13 Party Favors from the Past That Kids Actually Looked Forward To

Kids in the past got party favors that were simple, fun, and surprisingly exciting.

Sophia Zapanta
May 30, 2025
4 min read

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Before screens took over, party favors were small items that gave kids a real reason to look forward to birthdays. These weren’t expensive, but they felt special. Many were loud, sticky, colorful, or just fun to trade and collect.

1. Plastic Parachute Men

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These tiny toy soldiers came with thin plastic parachutes you’d throw in the air. Watching them float down slowly felt like magic. They often landed on rooftops or trees and got stuck. Still, they were fun while they lasted.

2. Kazoos

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Kazoos were inexpensive plastic instruments that produced a buzzing sound when hummed into. They were loud and often annoying to adults. However, to kids, it felt like making music. They usually broke after a few days, but no one cared.

3. Slap Bracelets

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Slap bracelets were strips of metal wrapped in colorful plastic that curled around your wrist when slapped on. Kids wore them to school until teachers started banning them. They were simple, but the snapping sound was addictive. Everyone wanted to collect them in different colors.

4. Mini Bubble Bottles

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Tiny bottles of bubble solution with tiny wands gave kids a few minutes of sticky, floating fun. They didn’t last long, and the solution usually spilled. However, blowing bubbles was always a hit. The bottles were small enough to take home in a pocket.

5. Sticky Hands

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These rubbery toys looked like hands and stuck to the walls when thrown. Kids would swing them around or slap them on furniture. After a few hours, they’d collect dirt and stop working. Still, they were one of the first things grabbed from a favor bag.

6. Yo-Yos

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Basic plastic yo-yos were a classic favor that sometimes came with simple tricks printed on the package. Most kids couldn’t do more than make it go up and down, but it didn’t matter. They were fun to try, and trading colors was part of the deal.

7. Glow-in-the-Dark Stickers

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These stickers charged under light and glowed in the dark for a short time. Kids would put them on notebooks, dressers, or walls. They didn’t always last long, but the glow felt exciting. It turned a plain sticker into something cool.

8. Tiny Puzzle Mazes

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These small plastic squares had a silver ball inside that you’d tilt around to reach the center. They were frustrating but addictive. Kids would keep them in their pockets and play during car rides or at school. No one finished them quickly, but they tried.

9. Finger Traps

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Chinese finger traps were woven tubes that tightened when you pulled your fingers apart. The trick was to push in, not pull out. It felt clever and funny the first time. Some kids reused them just to watch friends get stuck.

10. Candy Necklaces

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These were stretchy strings of hard candy that doubled as a snack and accessory. Kids wore them around their necks and chewed on them during the party. The candy wasn’t great, but the idea of wearable food was. By the end, the elastic was sticky and stretched.

11. Pencil Toppers

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Foam, eraser, or plastic figures that went on top of pencils made school supplies more fun. Some were animals, aliens, or sparkly shapes. They didn’t help with writing but looked cool. Kids often collected them even if they never used the pencils.

12. Bouncy Balls

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Tiny rubber balls that bounced unpredictably were always a favorite. They’d roll under couches or get lost quickly, but kids loved how high they jumped. Sometimes they came in neon colors or had glitter inside. Losing one just meant you needed to get another.

13. Mini Notepads

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Small spiral notepads with bright covers gave kids a place to doodle or write secret messages. They were often paired with tiny pencils. The paper quality was usually poor, but it didn’t matter. Kids loved having something “official” to write in.