In our family, even our 4-year-old asked to take some hits. (If you’re hosting a larger crew, there’s also a National Geographic Break Open set with 15 geodes it’s featured in our guide to the best gifts for 7-year-olds.) Depending on the ages-and proclivities-of your party guests, they may prefer to watch you smash open the rocks, or they may want to try it themselves. But those 10 rocks were sizable, and the crystals revealed within boasted a far more dazzling array of colors, shapes, and sizes than the snowy white crystals we found over and over again in the generic set. Compared with some of the generic geode sets out there-like this one we tested, which offered 20 stones-the Nat Geo set comes with only 10 rocks. You’ll need some safety goggles and a good hammer we used this Estwing Rock Pick, for a little extra stability and precision, but any solid hammer should be fine. But for a group of budding geologists (or any kids who think it would be cool to see the inside of a rock), the payoff is worth it. Let me preface this suggestion by saying that the National Geographic Break Open 10 Premium Geodes set does involve some commitment. (The only flavor that hasn’t passed muster so far is the brand’s Cola Gummies, which have an unpleasant chemical tang-kinda like swallowing hairspray-and should probably go the way of New Coke.) The SmartSweets Sourmelon Bites are a particular standout, offering just the right amount of mouth-watering tartness the tamer SmartSweets Peach Rings are probably a better bet for young kids with less-daring palettes. Wirecutter editor Ingela Ratledge Amundson, who eats a bag (with or without her kids) almost nightly, appreciates how SmartSweets don’t have that funky artificial aftertaste that often plagues “healthy” candy.

So each serving has just 3 grams of sugar and 100 calories. Unlike gummy bears and the other candies you’ll find lining the aisles at the drugstore, SmartSweets gummies are sweetened with allulose and monkfruit extract-alternative, plant-based sugars. Who has gummy fiends in the house? Who loves watching said fiends bouncing off the walls in the throes of a sugar rush after eating said gummies? Yeah, I’ve got you. So some of our picks are standalone items-no bags required! But we’ve also found that when it comes to sending guests home with swag, sometimes less is more, and it can be equally satisfying to get one extra-special object. Many of us have seen firsthand how much kids love digging through grab bags of small treasures, and we include plenty of suggestions that can be mixed and matched (and don’t cost an arm and a leg). With input from some of my Wirecutter colleagues and fellow parents and caregivers, we made it our mission to round up and test fun, good-quality (but not too pricey) items that won’t feel like clutter-including books, art supplies, activities, tasty treats, and more. Listen, I’ll take the joy! But I also wondered if there might be a better way to approach these party favors-surely it’s possible to find goodie-bag contents that aren’t destined for the landfill.

You may be familiar with them too-Mary Poppins–esque sacks overflowing with candy and flimsy, single-use toys that bring joy for barely a moment before becoming trash. In the past year, my kids (ages 9, 6, and 4) have started coming home from birthday celebrations and other events with goodie bags.

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