• Gift bags can be a highlight of birthday parties for children.gift image by Jovan Nikolic from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
  
  For children, the party bag or gift bag that they receive at their friends' birthday parties are usually the highlight of their day. For the parents constructing the party bags, these favors can be a pain to assemble -- not to mention expensive. However, they don't have to be. A few simple party bag ideas can help you make gift bags that your childrens' friends will love -- and keep them excited for your child's next birthday party!
  
  

Candy

• Today, candy is a lot less popular in gift bags than it used to be, due to the rise of childhood obesity and diabetes, as well as parents' desire to teach their children good eating habits. However, one or two small pieces are usually okay. A particularly fun way of giving candy in party bags is candy jewelry -- candy necklaces or RingPops. These kinds of candy usually last longer and have fewer calories than chocolate bars or similar treats.
  
  

Theme-Related Items

• Fill your party bags with items related to the theme of your party. For example, if you threw a princess party, give each child a special crown at the end of the day. If the party was fireman-themed, you could throw in a small firetruck, available at drugstores relatively inexpensively. These themed items will make your bags distinctive.
  
  

Toiletries

• Both young boys and girls love to pamper themselves and be pampered, just like adults. Lip gloss, or Chapstick, for the boys, can be found in many child-friendly formulas and flavors, often with favorite characters on the container. Bubble bath can also be a great choice, especially if it comes in fun scents -- you can usually find small travel-sized bubble baths at the grocery store.
  
  

Arts and Crafts Supplies

• Most children love to draw and be creative. Adding things like stickers or markers to the gift bags is a great way not only to remind them of the party's theme, but also to encourage their artistic abilities long after the party's over.
  
  

Bubbles

• Children love to blow bubbles. Especially in the summer, a small container of bubbles for blowing is a perfect addition to a party bag, and can give children -- and their parents -- hours of fun entertainment.