13 DIY Party Favors for Your Next Backyard Bash

Show your appreciation for your party guests by sending them home with a creative, handmade keepsake.

Who doesn’t love a late summer outdoor party? Whether it’s a potluck, picnic, cookout or campfire, there’s nothing like spending a whole evening with great people, great food and great backyard fun. Keep the party going long after the last guest leaves by sending them home with homemade trinkets they're sure to love. Check out a few of our favorite DIY party favors you can give out at your next backyard get-together. 

Single-Serving Pies

Bandana Wrapping

Bandana Wrapping

There’s something so delightful about having a mini, single-serving pie all to yourself, especially when it’s wrapped in a pretty floral handkerchief. Pick a summery fruit pie flavor or two and bake them in miniature pie crusts for an unforgettable gift.

Make This: Take-Home Mini Pies

Watermelon Drinkware

Washing up isn’t anyone’s favorite part of throwing a party. With these cute watermelon-themed glasses from Kara’s Party Ideas, that’s one less glass you have to clean, and your guests leave with a clever favor.

DIY Watermelon Drinking Glasses

Washing up isn’t anyone’s favorite part of throwing a party. With these cute watermelon-themed glasses from Kara’s Party Ideas, that’s one less glass you have to clean, and your guests leave with a clever favor.

Photo by: Kara Allen, Kara's Party Ideas

Kara Allen, Kara's Party Ideas

Washing up isn’t anyone’s favorite part of throwing a party. With these cute watermelon-themed glasses from Kara’s Party Ideas, that’s one less glass you have to clean, and your guests leave with a clever favor. 

Tiny Terrariums

Share your love of gardening with these miniature take-home terrariums for the holidays.

Miniature Terrarium Placesettings

Share your love of gardening with these miniature take-home terrariums for the holidays.

Photo by: Photo by Melissa Caughey

Photo by Melissa Caughey

Succulents make great party favors any time of the year, summer included. These multi-textured plants require very little maintenance, can stand up to the summer heat without needing a lot of water and can transition into fall when kept in the right indoor conditions. 

Citrus-Themed Drink Protectors

Arrange beads on either a circular pegboard, using any pattern of your choice.
Cover your pattern with a sheet of wax paper and iron the first side, then remove from the peg board, flip over, put waxed paper on top and iron the second side.

Fuse Bead Drink Covers / Coasters

Arrange beads on either a circular pegboard, using any pattern of your choice. Cover your pattern with a sheet of wax paper and iron the first side, then remove from the peg board, flip over, put waxed paper on top and iron the second side.

Photo by: Jason Kisner

Jason Kisner

Remember making crafts with Perler beads? Your guests probably will too, and they’ll get a kick out of these brightly colored, fruit-inspired drink protectors that they can reuse. Bonus: You can also use this craft as a coaster!

Natural Mosquito Spray

DIY Bug Spray

DIY Bug Spray

DIY Bug Spray

Photo by: Photo by Debbie Wolfe

Photo by Debbie Wolfe

Nothing disrupts a great outdoor party like mosquitos. When the weather’s hot and humid, it can be hard to escape them. Give guests homemade mosquito repellent for a favor they can use during and after your party. The best part about this DIY spray is that it’s made with all-natural ingredients like rosemary and lemongrass essential oils.

Mini Infused Liquor Bottles

Bottles of Infused Liquor

Infused Liquor Party Favors

As easy as mixing together a few common kitchen ingredients with standard liquors, these three festive flavors make delicious holiday cocktails and party favors.

If you want to give a gift your guests won’t be expecting, make these delicious infused liquors. Choose big, bold flavor combinations that will wow your guests and establish you as the hostess or host who really knows how to throw a party.

Make This: Infused Liquor

Tassel Keychains

Step 1: Cut a 5-inch piece of twine or string, then tie a knot around the jump ring. 
Step 2: Choose 2-5 beads and add them to the twine. Set aside. 
Step 3: Use scissors to cut a 10-inch piece of cotton rope.
Step 4: Pull apart the two ends of the rope to create frayed edges, then overlap to form a loop.
Step 5: Use tape to keep the loop in place, then glue to secure it.
Step 6: Select your first color of thread. Wrap the thread tightly across the entire loop, using  glue to secure it as you go. Let that thread dry, then continue with your next color. 
Step 7: When complete, use your previous piece of twine to attach the tassel to the end of your        keychain. 
Bonus Step: Tie craft ribbon to your jump ring for a more festive look.

HGTV Summer Camp: Rope Keychain

Step 1: Cut a 5-inch piece of twine or string, then tie a knot around the jump ring. Step 2: Choose 2-5 beads and add them to the twine. Set aside. Step 3: Use scissors to cut a 10-inch piece of cotton rope. Step 4: Pull apart the two ends of the rope to create frayed edges, then overlap to form a loop. Step 5: Use tape to keep the loop in place, then glue to secure it. Step 6: Select your first color of thread. Wrap the thread tightly across the entire loop, using glue to secure it as you go. Let that thread dry, then continue with your next color. Step 7: When complete, use your previous piece of twine to attach the tassel to the end of your keychain. Bonus Step: Tie craft ribbon to your jump ring for a more festive look.

Photo by: Jason Kisner

Jason Kisner

These DIY tassel keychains are colorful, customizable, easy to make and best of all, your guests can use them on a daily basis. Get creative with the beads and thread so that no two party favors are alike.

Make This: Tassel Keychains

Bright Painted Planters

These vivid, cheery planters from Rebecca at The Crafted Sparrow are sure to bring a smile to your guests’ faces. With paint, paint markers and a few other supplies, you can easily create fruit-inspired pots for your summer party.

Bright DIY Summer Planters

These vivid, cheery planters from Rebecca at The Crafted Sparrow are sure to bring a smile to your guests’ faces. With paint, paint markers and a few other supplies, you can easily create fruit-inspired pots for your summer party.

Photo by: Rebecca Lopez, The Crafted Sparrow

Rebecca Lopez, The Crafted Sparrow

These vivid, cheery planters from Rebecca at The Crafted Sparrow are sure to bring a smile to your guests’ faces. With paint, paint markers and a few other supplies, you can easily create fruit-inspired pots for your summer party.

Make This: Summery Planters

S'mores Kits

DIY S'more Party Favors

DIY S'more Party Favors

Encourage guests to continue having s'more fun at home long after the party ends. Gift them with favors that are reminiscent of summer campfires like these s'more take-home boxes which are the perfect way for guests to end their night on a sweet note.

Photo by: ALX Creatives

ALX Creatives

S’mores and summer go together like, well, chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows. If your backyard party includes a marshmallow roast, let guests take away a reminder of the event with them in the form of a DIY s’mores kit. 

Mosquito-Repelling Bracelets

Help keep the bugs at bay with this colorful citronella infused bracelet!

DIY Mosquito Repelling Bracelet

Help keep the bugs at bay with this colorful citronella infused bracelet!

Photo by: Flynnside Out Productions

Flynnside Out Productions

Sprays aren’t the only way to keep mosquitos from annoying guests and disrupting your party. Pass out paracord bracelets infused with citronella essential oil to help guests spend less time swatting bugs and more time enjoying your party.

Dressed-Up Jam Jars

DIY Jam Party Favor

DIY Jam Party Favor

Photo by: She-N-He Photography

She-N-He Photography

For a summer party favor with a southern twist, try your hand at these cute (and easy) jam jar gifts. Even if you don’t make jam, you can still hand out these charming favors using store-bought varieties.

Potted Herb Pails

Photo by: Tomas Espinoza

Tomas Espinoza

You’ve got to love those party favor ideas that serve more than one purpose. These herb planters, for example, can first direct your guests to their seats, but later be taken home as favors. Even better, these favors are living, so they’ll keep providing fragrance and greenery long after the party's over.

Firefly Jars

The light sits on a table outside in the evening.

Display the Firefly Mason Jar Light

Add this light to a tabletop evening gathering, by the bedside or even bring it camping.

Photo by: Melissa Caughey

Melissa Caughey

Many people have fond memories of catching fireflies in glass jars. This nostalgic firefly jar with fireflies made out of LED lights, sheer fabric and glow-in-the-dark paint makes the perfect favor (or party decoration) for an outdoor get-together. 

More Summer Party DIYs

See All Photos

Shop This Look

Next Up

Craft These Matzo S’more Favor Boxes for Passover

Send Seder guests home with a kosher-for-Passover version of the classic campfire treat adorned with a (free!) printable tag and springy ribbon.

How to Make a Patriotic Container Garden

Show off your love of country with these red, white and blue container gardens for sun and shade.

Game on! DIY Cornhole Scoreboard for Tailgating

Win over your friends and family when you show up to your next outdoor event with this clever scoreboard that makes playing cornhole a whole lot more fun!

Go Shopping

Get product recommendations from HGTV editors, plus can’t-miss sales and deals.

On TV

Follow Us Everywhere

Join the party! Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds.