4 fun eco-friendly party ideas
Creating the perfect eco-friendly party for my son’s birthday was a challenge. As a parent, I wanted to strike the balance between giving him a happy childhood and caring for the planet to ensure him a greener future.
For those of us trying to live a low-impact or zero-waste lifestyle, kids’ birthday parties can be a real headache. When it came to planning my son’s 4th birthday party, I thought back to previous parties and was horrified at all the waste. In terms of alternatives, I knew I had some learning to do.
Here are 4 simple ideas to throw a fun eco-friendly birthday party:
1. Serve food that will make your guests (and the environment) happy!
As you may know, reducing food wastage can make a big difference in the fight against climate change. Food production is one of the biggest uses of water, and, when we throw out leftovers, it creates harmful gases that damage our environment.
The easiest way to reduce wastage when catering for a group is to have a clear plan in place.
Check with guests on their RSVP so you can cater just the right amount of food
Consider - how much do you actually need per person? (How many sausage rolls or slices of fairy bread will kids really eat?)
Consider making freezer-friendly food with a view that you can freeze and use it up later
Instead of a gift, you could ask families to bring a small plate of food
Realise that it’s a party and there will likely be some wastage, but also…
Learn for next time! Which food was a hit, and what wasn’t? (And remember, you always need less cake than you think you do!)
Create childhood memories whilst giving them a greener future
Photo by Rahel Daniel on Unsplash
2. Create decorations - use your kid’s imagination to make something magic!
Think of the traditional party decorations - balloons, streamers, blowers, glitter, sparklers, glow sticks, the list goes on. It’s all single-use and plastic fantastic!
For my son’s birthday party last year, we opted for reusable paper banners hung with ribbon (which we have already reused since). Fabric banners are also a good option.
We also ditched the balloons - controversial, I know! But you know what? No one missed them.
This year, I thought we’d try to make our own piñata using upcycled paper and cardboard, which is something that I know kids will love getting involved in as well!
3. Giving gifts doesn’t have to mean getting “stuff”
Kids don’t need a lot of toys. In fact, there is a train of thought that fewer toys can in fact enhance their creativity, along with many other benefits. Of course, we don’t want to rob them of the fun, so here are some ideas to make present giving easier:
Create a list: If you feel comfortable, consider creating a list to share with family and friends. This will help them buy something the kids will love and/or that they need.
Group gift: For parties where the whole class is invited, banding together to buy a gift is a great idea. This gives the opportunity to give something more substantial which will likely be appreciated more than all the smaller toys, and no doubt last longer. This can also save on wrapping paper (most of which is not recyclable - and rarely reusable once the kids have opened the gifts!)
Donations: Another idea I love is to ask for donations to your favourite charity instead of a gift. I spoke to my son about the important work that the WWF does to save the sea turtles and polar bears (two of his favourite animals) and he was very happy to forgo presents for this purpose. My hope is that this also helped him to learn that birthdays are not just about receiving gifts but thinking beyond ourselves and considering the greater good. (Don’t worry, we still made sure that he felt spoilt!)
Giving gifts doesn’t have to mean getting “stuff”
Photo by Joyce Adams on Unsplash
4. The great party bag debate
I don’t know about you, but I really wish we could abolish them altogether. They are time-consuming to organise, can be expensive, and are generally filled with cheap plastic toys that break after the first use!
Instead of the single-use plastic, why not give away a take home bag with cake and/or other party food of their choice. This reduces the food waste as well as solves the party bag dilemma.
Your child could write (or help to decorate, depending on their age) an accompanying thank you note.
You could also consider a craft activity at the party which would also make a great take-home gift. Upcycling used household items can of course make it low-waste too.
All in all, a conscious approach is the best way to go.
We all want the best for our kids, and ultimately that means taking care of the world we are leaving to them. We can learn how to do that while still fostering a beautiful childhood by making eco-friendly choices.
Let's make eco-friendly birthday parties the new normal for our kids.
Have you hosted an eco-friendly party? Share your top tips in the comments below!
Let's make eco-friendly birthday parties the new normal for our kids.