When you're planning your child's birthday, the return gift can seem like one of the smallest decisions.
But as a parent, I've learned that the small details are often what make a party feel complete.
I want every child who comes to celebrate with my little one to leave with something special.
At the same time, I don't want to fill their homes with another random toy that gets ignored after a week.
So when I choose return gifts, I look for something fun, useful and creative.
My First Rule: Choose Something Kids Can Do
Children love opening gifts.
But what happens after the excitement of opening the package?
That's what I think about when choosing a party favour.
A creative activity gives children something to look forward to after the party is over.
That's why I like the idea of playdough-based return gifts. Children can shape, roll, squeeze and create whatever their imagination comes up with.
You can explore different options on The Children's Lab Return Gift page.
My Second Rule: Keep the Children in Mind
Not every child at a party will have the same interests.
Some love animals.
Some love unicorns.
Some enjoy building things.
Others simply love colourful creative activities.
That's why I prefer having different types of return gifts to choose from.
For example, the Farm Play DoughPod can be a fun choice for children who enjoy animals and farm-themed pretend play.
For a more magical theme, there's the Unicorn Play DoughPod.
My Third Rule: Make the Return Gift Match the Party
If I'm spending time choosing a birthday theme, I like carrying that theme through to the return gifts too.
A themed return gift can make the party feel more thoughtfully planned.
And it doesn't have to be complicated.
Even something as simple as choosing a creative gift that matches the colours or theme of the celebration can make the party bag feel more special.
For Bigger Parties, I Think About Quantity First
Let's be honest—when there are 15, 20 or more children coming to a birthday party, buying individual gifts can quickly become complicated.
That's where party packs can make life easier.
For example, Tiny Dough Delights – Pack of 20 is designed with multiple individually packed playdough gifts, making it particularly practical for larger celebrations.
Instead of putting together every favour individually, I can plan the quantity in advance and focus on the rest of the party.
I Also Want Something Parents Will Appreciate
The children are obviously the stars of the party.
But let's face it—the parents are taking the return gifts home.
As a parent myself, I appreciate something that doesn't immediately become clutter.
A creative activity gives children something they can actually sit down and enjoy.
It can become part of an afternoon at home, a play session with siblings or even a parent-child activity.
That's much more appealing to me than a novelty item that has only one purpose.
Return Gifts Don't Have to Be Complicated
Sometimes we overthink party favours.
We search for something unique, something impressive, something completely different.
But children don't necessarily need complicated gifts.
They need something that gives them an opportunity to play.
A small playdough gift can become a cake shop.
A farm.
A magical world.
A collection of characters.
Or something that doesn't even have a name yet!
That's the fun of open-ended creative play.
My Simple Return Gift Formula
If I were planning my child's birthday today, my checklist would be:
1. Count the guests.
Know exactly how many gifts you'll need.
2. Set a budget.
Decide how much you want to spend per child before shopping.
3. Think about the age group.
Choose gifts that suit the children attending.
4. Match the party theme if possible.
It makes the entire celebration feel more coordinated.
5. Choose something children can actually do.
A gift that becomes an activity can keep the fun going after the party.
The Part I Love Most
The birthday party itself might only last a few hours.
The cake gets eaten.
The balloons come down.
The decorations are packed away.
But a creative return gift can give children another little moment of happiness when they get home.
They open their gift, sit down and start creating.
And suddenly, the birthday celebration has continued for another afternoon.
That's exactly what I want from a return gift.
If you're planning your child's next celebration, explore The Children's Lab's Return Gifts for creative options that make saying "Thank you for celebrating with us" a little more special.
