Top 10 Eco Birthday Party Ideas
Nowadays children’s birthday parties are way more extravagant than they used to be 20 years ago or than they are celebrated in small communities of the developing world. The organizing parents are urged to break the bank. The guest’s parents have to spend for gifts without an idea of the birthday child’s preferences. The birthday child might end up with many toys that frequently just add up to clutter. The guests leave with party favors and goodie bags that will be forgotten when the party fun is over.
The waste volume generated with disposables like plates, cups, napkins, as well as party streamer, excessive toy packaging, deflated balloons, can usually be greatly reduced if we choose for a greener celebration. Many parents are switching to more eco friendly birthday parties for these and other reasons, and if this idea makes sense to you probably your kids and guests will also enjoy the fun of a different way of celebrating.
Below are a few tips to green your child’s birthday party:
1. Ask for previously loved toys or books instead of brand new gifts. Encourage the recycling of goods by requesting that your guests bring used toys and books instead of new ones. Your child will enjoy these items just as much.
2. Challenge the guests to wrap their gifts with recycled paper products.
3. If your child agrees, ask that guests bring a donation to a local children’s library, museum, shelter or non profit instead of gifts. When all the guests arrive head up to the shelter or museum and have the birthday child hand over the donated items. Afterwards the guests can visit and play in the facilities. This not only reduces waste but raises awareness about the cause your boy or girl wants to sponsor.
4. If your child’s birthday is in an appropriate season, consider hosting a birthday garden party. Request that guests bring seedlings to plant a birthday garden (with the help of adults) that will be a long term reminder of the fun.
5. Send online invitations instead of paper invitations. Also, you can use seeded paper or attach seeds to the invitation so that after the party your guests can plant their party favors.
6. Serve in your regular plates, cups, and utensils even if it means more washing. It also means less waste. If available, you could buy compostable dinnerware.
7. Set up recycling bins at the party and quickly explain guests what goes where. This will reduce the amount of clean-up you have to do later and help to spread the word about garbage recycling.
8. Consider paper lanterns instead of conventional balloons that can end up being eaten by local wildlife.
9. Have the kids make their own natural party favors as play dough, silly putty, or finger paints.
10. Help to create community awareness by volunteering to help visiting parents host their own low impact birthday parties.
Most children will be open to changes as long there’s fun involved, so keep it fun and safe for the birthday boy or girl and the guests.
