21 Brilliant Pass The Parcel Prize Ideas Kids Actually Want To Win

The traditional version - one prize, in the middle, eight minutes of waiting - is brutal for anyone under six. The modern version, with something in every layer, works, but only if the somethings are worth having.

Here are twenty-one prizes that get a genuine reaction, plus how many layers to wrap and how to run it so the birthday child wins the middle without it looking fixed.

Layer prizes worth unwrapping

• An enamel pin badge. Small, flat, cheap, and the one thing that goes on a school bag the next morning. Shop this card
• A sheet of stickers - still, reliably, the most popular thing in any party bag.
• A bouncy ball. Loud, chaotic, universally loved, and about thirty pence.
• A packet of seeds with a picture on the front. Parents thank you for this one.
• A mini colouring pad and a chunky crayon, taped together as one prize.
• A pack of three balloons, which becomes the next fifteen minutes of the party.
• A magnifying glass. Somehow always a hit.
• A tiny torch with the batteries in.
• A hair clip or bobble set.
• A temporary tattoo - the fastest possible way to make a five year old's day.
• A wooden yo-yo or spinning top.
• A packet of sweets, one per layer, which avoids the 'I got nothing' round.
• A sherbet fountain or similar retro sweet the adults will also comment on.
• A bookmark, especially for the six and over crowd.
• A pair of novelty sunglasses, which immediately go on and stay on.
• A small notebook with a pencil taped to it.
• A tube of bubbles - best saved for the layer just before the garden bit.
• A joke card with one terrible joke on it, read out loud by whoever wins it.
• A sheet of glow stars for the bedroom ceiling.
• A slice of cake claim ticket, redeemed at the table. Free, and children love a ticket.
• An 'extra go' token for the next game, which is the cheapest prize on this list.

The grand prize in the middle

• The middle prize should be obviously bigger than the layers. If it isn't, the last child feels short-changed and the whole game deflates.
• A talking Jessie doll makes a proper grand prize - it has presence when it comes out of the paper, and it's a real toy rather than a keepsake.
• A boxed board game works for seven and over, because it gets played that afternoon.
• A good hardback picture book is the safe grand prize nobody objects to.
• Whatever it is, wrap the middle in a different colour paper. The children spot it and the anticipation does half your work.

How to run it so nobody cries

• One layer per child, plus one. Count the heads before you wrap, not after.
• Use newspaper for the layers and one nice sheet for the middle - it's cheaper and it tears more easily for small hands.
• Tape lightly. Over-taped layers are the single biggest cause of pass the parcel meltdowns.
• Sit them in a circle with an adult controlling the music and watching which children haven't had a turn.
• Stop the music deliberately, not randomly. Everyone knows you're doing it; nobody minds.
• Announce the rule out loud at the start: everybody wins something. It stops the anxious ones worrying for eight minutes.
• Save it for the last twenty minutes. It's a sitting-down game and it calms the room before pickup.

Shop party bag fillers

How to write it so it lands

• Wrap it the night before while watching television. It takes longer than you think.
• Put the quietest child's turn early. They're the ones who give up on the game first.
• Keep two spare layer prizes in a pocket for the child who somehow gets missed.

Where to shop next

• Toy Story party ideas
• The best toys for 4 year olds
• Toy Story bedroom ideas
• Gifts for 3 year old girls
• The best Disney toys in the UK
• Toy Story gifts for kids
• Shop kids' birthday cards
• Shop party supplies
• Shop party bag fillers
• Shop cake toppers
• Shop bunting and banners
• Shop table confetti
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Birthday cards for kids
• Thank you cards
• Thank you cards guide
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What are good pass the parcel prize ideas?

Small flat things worth keeping: pin badges, stickers, bouncy balls, temporary tattoos, bubbles, seeds, mini colouring pads, novelty sunglasses and one sweet per layer - then something noticeably bigger, like a talking character toy or a board game, in the middle.

How many layers should pass the parcel have?

One per child plus one spare, so everybody gets a turn and the birthday child can take the middle without it looking arranged. Count heads before you wrap.

Should every layer have a prize?

For under-sixes, yes - otherwise the wait is too long and several children end up upset. For seven and over you can go back to one prize in the middle.

What should the main pass the parcel prize be?

Something obviously bigger than the layer prizes and playable that day - a talking Jessie doll, a boxed board game or a good hardback book all work. Wrap it in different paper so the children can see it coming.

Do you sell toys or Disney merchandise?

No. We design and print kids' birthday cards, enamel pin badges and party decorations - bunting and banners, balloons, table confetti, cake toppers and party bag fillers - all posted from the UK. Any toy we mention is an outside recommendation, not something we stock.