How to throw a kick-ass eco-friendly children’s party

You can have it all. A memorable, fun AND green children’s party. Allow a few weeks of planning and it’s actually a lot simpler than you’d think. Plus, what a great ethos to get your child involved in - planning eco-friendly ideas and activities that will help them develop a connection between resources and the environment.

Use our little checklist below to help you get started:

Invitations

Challenge your child to create a virtual invitation. Paperless Post is a great website to try which allows you to create gorgeous invites and email them to parents. However, if your child prefers to send out paper invitations, go on a trip together to purchase cards made from recycled paper, showing them what environmental symbols to look out for. Even better, why not make them at home together, and write ‘please recycle me’ on the back.

Venue

Hosting a party at home isn’t always practical, however you don’t have to venture far. Why not use your local green park to host a super-hero picnic, or hire your local community center hall. Both options will help reduce your carbon eco-footprint while supporting local community groups and businesses.

Decorations

Don’t stick to trends. Sadly, helium balloons and foil banners are very damaging to the environment. Break the mold and decorate your party with colourful fabrics, candles and plants. There’s tons of recyclable materials to get your hands on, including painting old bed sheets create a banner, or making paper balloon decorations to hang from the ceiling and walls. Consider buying locally grown flowers, and for your tablecloths have a good rummage at your local charity shop.

Ditch the disposable plates, cups and cutlery. If you need more than you already have, pick up some cheap crockery from your local charity shop, or borrow from friends. Although this will create more washing up for you, it will create much less waste and teach children an important lesson about avoiding throwing away unnecessary waste.

Gifts

There are several options for greening up gifts. If you ask other parents in advance, you can tactfully suggest items that your child actually needs, e.g. art supplies, books, etc. Why not challenge your guests to bring gifts that are only second-hand, re-loved or sourced from local businesses? An older child might even be happy to ask their friends to donate to their favorite charity on their behalf. This won’t deprive your child of gift opening – usually the charity will send out an information pack and thank you letter, which can be wrapped up for your child to open.

Adopt-an-animal schemes are also popular choices, especially if the animal is local and can be visited! This is a great way of moving away from material parenting and towards experience-based rewards instead. Encourage other parents to buy recycled wrapping paper, or for gifts to be wrapped in newspaper or magazine pages, which again, can be recycled after the party.

Food and drinks

Have fun preparing your food together at home to avoid unnecessary waste. Party snacks can include dips and breadsticks, healthy sandwiches and slices fruit and vegetables. Encourage your child to think about your plastic use. What can you substitute for single-use drinks bottles or plastic straws? Serve your drinks in glass jugs that can keep being refilled and use recyclable cups over plastic ones.

Activities

Tailor your games and activities into events that can help wildlife. A great deal of fun can be had making seed balls, bird feeders and planting seeds. Replace pass-the-parcel with nature walks and hide and seek. For indoor games, re-use toys you already have including fancy dress and building with lego blocks etc. You’ll be amazed at what games you can also pick up at your local charity shop.

Party bags

This is a great opportunity to set your party apart from the rest. Replace single-use plastic bags with colourful paper ones filled with homemade fruit bars, Fairtrade chocolates, recycled gifts, packets of seeds, and personalised thank you notes.

Add Eco Kids Planet to your party bags

It is rare to meet a child that isn’t fascinated by wildlife. Bulk up your eco-friendly party bags with an issue of Eco Kids Planet. Not only will they enjoy putting up their posters, learn exciting and interesting wildlife facts but they can also be recycled afterwards. Our party bundles start from only £9.00. You can browse the different options here.

Cleaning up

Recycle wrapping paper and compost any food leftovers that can’t be salvaged. Donate any extra cutlery/tablecloths back to the charity shop, to your friends or pack them away for next year’s party. Sit back and wait for the kind compliments to pour in as you inspire others to host their very own green party! Well done!