In search of a quality trinket.
May 29, 2013 12:14 PM Subscribe
Bulk gift ideas for little kids?
My Girl Scout troop is having its bridging ceremony in two weeks, and I'd like to get each of the girls a small gift. It was everyone's first year in scouting (my first as a troop leader, their first as scouts) and it was pretty special to me and I'd like them to have something to remember it by, especially since a few of them will be moving onto new troops next fall.
I have 17 girls, so I need to keep the cost below $4 an item.
To give you an idea of the sort of thing I'm thinking of, when I graduated 5th grade, my teacher gave each of us a small (like, the face was the diameter of a penny small) geode* with a little note attached that said something to the effect of "true beauty is on the inside." I still have it.
I would like it to be something small but substantial (not a little toy, or some plasticky thing that'll get pitched in a couple weeks), and ideally something that has MEANING or SYMBOLISM.
I do not want to give them jewelry or anything with their initial on it, since girls get inundated with that kind of stuff and I'd rather buck the trend.
Girls range in age from 5 to 10, most hovering in the 7-8 range.
*If you know of a source for tiny geodes in my price range, PLEASE LINK ME! I wasn't able to find such a thing on a googling.
My Girl Scout troop is having its bridging ceremony in two weeks, and I'd like to get each of the girls a small gift. It was everyone's first year in scouting (my first as a troop leader, their first as scouts) and it was pretty special to me and I'd like them to have something to remember it by, especially since a few of them will be moving onto new troops next fall.
I have 17 girls, so I need to keep the cost below $4 an item.
To give you an idea of the sort of thing I'm thinking of, when I graduated 5th grade, my teacher gave each of us a small (like, the face was the diameter of a penny small) geode* with a little note attached that said something to the effect of "true beauty is on the inside." I still have it.
I would like it to be something small but substantial (not a little toy, or some plasticky thing that'll get pitched in a couple weeks), and ideally something that has MEANING or SYMBOLISM.
I do not want to give them jewelry or anything with their initial on it, since girls get inundated with that kind of stuff and I'd rather buck the trend.
Girls range in age from 5 to 10, most hovering in the 7-8 range.
*If you know of a source for tiny geodes in my price range, PLEASE LINK ME! I wasn't able to find such a thing on a googling.
Oriental Trading Catalog! They have tons of stuff, in bulk, kids love. Cheap!
posted by agregoli at 12:19 PM on May 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by agregoli at 12:19 PM on May 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
Well, here are some cheap geodes, and they're in Chicago.
posted by carrienation at 12:20 PM on May 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by carrienation at 12:20 PM on May 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
I love Geodes. Phoenix and Dragon here in Atlanta has all kinds of lovely minerals, crystals etc and I've seen that they have little geodes at popular prices. Give them a call, they might be able to hook you up with either selling them to you directly, or they can tell you who their supplier is.
I got some responses by googling "crystal" but I didn't immediately see any little geodes.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:20 PM on May 29, 2013
I got some responses by googling "crystal" but I didn't immediately see any little geodes.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:20 PM on May 29, 2013
Response by poster: I'll be sending each of them cards over the summer :)
For this I definitely want a physical thing to gift them.
posted by phunniemee at 12:21 PM on May 29, 2013
For this I definitely want a physical thing to gift them.
posted by phunniemee at 12:21 PM on May 29, 2013
Best answer: Mini Geodes!
More here (but in a bag of 50)
More little geodes here.
I think giving a geode is a lovely idea, they're such an unusual thing for a girl to get as a gift.
posted by essexjan at 12:21 PM on May 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
More here (but in a bag of 50)
More little geodes here.
I think giving a geode is a lovely idea, they're such an unusual thing for a girl to get as a gift.
posted by essexjan at 12:21 PM on May 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
For camping/backcountry travel, a young scout needs to be prepared. A good signaling device is perfect for kids of that age.
Howler whistles are just under $4 each in a quick search---you may be able to get them cheaper if you look around a bit.
posted by bonehead at 12:25 PM on May 29, 2013
Howler whistles are just under $4 each in a quick search---you may be able to get them cheaper if you look around a bit.
posted by bonehead at 12:25 PM on May 29, 2013
Flashlight pig keychain? There are a lot of nice LED flashlights that might be useful and practical.
posted by jessamyn at 12:27 PM on May 29, 2013
posted by jessamyn at 12:27 PM on May 29, 2013
I see no reason not to rip off that geode idea wholesale.
posted by town of cats at 12:28 PM on May 29, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by town of cats at 12:28 PM on May 29, 2013 [7 favorites]
I would second oriental trading.. Massive amounts of cheap, random, trinket stuff kids dig.
posted by k5.user at 12:31 PM on May 29, 2013
posted by k5.user at 12:31 PM on May 29, 2013
I don't have any items to suggest, but I think a trip to American Science & Surplus would be fruitful.
Oh wait, they have geodes.
posted by hydrophonic at 12:31 PM on May 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh wait, they have geodes.
posted by hydrophonic at 12:31 PM on May 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Dave's Rock Shop in Evanston has all sorts of great geodes, fossils etc. Gives you a great excuse to go there if you haven't - seriously cool place.
posted by leslies at 12:31 PM on May 29, 2013
posted by leslies at 12:31 PM on May 29, 2013
Best answer: Put those geodes in colorful organza bags and I think you're good to go. If you have any money left over, maybe an engraved metal tag that they could put on a charm bracelet or necklace with the year and name/location of the scout troop. Or, if you have a special animal or mascot, maybe see if there's a charm for that.
posted by amanda at 12:37 PM on May 29, 2013
posted by amanda at 12:37 PM on May 29, 2013
Response by poster: Put those geodes in colorful organza bags
OMG. MY FIFTH GRADE GEODE CAME IN ONE OF THOSE.
You guys rock. My girls are totes getting geodes in colorful organza bags.
It's-my-own-question-hijack:
Anyone have any good (short) little poems or quotes that would be good? Bonus points if they come from a Latina writer.
posted by phunniemee at 12:40 PM on May 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
OMG. MY FIFTH GRADE GEODE CAME IN ONE OF THOSE.
You guys rock. My girls are totes getting geodes in colorful organza bags.
It's-my-own-question-hijack:
Anyone have any good (short) little poems or quotes that would be good? Bonus points if they come from a Latina writer.
posted by phunniemee at 12:40 PM on May 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Do you have individual photos of all of them from events and activities throughout the year?
A candid photo of each girl being cool/awesome with the caption "Remember to always..." or something that individualizes it would be really great at that age, I think. And maybe shoved away initially but brought out again and smiled at as they grow older.
posted by sarahnicolesays at 12:42 PM on May 29, 2013
A candid photo of each girl being cool/awesome with the caption "Remember to always..." or something that individualizes it would be really great at that age, I think. And maybe shoved away initially but brought out again and smiled at as they grow older.
posted by sarahnicolesays at 12:42 PM on May 29, 2013
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage" - Anais Nin
posted by SinAesthetic at 12:44 PM on May 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by SinAesthetic at 12:44 PM on May 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
“I want to be like the waves in the sea.
I want to be like the clouds in the wind.
But I’m me. One day, I’ll jump out of my skin. And shake the sky like a hundred violins.”
—Sandra Cisneros, from House On Mango Street
posted by jaksemas at 1:18 PM on May 29, 2013 [6 favorites]
I want to be like the clouds in the wind.
But I’m me. One day, I’ll jump out of my skin. And shake the sky like a hundred violins.”
—Sandra Cisneros, from House On Mango Street
posted by jaksemas at 1:18 PM on May 29, 2013 [6 favorites]
LED Crystal necklace. here.
it's an SMD LED embedded in a glass cube. Stays lit about 24 solid hours with the replaceable watch batteries (included). In the US these sell for $20+ but if you order them from China direct... they are cheap and awesome.
to get them in 2 weeks... well maybe.
posted by bobdow at 2:54 PM on May 29, 2013
it's an SMD LED embedded in a glass cube. Stays lit about 24 solid hours with the replaceable watch batteries (included). In the US these sell for $20+ but if you order them from China direct... they are cheap and awesome.
to get them in 2 weeks... well maybe.
posted by bobdow at 2:54 PM on May 29, 2013
I've ordered from this geode site several times and highly recommend the service, quality, price. There are options well within your price range here. These are great for so many things: birthday favors, Christmas stockings, Easter baskets.
posted by RoadScholar at 6:22 PM on May 29, 2013
posted by RoadScholar at 6:22 PM on May 29, 2013
Have you checked out aliexpress.com? For example. dealextreme.com is also full of trinkets... Oh, no, wait, you want geodes. But...but the bunnies are so cute...
(My pick as a kid in your troop would be a photo of the troop in a photo album or scrap book with lots of empty pages that I could add to, but I may be speaking as a kid from a pre-digital-photography age)
posted by kmennie at 8:11 PM on May 29, 2013
(My pick as a kid in your troop would be a photo of the troop in a photo album or scrap book with lots of empty pages that I could add to, but I may be speaking as a kid from a pre-digital-photography age)
posted by kmennie at 8:11 PM on May 29, 2013
Response by poster: I got geodes, I got little organza bags. Thanks for all of your help, guys! This is going to rock! GET IT!?!?!?!
posted by phunniemee at 6:56 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 6:56 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: We had our ceremony on Wednesday and the girls all got geodes. My co-leader went and picked out a bunch of fabulous quotes (a different one for each girl), so that was wonderful.
The girls loved the geodes, most of them had never seen one before, and it was just perfect.
The awesome little organza pouches also came in handy because I realized I had no way to neatly pass out everyone's badge haul. EXCEPT OH WAIT I DID because I ordered 100 little fancy bags.
Excellent. :)
posted by phunniemee at 8:32 AM on June 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
The girls loved the geodes, most of them had never seen one before, and it was just perfect.
The awesome little organza pouches also came in handy because I realized I had no way to neatly pass out everyone's badge haul. EXCEPT OH WAIT I DID because I ordered 100 little fancy bags.
Excellent. :)
posted by phunniemee at 8:32 AM on June 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
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posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:18 PM on May 29, 2013