How to Host a Care Package Packing Party
Since my first kid went to college, I’ve been hosting college care package packing parties, and they are a hit every time. Sending a care package to a college student can be a heartwarming gesture, but it can sometimes be a little overwhelming.
What is a College Care Package Party?
A college care package party is a gathering where a group of people come together to assemble care packages for college students. It’s a chance to socialize, get new ideas, and create packages filled with goodies your kids will love.
The parties generally include parents of kids at school who are friends, but churches with a large young adult population also often host them. Sometimes there are established groups that run the events, but they are just as often one-off parties.
How Does the Party Work?
A care package party is typically a casual gathering where everyone brings a variety of items to include in the care packages. It’s more like a cookie swap where you bring multiples of a single item and everyone uses it than something where you bring all the materials just for your own care package.
If there are 12 kids you’re packing for, you want to pick up 12 of any item you’re bringing, whether that’s 12 stress balls or 12 packs of cocoa or whatever you’re doing. If you have multiple kids, plan to bring additional items so twice as much as if you had just one.
As people arrive, they place all their items in a central location so that it’s easy for everyone to do an assembly line to pack their own boxes. It’s helpful to include a note about how many to take when items are loose like lollipops or granola bars.
Sometimes the host will designate a specific theme or and sometimes people choose their own items. The host will often also include notecards or paper plus writing utensils and markers so that parents can make a card to include in the boxes for their kids.
Why Have a College Care Package Party?
Hosting a care package party offers several benefits beyond just assembling packages. And don’t let the term party scare you off because it doesn’t have to be a big and fancy event.
Pooling resources with friends can significantly reduce the cost of each care package. You can include a variety of things and buy one or two things in bulk rather than paying higher prices for each item.
Multiple hands make light work, allowing you to assemble several packages in a short amount of time. Plus, it’s a fun way to connect with friends you may not see as often now that your kids are away at school.
It can be hard to come up with ideas of what to include in care packages, but when each person brings something, it’s a lot easier to get creative. I’ve found some of the best ideas from things friends have brought to pack up, whether it’s word game books from the dollar store to stress balls to bubbles, we’ve all contributed items others never thought to include.
How Many People Should I Invite?
The number of people you invite will depend on the number of care packages you want to create. We typically invite between six and 10 people to maintain a manageable and enjoyable atmosphere.
Keep in mind that if you have many friends with multiple children in college, that means more boxes and items to put in them. When we have eight friends, we are often packing for 12 or 13 kids.
If you have too many people, it can get cost prohibitive to contribute since you have to be enough items for each kid. It can also get hard to manage, and it’s less time to hang out with each person individually.
That said, I do know that there is a group that does this locally that invites far more people. They then divide the total group into smaller groups of six to eight people so that you still make manageable care packages.
When I invite people, I ask them to let me know not only if they can come but also how many students they want to make a package for and if they have any allergies or dietary restrictions. Once I know who is coming, I send an email to everyone to let them know how many kids they need to purchase items for and any restrictions to ensure we have exactly what we need for a great experience.
What Types of Items Should People Include?
The sky’s the limit when it comes to care package items. Popular choices include snacks, candy, comfort items like blankets and socks, study supplies, entertainment options like games or puzzles, and personal care products.
We often go with a seasonal theme to make it easier, and some of the silliest things have been the biggest hits. Kids always seem to love things that remind them of home or their childhood.
We also make sure to share how many of what gender we have attending to make it so the guys aren’t getting face masks and nail polish, for example. Consider what you know about your kid and the other kids and try to think about what they would most like to receive.
We also want to make sure that the boxes don’t look like they were thrown together from leftovers. We make sure that those coming know that they should get a reasonable amount of whatever they’re bringing for each kid.
That means we don’t have two or three individual packs of Goldfish crackers or a single hand warmer per kid. Instead, people bring a six pack of Pop Tarts or small bag of chocolates for each of the care packages.
The goal is for the boxes to be somewhat equitable and also not out of reach. We suggest that people spend $10-15 for each of the kids they have, and that seems to work well for us, but know your friends and what will work best for them.
What Supplies Do I Need to Provide?
If you’re hosting, it’s really up to you. Some hosts will provide almost everything parents need, while others just provide the space to host.
At our college care package parties, I always provide snacks and drinks for us to enjoy both while we wait for everyone to arrive and to hang out after we finish the packing. My friends always contribute additional food, too, so it ends up being almost a full meal, but that’s just us.
I also have boxes on hand for people to use, but I encourage them to bring their own boxes and tell them where they can get free boxes for care packages. I also have packing tape, cardstock to make cards for the kids, and markers and other writing utensils to decorate the boxes and make the cards.
Some hosts will provide wrapping paper or vinyl stickers to decorate the boxes to make them even more themed, but that’s your call. You might also want to provide tissue paper, gift tags, and other decorative items.
How Do I Find People Who Want to Participate?
Reach out to your friends, family, and neighbors to see if they’re interested in participating. You can also create a social media event or post in online communities to find like-minded people.
The group doesn’t need to be large. This works with even just three or four people. I’ve seen where parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles all come together to do a college care package party for one kid.
How Do I Ensure We Don’t Have Duplicate Items?
To avoid duplicate items, when people RSVP that they’re coming, ask them to share what they plan to bring if they know. I usually include a SignUp Genius with my invite because I’m so used to using it as a team mom and with PTO, but do what works best for you.
Often, people won’t know what they plan to bring, and that’s ok, too. There are so many different things people can bring that even with eight or 10 people attending, it’s unlikely to have the exact same thing.
And even if you do? Who cares. That’s just more of something the kids are sure to love.
Some hosts will offer up suggestions of what to bring, especially when there is a specific theme. As people respond, they will claim something from that list, which helps to ensure a variety of goodies in each package.
How Often Should I Host a Care Package Packing Party?
The frequency of your college care package parties is absolutely up to you. There are some groups that meet up every month and others that just meet once.
Do what feels right to you and to those who come to your parties. Hosting a party every few months can be a fun way to show your support for college students without being too overwhelming for anyone.
Should I Have a Theme?
Having a theme can add extra fun and make for a really cohesive set of boxes at your care package party. That said, it is absolutely not necessary, so don’t feel like you need to add extra pressure on yourself.
If you do want to go with a theme, some popular themes include comfort food, study essentials, or game night. Stress relievers before finals and seasonal packages like Halloween or Valentine’s Day are also always a sure hit.
Don’t Forget About Allergies and Dietary Restrictions
When you first invite people, ask them to let you know if their kids have any dietary restrictions or allergies. If someone is gluten-free or doesn’t eat pork, for example, it can be frustrating to not be able to include items in their box.
Some people will create a separate section for allergy-friendly items, but those kids still get shorted on items. I prefer to ask guests to bring items that avoid those specific restrictions for everyone.
How Do I Make It Fun for Everyone?
Everyone is generally excited for the opportunity to create care packages for their kids. They are ready to have a good time, so don’t stress about it.
Play some fun music to create a lively atmosphere. Just make sure it’s not so loud that people can’t easily hold conversations.
Offer refreshments and snacks. This gives people something to do before everyone shows up, and it’s a nice and informal way and reason to hang out afterwards. We all need extra social time, don’t we?
Take pictures of the care packages. I struggle with this, but everyone always loves a photo of everyone with their packages to remember the fun they had.
It takes less than five minutes to actually pack the boxes, so we include a separate table and time to create handmade cards to include in the packages. It’s a fun extra activity that the attendees enjoy and kids really appreciate.
Are You Ready for Your First College Care Package Packing Party?
Hosting a college care package party is a wonderful way to send joy to the college students in your life. It’s a chance to connect with others and have fun, too. Get ready to create some amazing care packages!
