........it's all plain sailing from now on.

Or is it?

Have you invited the whole class, or just a select few? Have you forgotten to invite somebody whose party you went to last month? Will the parents want to stay? Will siblings want to tag along and create a fuss if dragged away by their ankles? If you're worried about the politics of birthday parties, then take a look at this article from the BBC for a few pointers!

Children's Party Entertainment - how much?

2009-06-21T01:44:00.000-07:00

Every parent who hosts a child's birthday party is faced with the prospect of keeping a large group of kids happy for 2 hours. It's certainly one of the main questions that arises in parenting forums, and can cause some worry, but can you put a price on keeping the kids happy for 2 hours?

According to this report by the BBC, parents pay anything up to £250.00 for an entertainer! That's not including the hall fee, the food, party bags etc.

Of course, if you can afford it, there's nothing wrong with splashing out on your child's day to make it one they'll never forget, but in the current climate, many of us will be less able to splash the cash.

We've found a growing trend for parents to go back to the way their parents did it when we were young. A few friends round for a tea party with traditional party games, lucky dip presents and a party bag at the end of it. If you have a garden, and the weather is good, it's sometimes the best (and cheapest!) solution. Alternatively, your local village hall or community centre may have surprising cheap rates.

But how do you entertain the kids? Easy - get a couple of willing adult helpers, a craft activity, a few games (pass the parcel, musical statues, pin the tail on the donkey), followed by tea, some time to run around the garden, and end it all with a treasure hunt.

You'll find many party games and buffet food ideas at Funky Dory Party Bags.

Of course, no party is complete without a little take-home treat, and you really don't have to pay several pounds per party bag - our most affordable filled party bags are under £1.50 each, and full of good quality, lasting fillers that will not end up in the bin as soon as you get home.

Activity Party Bags - new stock now in

2009-06-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

We have some fab new filled activity party bags in stock. In a range of themes, these filled party bags contain a bumper sticker activity book, pack of crayons or pencils and a toy. They are great for keeping children busy during parties and events such as weddings (try teaming them up with our personalised luxury party bags), and will last long after the party or event is over.

The Sealife Sticker activity Filled Party Bag contains a sealife themed sticker activity book, pack of crayons or pencils and fortune telling fish.

The Dinosaur Sticker activity Filled Party Bag contains a dinosaur themed sticker activity book, pack of crayons or pencils and stretchy lizard.

The Alien Sticker Activity Filled Party Bag contains a space alien themed sticker activity book, pack of crayons or pencils and stretchy alien.

The Spooky Sticker Activity Filled Party Bag contains a spooky themed sticker activity book, pack of crayons or pencils and a finger monster.

Prices start at £1.15 each plus the cost of your party bag, so as always, they are great value for money as being really useful.

Summer fun!

2009-06-16T02:00:00.001-07:00

With the schools breaking up for the summer holidays in a few weeks' time, we'll all be hoping for lots of nice weather!

I've just added some fun summer party products, ideal for handing out to the kids during summer garden parties, family barbeques, or just for giving to the kids to play with on a sunny day.

We have things that you chuck, squirt, and things that fly. We especially like the foam rocket, and the animal water pistols! Of course, no summer fun day would be complete without a water bomb or two.

These products are all great fillers for party bags and great value for money. You can see them all in our summer party bag fillers section.

Personalised Party Has Moved

2009-06-14T00:44:00.001-07:00

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Personalised Party has moved to its very own section on Funky Dory Party Bags.

This means we have all our fantastic products on one website. So whether you are after a few empty party bags, filled party bags or something really special like a recycled luxury personalised party bags, or personalised chocolate, you can find them on the same site.

Lego Themed Party

2009-06-13T08:32:00.001-07:00

Bored of the usual pirates, princesses, football and superhero party themes? Why not try a lego themed party? It's not as daft as it sounds. Those people at Lego have come up with some really simple party ideas - including party activities and games, and even instructions on how to make a lego cake.

The beauty of this theme is that it is suitable for all ages, in particular, toddlers and pre-schoolers who enjoy playing with lego duplo.

Take a look here.

Magnetic Ladybirds back in stock!

2009-06-11T06:22:00.001-07:00

Our ever popular magnetic ladybirds are back in stock. Great fun for kids over the age of 3, watch them dance around as the magnets attract and repel each other.

These magnetic toys (and the equally appealing magnetic frogs) make really charming party bag fillers, especially for summer parties and family BBQ's.

Team them up also with our miniature ladybirds and miniature frogs for a real backyard safari in your party bag!

Personalised Badges now available

2009-05-27T06:02:00.001-07:00

We have a new product at Personalised Party - traditional button badges, customised with your own message and one of our lovely characters.

Choose from a dinosaur, monkey, fairy princess, pirate and a cow, and personalise the badge with your very own message. Now you can give the birthday boy or girl their very own unique badge, or make your guests feel extra special with a badge of their very own.

If you are planning a wedding, these badges are also great fun for hen and stag nights, and fantastic to give out to the guests at your wedding. Why not give them out to your top bridesmaids and page boys?

Follow this link to read more about our personalised badges.

Dinosaur Mugs Back in Stock!

2009-05-18T13:18:00.001-07:00

After a short absence, I'm pleased to say that our very popular plastic dinosaur mugs are back in stock!

Like all our plastic mugs (including safari animals and sealife), these dinosaur mugs provide a great alternative to a party bag. Fill them with sweets, treats and small toys and wrap them in one of our cellophane bags, finished off with some curling ribbon, and your guest will be delighted, and as they are sturdy and long lasting, they won't end up in the kitchen bin as soon as they get home!

Just as importantly, at only £1.00 each, they provide a unique party favour or prize at a very affordable price.

Alternatively, save yourself a lot of time by letting us fill them for you by visiting our filled party mug section.

Very versatile, they make excellent toddler mugs, tooth mugs, toy and pencil tidies, paint brush mugs and bath toys, so there's no wonder they are amongst our best sellers.

Personalised Stars - Party Bag Fillers

2009-05-14T03:52:00.000-07:00

Personalised Party have a lovely new product - handmade personalised wooden stars.

Each star measures approximately 12.5cm across. They are available in a choice of colours and have matching gingham ribbon.

These stars make really unique personalised party bag fillers, or wedding favours for children. We love them and hope you do too!

20% off Personalised Party Bags - permanent offer

2009-05-07T03:12:00.000-07:00

You can now buy personalised white kraft paper party bags for only 80p each! We've slashed a whopping 20% off these best sellers at Funky Dory Party Bags.

In assorted designs specially selected for their wide appeal to children, and customised with your own message, you can give your young guests a touch of luxury on a budget.

For luxury personalised recycled party bags, in assorted colours, take a look at our new sister site, Personalised Party.

Boinnn-ggg!!!

2009-05-04T02:45:00.000-07:00

We adore these new wooden springy creature pens that have just arrived - and yes, they really do go boinnn-ggg! Well, kind of.

The pens are painted in assorted bright colours and decorated with funny creatures on springs. They are sure to liven up homework, and we defy any child not to smile if they're lucky enough to find one in their party bag.

We're not sure what the creatures exactly, but they seem a bit like aliens to us. What do you think?

We're constantly adding to our collection of party bag fillers, so don't forget to pay us a visit before your next party!

Baking for a party

2009-05-03T06:33:00.001-07:00

Do you bake? Or, like me, do you often think about baking but never get round to it? Either way, it's worth taking a look at this new website I've found called Mums Who Bake. They have a chat forum, as well as a section on tips, and lots of lovely recipes - including ones for my favourites - banana cake and chocolate fudge cake.

They also have an online shop where you can buy all the equipment and embellishments you need. I particularly like their section on baking for a party, and in particular, their lovely little Fun Pix . You can attach messages, pictures or photos onto them and stick them in cupcakes to liven up the party table. They are particularly useful as place name holders. Also, if you're really creative, you could decorate each child's differently and personalise it with their name label in a Fun Pix and hand them out with the party bags as they leave.

If you do fancy your hand at baking for your next birthday party, as well as our own party food ideas, it's well worth a visit to the recipe section at Mums Who Bake.

Personalised Party website is launched!

2009-04-30T05:52:00.000-07:00

After months of hard work, I'm delighted to announce the launch of Funky Dory Party Bags' new sister site - www.personalisedparty.co.uk.

As you'd expect from the title, Personalised Party specialises in personalised party products such as personalised party bags, wedding activity boxes, personalised chocolate bars and handmade bunting.

The launch of Personalised Party sees the introduction of our brand new personalised recycled paper party bags. In an assortment of colours and themes, they are larger than a standard party bag, as well as luxurious and eco friendly. They make beautiful party bags and wedding activity bags.

For the time being, you will still be able to buy personalised items at Funky Dory Party Bags, but it's well worth a visit to Personalised Party, because not only will you find a larger choice of personalised products, but also, for the whole of May we are offering a 10% discount on all orders to celebrate the launch of this new site.

To claim your 10% discount, please enter code WEBLAUNCH.

If you are also looking for something to put inside your personalised party bags or boxes, then don't worry, because you can also buy party bag fillers at Personalised Party.

New pocket money toys now in stock!

2009-04-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

I've just taken delivery of some fab new pocket money toys that would make excellent fiddle toys for wedding activity boxes and parties, as well as party bag fillers.

First up is the pocket-sized "tic tac toe". Play noughts and crosses with yourself or an opponent. This is really handy pocket money toy for car journeys as well as events where kids might need something to amuse them for a short while.

We also have some love moody face keyrings. Flour filled rubbery faces that can be squeezed and pulled in all directions. A great fiddle toy for kids, and anybody with idle hands, really!

I'm always on the lookout for pocket-sized books and activities that can provide a bit of quiet stimulation for kids, so I'm really pleased to with our new sticker activity books. They are packed full of colouring pages, stickers, dot-to-dots, mazes, word searches and puzzles, so are perfect for wedding activity boxes and party bags.

You can see these and all our other pocket money toys in our party bag filler section of Funky Dory Party Bags.

Recycled Party Bags

2009-04-18T05:10:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to let you know we now have some gorgeous recycled kraft paper party bags in stock. Made from 100% recycled paper, with paper twist handles, they come in an assortment of bright colours including red, magenta and blue.

Larger than the average party bag, they measure 20cm x 9cm x 25cm, so there is plenty of room for as many party bag fillers, toys, and cake as you wish!

Recycled Paper Party Bags.

Top Party Tips - #2

2009-04-16T03:27:00.000-07:00

A good tip for young children is to give them a craft or art project to do. It doesn't have to be very complicated - just some colouring pages you can print from the internet, would do for toddlers and pre-schoolers.

You can either introduce the craft activity at the beginning of the party while you're waiting for every one to arrive (you can supply some pre-cut party crowns or hats and get the kids to decorate their own, or provide a large piece of paper to decorate and use as a placemat for their birthday tea).

Alternatively, if you have a room of excitable children, have them do the craft activity at the end of the party. In this way, they will calm down before being released into the community! Possible craft ideas are animal masks, icing fairy cakes or biscuits, designing and decorating their own party bag.

Top Party Tips - #1

2009-04-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea for a fun, slightly mad party game.

Give each child a square of bubble wrap. Play music for approximately1 minute and get the kids to jump up and down on the bubble wrap. The winner is the one with the flattest bubble wrap!

Sign up for our Newsletter......please!

2009-04-05T10:21:00.000-07:00

Sign up to our monthly newsletter and receive updates on all our new products, as well as lots of information and top party tips. We'll also send you exclusive offers for you and your family and friends, both from Funky Dory Party Bags and other websites that we think may be of interest to you.

We promise not to spam you. The newsletter will be sent once a month at most, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Please either sign up at the top page of the blog, or at the funky dory party bags home page.

What to put in party bags

2009-03-25T05:12:00.000-07:00

You don't have to spend too much time on an internet parenting forum until the "what to put in party bags" question comes up, and it always provokes strong, mixed reactions.

My personal pet hate is party bags jam packed with chocolate bars and sweets (normally full of e-numbers) and perhaps the cursory bit of "plastic tat" that usually ends up in the bin after 5 minutes. I'm not alone in this bugbear, as my forum friends are very vocal about their pet hates.

Always high on the agenda, along with the e-number invasion, is "plastic tat". Those with a few kids' parties under their belt will have had times when a tiny bit of plastic was deemed only good for the bin. Other much maligned party bag items are those with the potential to make a mess - modelling clay, bubbles and felt tips spring immediately to mind.

So these are the things parents seem to hate, but what do they really like? Without doubt, mothers do seem to like little board books (especially for toddlers), stationery sets, bouncy balls, and most especially wooden party bag fillers! Parents also like the idea of one item, as opposed to a bag full of stuff.

Now, seeing as I'm a purveyor of plastic toys, stationery AND wooden party bag fillers, what do I think? And more importantly, what do my customers think?

Well, judging by one excited phone call I had from a dad who'd just bought a load of plastic blow copters for his son's birthday, not everybody hates plastic. "They are great - they actually work!!" were his words to me, as well as "Can you send me some more?". So clearly, not everybody thinks plastic is tat. The same goes for our wind-up clockwork frog - it is only 50p and goes on for ages. It's very popular with big boys too - especially those in their 40's.....

I couldn't talk about "non-tat" plastic products without mentioning our best selling animal mugs. Made of plastic, they are cheaper and more durable than china mugs, and are really versatile.

Environmental issues aside, I think it's safe to say that while there IS a lot of tat about, not ALL plastic party bag fillers are complete rubbish.

What about wooden party bag fillers? Well, the cons are that they can be a lot more expensive than other options, and in some cases they can split easily, or have bits come unglued. But it has to be said, that if you can afford them, then you'd be hard pushed to upset any parent with a good quality wooden party bag filler. I particularly like wooden bracelets and necklaces for girls, and wooden mice or racing cars for boys.

Ultimately, I feel that we as parents shouldn't forget that party bags are for the children, and it's important to remember what they like too.

This blog post was prompted by an article by Sarah Ebner Times Online. It makes for interesting reading, particularly the readers' comments.

So, what do you think?

Personalised Children's CD's and DVD's

2009-03-24T06:38:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce that with immediate effect, every Funky Dory Party Bags customer will receive a voucher with their order, which gives them 20% off any order at www.kidsstuffandthings.com.

Kids Stuff and Things produce personalised CD's, DVD's and story books to create the perfect, unique gift for all special occasions.

Readers of my blog can also take advantage of this code, which is FD222.