What do you think about this idea for a kid's party?

[molly2004]

My guys will be turning 5 soon. I'm thinking about a pirate party that combines a yankee swap with a scavenger hunt. So every child would bring only a gift for the swap, not for the birthday boys. The presents will be hidden as "treasures." Each child would get a map to a different gift.

What do you think about a swap like this for a kids b-day party? It will definitely take a lot of explaining to my kiddos. I'm just thinking they don't need all those toys! I want to impress upon them that birthdays are about celebration and not the gifts. And I despise the whole goody bag bit because I hate giving junk. I figure this way, every kid would go home with something nice. It also serves as a fun themed activity too.

What would your reaction be if your child were invited to a party like this? Would you resent having your kid's present swapped this way?

Any ideas on how to word this on the invitation?

Thanks!

 

[joyfulscrapper]

Ok, here's my opinion, and for what it's worth, we don't celebrate birthdays, so my opinion may not matter as much to you...

I think that's a wonderful idea! Most kids these days have way too many toys and many new ones are so quickly forgotten. I think the other parents would appreciate this more. This way they won't fret as much over whether or not it's something the party child would want or already has. I would suggest, though, that you set a spending limit on the gift so that you don't get gifts in largely varied price ranges.

One down side, though, is that you will probably have at least one (but probably several) cases of the "I want what he has!" fits. I'm not sure how that would best be handled.

But I do think it sounds like a neat idea and I agree with the goody bag stuff being junk (even though I'm guilty of buying it for parties...). I would be sure that you're boys are ok with the idea too, so there are no tears on that end, too.

 

[melancholywings]

Is it mixed gender? I think it might be stressful getting the kids to bring toys that would appeal to everyone, and there may be resentment and tears if one kid feels another got something better. And what if one kid doesn't bring something? We've had it happen at DD's party because a family was going through difficult times - we didn't care we were just happy they were there.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

Just be prepared even though the adults think no gifts is a great idea, will your child think the same? We went to a party where they insisted no presents and they did a book exchange. The birthday girl sat and cried because the other children were opening "her presents" it was very uncomfortable for everyone.

 

[powellrj]

My kids are older, so we have had lots of parties over the years.

Here are somethings to think about. We have had experiences where not everyone brings a gift for whatever reason. What about the child that brings a less expensive gift. Will they be happy with a dollar store puzzle when they have given something much more expensive.

While I think your heart is in the right place, I can see lots of unhappy little party guests.

 

[Vijoge]

In theory, I think it's a neat idea. However, as the mother of three grown boys and grandmother of 6 -going -on -7 I have to tell you my kids wouldn't have felt the same. But if your little ones are cool with it then I think it could be fun as long as all the gifts/prizes are of similar value. I'd hate to bring a Tonka truck and get a bag of marbles in return.

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

My DD's birthday is 5 days before Christmas, so every year since she was about 3 or 4 I have a 1/2 birthday party for her in June with her friends. We have a family party on her birthday. Any way, I never felt comfortable with having kids bring her presents to her 1/2 birthday so I had a gift swap. The first year I asked the kids to bring age appropiate books and as the kids brought the wrapped gifts in I put a number on them. We played a fishing game with numbered fish and a magent. The number fish you got was the present you got to pick. As she got older we did differn't games like the dice game. DD likes it because she does get a present, I like it becuase DD gets 1 present, and the other kids like it because they get to go home with something. I think you have a good idea there !

 

[cathyce2]

My DD will be 5 in a few weeks. When she is invited to a friends party she enjoys picking out a gift especially for the friend. She would be very upset if Susie went home with the gift she brought for Janie.
Plus as a parent I've worked hard to have my girls understand that the party and the gifts are for the birthday child. Please don't undermind that by making everyone equal. It just makes things harder for the next party when the birthday child keeps all the good stuff.
I think your heart is in the right place, but I wouldn't do the party this way.

Cathy

 

[zoemurr]

that some of the gifts would be "cooler" than others.

We have done no gifts for years and I don't think my kids feel slighted, as they have never complained. (We have BIG parties and they get plenty of gifts from family.) We have received donations of food, books, towels, baby toys, toothbrushes.. so the kids can help pick out some things to give. (We donate to Ronald McDonald House).

I think your treasure hunt is fun, but I would do it with things you buy that are of equal value... maybe a coloring book and crayons? We had a dinosaur party one year and I hid small gifts for each child in paper mache dino eggs and stashed them in some woods behind our house. Kids were talking about it for years afterward.

Have fun! My kids are very proud when they take their birthday donations. Also, on the card I always put how this is our tradition, and if you would like to donate... anyway.. then I put that a homemade card would be nice, so the friend feels like they have given a personal gift too.

 

[molly2004]

See, I have to say this is why the DIS is so great! I'm gettings tons of wonderful feedback that I would not have even thought of.

I had thought it would be tricky and confusing to parents to bring a gift for a swap since that's not something that people in my kids' circle of friends do. A number of you also raised a point I handn't considered: the economy's possible effect on gift giving. Setting price limits on gifts, I find, is challenging because things just cost so much these days. I, personally, get frustrated with limits because nothing of reasonable quality fits within a $5-10 limit anymore.

So I think I'll buy the "treasures" and figure out something to do about the gift rule.

Thanks, everyone!

 

[DISNEYFOS]

We just had a Birthday party with my DD whole school class. (She had had a separate Birthday party with family and close friends the week before where she got lots of presents.) We did a Book exchange. Everyone was asked to bring a wrapped book. We put the books into a bucket and had the kids line up to pick a book out of the bucket (making sure not to pick the one they brought). Everyone loved it. All the kids were thrilled to be opening a present..and DD was thrilled to be part of all the excitement of her friends.

I explained to her before the party what we were doing and why..and how she already got presents from family etc.. She was fine with it. She loves books so that helped as well.


I like the idea of a scavenger hunt..but my only worry would be about the randomness of the "prizes" and trying to keep things equal. Books were easier.


Oh just to add...I felt a little funny wording the invite "request"...So I put No gifts please, we will be having a book Exchange..if you would like to participate" I felt better about giving them the option

I also bought a few extra books and stashed them wrapped in a bag..just in case we ended up short for the amount of kids present