How To Throw an Eco-Friendly Kiddie Party

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Make your kiddie parties as eco-friendly as possible. Eco-friendly means less trash and less waste. Children parties these days are not what they used to be. Most parents treat kiddie parties like a wedding reception or debutante ball. We cannot blame these parents because they simply want the best for their little darlings. But parents must remember that they also have a responsibility to take care of our environment. We must always consider the welfare of Mother Earth in all our actions including the way we handle our children’s parties. Below are some useful tips on how to celebrate kiddie parties the eco-friendly way:

• Eco-friendly Invitations. Every party starts with an invitation, in this age of internet and technology; green parents should utilize e-mails and should scrap the traditional colored paper invitation. Send e-invitation cards instead and power it with colorful animations and inviting sound effects.

• Eco-friendly Decors and Effects. As much as possible, stay away from traditional party balloons. We all know that balloons are party staples but they are also harmful to our wildlife. It can be swallowed by turtles if this will end up in the ocean. It can also be harmful to land animals if swallowed. To make your kiddie party colorful, instead of balloons, try experimenting on other materials like Japanese paper lanterns. Aside from being equally colorful, it is 100% biodegradable.  Also consider cloth streamers instead of disposable tarpaulins. Cloth streamers are washable and can be re-used if properly stored. When designing a streamer, word the greeting without any distinguishing marker. For example, indicate a generic “Happy Birthday” instead of “Happy 2nd Birthday Michael”. This way, you can still use the streamer on your kid’s next birthday.

• Eco-Friendly Gifts. Ask your guest to use old news papers when wrapping their gifts. Or you can just do away with the gifts. Instead, ask your guests to give something to the community in a form of donations. You can place a box where your guest can put all their donations like used clothes, canned goods, and other supplies. This idea is quite extreme but your child is still young, there are still no gift expectations from them.

• Eco-Friendly Tableware. Kiddie parties are oftentimes stressful. This is why most parents’ use disposable tableware since these are easy to clean just by simply throwing it straight into the trash bin - no more dish washing required. But these items are not friendly to our environment. A green parent should use re-usable tableware and should be candid enough to do the dishes. I know its tough doing the dishes but think of the favor you’re giving Mother Earth.

The name of the game is simplicity. A simple party means less trash and less usage of earth’s resources. Besides, a successful birthday party is not measured by its lavishness. Parents must remember that a birthday party is a celebration of life and a time to give thanks.