in the past, I have done a little something different in addition to sending Shalach Manos & giving Matanos Leevyonim: one year I brought a roll of gold dollar coins to shul & distributed one to each of the children in shul (& sometimes to the children I’d see in costume on my way walking to shul); I’d compliment their costumes & it’d bring a surprised smile to their faces. (don’t worry! of course, I also gave the few in shul who weren’t dressed up for Purim, too!).
I always remember how much my own children loved seeing how much money they accumulated for their mitzvah of being the shaliach for delivering Shalach Manos. (neighbors gave upward from nothing, to a quarter, to a dollar… with Aunts, Uncles, & Grandparents giving $5, $10, or $20). my children loved seeing how much money they made as much as seeing all the great nosh they got 🙂 ..
As happens more often, my husband gives me a stack of dollar bills, that I’d give out to the children in shul on Purim ($1 each), as well as my being able to show Hakoras Hatov (w/ money) to the gentleman who leyned the Megillah.