We made simple Valentine’s Day goody bags for our daughter’s classmates and kept the project affordable and quick. Our first stop was Target, where we checked The Dollar Spot, the Valentine’s candy section, and the kids’ party aisle to see what was left. In The Dollar Spot we found clear plastic bags sold in a set of 20 for $1 — a perfect start.
Next we browsed the party aisle, which had bulk items like stickers, markers, and glow sticks. We considered little boxes of washable markers (four for $2), but our daughter, Clara, wasn’t totally enthusiastic about them. Then in the Valentine’s section we spotted a red-and-white striped box containing individual crayon sets. The whole box of 24 crayon sets was marked down to $3 — a steal.
Since the crayon box and the baggies cost only $4 total, we kept looking to add a little extra to each bag. We found small spiral notebooks sold in packs of eight for $1.50 each. Adding those meant each goody bag could include a crayon set and a notebook for just a few dollars more — great for drawing and doodling on the go.
We liked the idea — I keep a small notebook and crayons in my bag for restaurant waits and appointments — and Clara’s immediate reaction was, “I want to draw in the notebook with the crayons now,” which sealed the decision. We ended up spending $7 total and brought everything home to sort out.
We assembled the bags by placing one pack of crayons and one notebook into each clear bag. Clara helped and worked quickly — so quickly that many of our photos came out a little blurry — but she was careful to put exactly one of each item into every bag.
To seal the bags and show who they were from, we used square labels we already had on hand. Late that evening, after Clara was in bed, we brainstormed a short Valentine message to match the crayons and notebooks. After tossing out a few bad puns, we landed on a sweet, simple line: “Crayons are red and yellow and blue, preschool is fun because of you!”
One sheet of the square labels was enough to seal all the bags. We printed the design, peeled each label, and stuck it on the back of each bag to close it neatly.
The finished goody bags came together nicely. Clara was excited to hand them out to her classmates and insisted on keeping one for herself. She loves crayons, so this was the perfect Valentine activity and treat for her and her friends.
If you want to create something similar, use small clear bags, inexpensive crayon packs, and mini notebooks to keep costs low. Add a simple printed or handwritten label with a short message and your child’s name to personalize each one. These goody bags are an easy, budget-friendly Valentine’s idea that kids can help assemble and will enjoy receiving.