5yr Birthday Party ideas

I'm in complete denial that my boys will be 5 in November!

This will be our first party with school friends and I'm looking to get some ideas.
If you do goodie bags, any cheap, simple ideas on what to put in them?
Do I mix the favors to be boy/girl?
It's in November so I'm finding it hard to find cheap ideas (like bubbles).
I'm looking for easy, easy, cheap, cheap!

Thanks guys!

 

At Liam's 5th, I made lollipops and attached bottlecap zipper pulls that the kids could put on their back packs. The lollipops were moustaches and star wars, the zipper pulls were Star Wars for the boys and Hello Kitty for the girls. This is where I got them: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.270698426305440.59058.177162955658988&type=3 .

The lollipop molds I got at Michael's.

 

You don't have to do goodie bags... Some parents will thank you for not doing them :ibiggrin: .

We have done lollipops as PP mentioned, chocolate covered pretzels, kites [under a dollar each online], rocket pens, and tye-dye shirts.

Party City has lots of inexpensive stuff and most breaks before we get home. Keep your eyes out at Target, Michaels, Dollar Store for good stuff that they are trying to clear out. You can also do a craft at the party and that is what the kids take home. Decorate pots, paint picture frames, clay is great! Balloons, pencils, mini pens, stickers are also easy options.

 

After their 1st Birthday party I decided never to do goodie bags ever again, never, never, ever. Now we give one, slightly more expensive, favor to take home - small marble drop toy, all-inclusive craft kit, fancy candle etc. Last party was horseback riding, so I put the favors in brown paper bags with a few large carrots to feed the horses. DH only saw the carrots sticking out of brown bags said, "You can't give the kids those, they'll all be saying 'This is the worst party I've ever been to, all they had was carrots!' "

 

My girls just went to a party that the mom gave each kid a t shirt that the decorated themselves with glow in the dark paint.

 

Wow! Sorry for my delay in thanking you guys for your comments, I'd forgotten I wrote this!
These are great ideas! I hate putting together goodie bags, because it just seems too overwhelming for me to pick out the right gift.
Especially when there is different ages!
You guys have given me some great ideas! Thank you!

 

My friend and I have started giving a juice box or capri sun, pack of goldfish or other snack, maybe a lollipop and bubbles in our goody bags.

Another option, if you are going to have a pinata, let each kid fill a bag with pinata candy and that is their goody bag.

www.orientaltrading.com has tons of cheapie toys and party supplies too. And I usually order plates and stuff from www.birthdayexpress.com I order the "special" plates for the kids, then get coordinating solid colored plates, cups, napkins and silverware from walmart for the adults.

 

I make sugar cookies...and they will go with the theme of the party. Last year was Lego so we actually did Lego sets. This year will be Halloween themed so I will do goodie bags of Halloween themed sugar cookies.