Edition 3 · Saturday 10 Oct 2026

5 Halloween party bag ideas for birthdays and trick-or-treaters

I'm not a huge Halloween fan. And I haven't had to celebrate it that much. Yet.

But every year I think of a friend who once handed out some random chocolates she found at home to the children knocking at her door. She meant well. Only later did she realise they had expired.

So this year, as I prepare for what will most probably be a cold walk with lots of screaming ghosts, witches and one Iron Man — my son; we like to reuse fancy dress and he's not bothered — I'd like to be a little more prepared.

Not necessarily with a spectacular bag. Just something children will enjoy, with fewer plasticky fillers and a little less sugar. Whether you're planning a Halloween birthday or opening the door to a small witch every three minutes, I think the same rule applies: one good thing is enough.

Here are five Halloween party-bag ideas, plus a little ghost that caught my eye. Some are sweet-free, some are things to make, and one is firmly for the birthday children whose parents you can ask first.

I found these while researching rather than trying every product myself. Prices below were checked on 10 October 2026 and exclude delivery. For doorstep visitors, keep a separate non-food choice and let their accompanying adult check suitability.

Painted ghost, pumpkin and bat Halloween masks

A mask that joins the party

The nice thing about a mask is that it can do its job before the party is even over. Children can choose one, wear it for the games and take it home afterwards. Or make simple card masks together if you already have the materials. Suddenly the party activity is also the party-bag filler. Which is one less thing to organise at 11pm the night before. For doorstep visitors, I'd offer a ready-made one only if its age guidance suits the child.

A few finds to try

What it tends to cost

About 66p per child

Based on the six-pack price; delivery extra.

The Good Bag note

I'd let the mask be the favour rather than the opening act for another five things. And if we're making them at the party, a child carrying their slightly wonky ghost home doesn't need a separate bag.

Painted Halloween drawing sheets with colourful pencils

A tiny draw-your-own-monster kit

A little card, a pencil and a ridiculous question: what does the monster under your bed look like? Does it wear slippers? This is the one I'd put together from the stationery drawer rather than buying a whole themed kit. Birthday guests can draw their monsters together; visitors can take the card home. It doesn't need to be elaborate. In fact, I'd quite like to see what happens when ten children are given the same prompt and absolutely no sensible instructions.

A few finds to try

What it tends to cost

£0 extra if you already have paper and pencils

DIY option; any new supplies will add to the cost.

The Good Bag note

I'd spend the effort on the drawing prompt, not the packaging. A homemade card with ‘Give this monster a name’ is more interesting than another tiny toy whose entire career is the journey from the door to the car.

Painted Halloween stickers with ghosts, a pumpkin, bat and cat

Spooky stickers — split the pack

Stickers are still one of those small things children seem genuinely pleased to get. Halloween gives them a very good excuse to put a ghost on absolutely everything. Nail stickers are another option for children who like that sort of thing, although I'd check with their parents rather than assume everyone does. For a birthday, split a larger pack into little sets. At the door, keep the product information available so an adult can decide whether they're suitable.

A few finds to try

What it tends to cost

59p per child if you split five sets

Based on five sets; delivery extra.

The Good Bag note

This is definitely a buy-the-bigger-pack-and-split-it one for me. I'd check the sets separate neatly before promising five party bags. And no, a paper bag doesn't magically make the stickers inside plastic-free.

Painted Halloween biscuits shaped like a ghost, bat, pumpkin and witch hat

A spooky biscuit for the birthday guests

A bat or pumpkin biscuit could be the whole take-home treat. Especially if baking is already part of the birthday plans. This isn't the sweet-free option, obviously, but it is one thing that gets eaten rather than a collection of things to tidy up. I'd keep homemade biscuits for children whose dietary requirements I can check with their parents. For unknown visitors at the door, I'd stick to something with clear ingredient information and offer a separate non-food choice.

A few finds to try

What it tends to cost

Cost your batch, then divide by the portions

The Good Bag note

This is my ‘ask the parents first’ option, not my ‘surely everyone can eat a biscuit’ option. And I'd resist baking three different designs. One very questionable-looking bat will probably do the job.

Painted Halloween bead bracelet with a ghost charm, pumpkin and bat

A little ghost bracelet to make and keep

This is the one that made me stop scrolling. Cotton Twist's Make Your Own Ghost Bracelet has a little wooden ghost, beads spelling BOO and colourful wooden beads to thread together. Spooky, but not quite keep-you-awake spooky. I like that it's something to make and then wear, rather than a Halloween trinket that only really makes sense for one evening. At £3.95, it's more of a one-good-thing birthday favour than something I'd buy for every child who knocks at the door.

A few finds to try

What it tends to cost

£3.95 per child

One kit per child; delivery extra.

The Good Bag note

Cotton Twist describes the kit as plastic-free. I haven't tried it myself, so I'd still check the age guidance and plan for an adult to help with the little pieces. But as a small craft that can also be the take-home gift, it's a very promising find. I'd let this be the whole favour. Something to make, something to keep — and no emergency supermarket sweep for extra fillers.

A Special Find

No Trickz. Just Treatz — Wild Thingz

The founder of Wild Thingz got in touch after my previous post. I haven't had time to exchange more than a few messages with her yet, but I did have a look at her online shop — and it looks amazing. It's one of those lovely things about sharing The Good Bag: sometimes a new find comes straight to you.

Her Halloween Box caught my eye for this edition. There are 18 little 25g bags inside: nine Berry Mix and nine Tropical Mix. The sort of thing you could keep by the front door for visiting ghosts, or put in a birthday party bag without needing to divide up a big packet yourself.

Wild Thingz says the sweets are plant-based, made without gelatine, artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or sweeteners, and have half the sugar of the big brands. They're still sweets, of course — not a sweet-free option. The shop also lists them as gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free; I'd still check the current label with parents where allergies are involved.

At £15.99 for the box, that works out at about 89p per little bag, before delivery. I haven't tried them myself yet, so this is a shop that's caught my attention rather than a taste-tested recommendation. But for Halloween, when a small, individually wrapped treat can be the whole thing, it seems a very promising find.

Wild Thingz Halloween Box with individually wrapped Berry Mix and Tropical Mix sweets

Made by: Wild Thingz
Price: £15.99 for 18 × 25g bags — about 89p each, excluding delivery

The Good Bag note

I'd let one little bag be the treat, rather than the start of another handful of fillers. And I'd keep a non-food choice by the door too.

Product photos from Wild Thingz. Prices and product claims checked on 10 October 2026; check the current ingredients and allergen information before ordering.

Join in

What should be in the next Good Bag Finds?

What do you give the little ghosts at your door? Or have you found something that went down brilliantly at a Halloween birthday? I'd love to hear it.

Found a brilliant party-bag filler?

Know a small brand I should look at?

Have an idea that worked at your child's party?

Send it my way.

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What should the next edition be?

The Good Bag Finds #3

More good finds coming soon.

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