Should I Provide Party Favors for a Bday Get-together?

I don't think you have to - but I have never known a kid to not like getting one. My kids have always gotten one - even a big chocolate bar is well received. Sometimes it's as simple as that, or with a water bottle - or something they can use there (for drinks). But if you decide not to, no biggie. If it were me, I would. Here it's the norm.

It does not sound like the type of celebration that "needs" party favors, and I do not ever think favors just for the sake of having favors are a good idea (unnecessary clutter, random bits of candy, etc).

If you want to do favors, I think the best favors are something that fits the "theme". In this case, if the place you are going is popular, maybe each boy would like - for example - a "commemorative reusable soda cup", if there is an option for something like that. Or bring a few plain teeshirts and some fabric markers (including glow-in-the-dark ones) and let each boy make a shirt to wear while there. Or pay for the boys to use a photo booth there - fun photo memories.

Also, if outside food is not allowed, maybe an individually-wrapped cupcake for each boy to enjoy later would be a good favor.

I too am kind of a party favor girl. I like a fun favor that goes with my theme, but I do try and avoid the junky stuff that will just be thrown away. But, to answer your question, do you need one? No. It sounds like they will be very busy playing (and maybe they'll get prizes from games/tickets?) and having fun. If you want to do a favor do something like a cookie or a large candy bar or something that you know they'll eat, or like a $5 gift card to sonic or baskin robbins or something. You can get cookies decorated at even your grocery store bakery and put them in a box or clear bag with a ribbon.

I admit that I loved planning, buying and giving gift bags. One time I left them at home and had to bring them to school the following Monday. I was very embarrassed because I knew that the moms probably thought I didn't really have them.

However, in your case, I wouldn't do them for 3 children. Instead, can you take pictures of them and "snail-mail" them to the boys? One of my kids went to a Hogwarts party and the boy's mom was really good with her computer and pictures. She photoshopped each child into a picture with a hat, robe and wand as if it were a wizard newsletter. Now, it doesn't appear that you have a "theme" to your get-together, so a picture of the 4 boys together having a great time would be fine. But I will say that my son remembered and enjoyed that Hogwarts picture for a very long time!

To you it's not "technically" a party but I believe the boys may view it differently. Are they bringing gifts to your son?

It's your choice to do what you want. I suppose anything goes now.

If it were me... I'd provide food and at least something fun like a souvenir or toy. You're not talking big bucks with just 4 kids. Make it memorable for them!

Of course, stay within your budget. If you can't afford a party celebration for the 4 boys then do something at home.

If you mean a bag of little stuff and candy to take home then no. I don't "do" party favors for either of my kids even for more traditional parties. That said, they do typically go home with something. Lately I've been into water bottles (dollar store). I put the kids names on them, fill them with water or lemonade, and let the kids have them during the party for their drink - even indoor play places that don't allow outside food will usually allow a water bottle.

I like them because that way I don't have to buy disposable cups and most kids can use another water bottle so it's not something that will go straight into the trash when they get home.

I don't pay too much attention to whether or not my kids get party favors, so I don't personally see it as all that important. That being said, I always give out party favors because it's so easy and cheap to do and seems to really make the kids happy. Sounds like they will have a lot of fun at the activity center, so they might not even notice if you don't have them.

I do think you need to have food, even if it's just a snack. Kids play hard, and kids get hungry. You don't want to turn them back over to their parents hungry and crabby. I think having a get-together for your son's birthday automatically makes it a birthday party, no matter how many guests there are.

If your budget is tight, I think food is more important than favors.

I think the whole birthday/venue/favors/entire class deal is overdone, so I commend you for doing a small get-together with an activity, and trying to scale back.

I don't think you have to provide a favor at all, but if the 3 kids know that it's your son's birthday and will be bringing a gift, and if everyone knows there's a reason why you are paying for the gathering, I think there might be an expectation that favors are common. However, I think this is a good age to start teaching kids that they don't get "paid" to come to a party, that they should be gracious guests and gracious hosts, which means being content with and grateful for what is offered.

If no outside food is allowed, what will you do? Skip it, or provide food from the venue? Are you sticking to a budget (no problem if you are) or trying to send a message that we don't need favors (no problem if you are). If you would skip the food entirely, and let the whole party be the play activities, then I agree with the suggestion below that you could consider sending them home with something of your own hands (cupcake, brownie, etc.) with a simple "thanks for coming" tag. But I reiterate that it's not necessary. When teens and adults go to parties of any kind, they don't get favors. It's okay to make the party into the sole event, and perhaps even set a precedent for other grateful parents!

We always did small, at-home parties with games (not hired entertainment or bounce houses) and usually the activity was something like a scavenger hunt for stickers, treats and candies, which became the "favors" or "goodie bags." By 8 or 9 when my son wanted to take a few kids bowling or to the movie, we didn't do take-home favors. To my knowledge, no one ever said they wouldn't ever come back because we were too cheap! And if they had, we wouldn't have considered it a great loss.

I wouldn't do favors in this case. But with just a small group, I may get them a pizza and some soda, either at your house afterwards or out at a restaurant

Forget favors and feed them.

I didn't do party favors and goodie bags when it WAS an actual party.

We usually do a full size chocolate bar or a gift card for a slurpee. Not goodie bags or plastic junk.

Even though it's not technically a party, most eight-year olds won't view it that way. A lot of parties are held at indoor activity centers and I don't think that they'll understand that it's not a party.

As a parent, however, I really don't like party favors-- most of the little trinkets end up between my car seat cushions and end up clogging my vacuum! But I still provide them at parties because they've become so common. My son's first birthday party was at Chuck E Cheese. My husband joked that we should give out adult party favors that consisted of ear plugs and coupons for a free beer. I seriously thought about doing so!

While I don't think that you need to, I think that it wouldn't hurt to do give favors. For three boys, you can probably put together a decent favor for less than 20 dollars. It could be as simple as getting something like large sticky hands and printing out a free bag topper. Or putting a few game tokens in a baggie with a cute topper.

Good luck!

I hate the whole concept of party bags. They are expensive and my kid tends to forget about them 20 minutes after we leave the party, and then I end up throwing most of the stuff away. Do not feel obligated!

I think you'll be fine without party favors.

No, I think this is the worst fad to ever happen. Don't fall for it.