13 Birthday Party Goody Bag Items Every ’90s Kid Got

Before party favors went digital or disappeared altogether, ’90s kids walked away from birthdays with bags of pure joy. These goodie bags were filled with simple, but unforgettable items that defined an entire generation’s celebrations. Here’s a nostalgic list of 13 classic party goodies that every ’90s kid likely found in their hands.

1. Sticky Hands

PxHere

These stretchy, gummy toys were perfect for smacking walls — or your friend’s face. They came rolled up, ready to collect dirt and hair within minutes. Despite being practically useless after five minutes, they were always a crowd-pleaser.

2. Temporary Tattoos

Kennedy Library on Flickr

Slap one on your arm, add a damp paper towel, and boom — you were instantly cooler. Whether it was a dragon, butterfly, or random cartoon character, every kid wore one like a badge of honor.

3. Mini Mazes

Steve Berry on Flickr

Tiny plastic puzzles with a silver ball bearing that tested your patience. You’d spend more time trying to solve it than eating your cake. These pocket-sized games were party staples.

4. Plastic Rings and Clip-On Earrings

Tamara on Flickr

Bedazzled, colorful, and often way too big, these accessories were a fashion statement for kids. Every little girl (and some adventurous boys) proudly rocked one at the party.

5. Mini Bubbles

Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels

Small enough to fit in your pocket, these bubbles offered big-time fun in a tiny bottle. They usually leaked before you even got home. Still, blowing bubbles in the backseat was a post-party ritual.

6. Paddle Ball Toys

EvelynGiggles on Flickr

You’d try to bounce the ball on the paddle, then immediately fail. It looked easy in cartoons, but mastering it was another story. The string always tangled, but that didn’t stop anyone from trying.

7. Candy Necklaces

Robert Fairchild on Flickr

Wearable snacks? Yes, please. The pastel candy beads on elastic string were a sugar rush and fashion statement all in one. You’d nibble throughout the day until it was just wet string.

8. Noisemakers

Linnaea Mallette on NeedPix

Those tiny plastic whistles or roll-out blowers made birthday chaos complete. Annoying to adults, essential to kids. They broke easily but served their purpose: making noise and driving parents nuts.

9. Mini Notepads and Pencils

Denisse Leon on Unsplash

Decorated with balloons, animals, or stars, these tiny notebooks made you feel organized. You never actually wrote anything useful in them — mostly doodles and names.

10. Erasers in Weird Shapes

Scott Beale on Flickr

Ice cream cones, animals, skateboards — erasers came in every form but were terrible at actual erasing. Still, they were fun to collect and trade.

11. Slap Bracelets

drcw on Flickr

You’d unroll it straight, smack it on your wrist, and feel the snap. Sometimes they pinched, sometimes they broke, but they were always cool.

12. Glow-in-the-Dark Plastic

domdomegg on Wikimedia Commons

Whether it was a star, a dinosaur, or a bracelet, glow-in-the-dark items were magical. You’d hold them under a lamp to “charge” them, then run to the closet to check the glow.

13. Yo-Yos (The Tiny Kind)

Victor Balter on Wikimedia Commons

These mini yo-yos worked… barely. You’d try a trick, fail, and still feel like a pro. Half the time, the string would come undone, but the effort was what counted.

• Tags:
• 90s birthday parties
• 90s nostalgia
• Childhood Memories
• goody bags