2Your child's next birthday may be the perfect time to teach him about the importance of caring for the environment. You can use the the party as a way to demonstrate some simple but effective eco-friendly choices and explain how they benefit the world. Here are tips on how to host an eco-friendly child's party that will do some good and still allow your guests to have fun, too.Recycled paper
Fabric for table cloth
Old mugs or pots of bamboo fibers
Seeds
Dirt
Recycled paper goods
Organic snacks
Cake using organic ingredients
- Involve your child in helping to make eco-friendly choices that are appealing and fun. An event that is environmentally aware doesn't have to mean sacrificing anything; it just requires a little more thoughtfulness and creativity and could actually be a great way to help those who are less fortunate.Recognize that traditional parties include a lot of waste, such as wrapping paper, cards, plastic goody bags and also includes toys that may contain chemicals. You can find substitutes by coming up with a more positive angle that is also more fun for the birthday child and the guests.Come up with a worthy cause that resonates with your child's interests. For instance, if your child loves animals, you can use this as a theme for the event, asking guests to bring donations for your local shelter instead of gifts. You can even bring the guests to the shelter to deliver the "gifts" to the pets and to play with them, too. Or, ask guests to donate a toy to a child's shelter or hospital instead of bringing them to your child.Make your own invitations using recycled paper stock or a tree-free option. You can find many beautiful eco-friendly choices at better stationary stores and paper websites. Try personalizing these with differents stamps (using vegetable-dye inks) to add your own personal touch. You could also forego invitations and send emails with all of the party details instead.Plan a simple but environmentally friendly activity to keep the kids busy. For instance, you can take the kids to an organic farm to learn about how things grow. Have the kids plant seeds in an eco-friendly flower pot (perhaps one made out of bamboo fiber) or you can even use a recycled cup or old mug. They can decorate the pot themselves and take this home instead of a party favor.Make smart choices. Use pretty fabric instead of a paper table cloth, recycled paper goods (or else your own china and silverware) and avoid plastic party bags. Tie some small eco-friendly items in squares of fabric if you want to give something else for the guests to take away with them. Include things like goat soaps, organic snacks, a piece of fruit, a small wooden toy or home-made Play-Doh. You can even make a fabric pouch for organic hot chocolate or cookie mix and include directions to make this on a recycled card.Forego sending thank you notes and instead have your child give a unique, and environmentally-safe, token of thanks when the guests depart. One way to do this is by writing "Thanks for coming" message in silver ink on a dried leaf. (You can even buy a bag of dried leaves at a crafts store.)Shop at organic stores or markets that sell products that were grown locally. Look for organic snack foods, drinks and even a cake made of organic ingredients. Realize that you many healthier options can be attractive to look at and delicious to eat!
