How To Throw An Eco Kiddie Party

Hank Green's recent G-Word video blog, taken from a secure vault that holds seeds from every crop for a 'just in case,' post-apocalyptic world, got me thinking about another precious, less doomsday-centric resource: children.

A mother of a six and four year-old, my sister does thing the green way just because it makes good, old-fashioned sense. She follows after my mom, an accidental environmentalist who cut paper napkins in half simply because she couldn't stand waste.

Here are some of her top tips for greening a kids birthday, no preaching required.

Bake the Cake

Eliminate both the big box packaging and unknown ingredients in store-bought cakes, while teaching kids how to get around the kitchen using as many organic ingredients as possible. And watch the pride on their faces as the guests ooh and aah over your little one's hand-baked creation!

Make a Card

Kids love to be given a project. What's better then telling them to copy their friend's name along with 'Happy Birthday' onto a piece of construction paper in crayons, paint or marker. Add a special birthday drawing, and voila! No store-bought card necessary... not to mention the tiny paper bag it comes in that typically gets thrown out immediately.

Wrap Creatively

Pull out the most colorful ads and articles from old magazines, tape them together, and then use the homemade wrapping paper to wrap the gift. Newspaper works too-especially the comics section. Spruce it up by having kids color it with markers once the gift is wrapped. Always save old ribbons from received gifts to reuse. If you really want a more traditional style wrap, turn to Green Field Paper Company for 100 percent recycled paper with soy-based ink and other eco-specialty wraps.

Give a Modest Goodie Bag

Instead of seeing kids off with candy and plastic junk, why not give a small donation to a good cause? My sister recently had hosted a birthday party for my niece at Let's Dress Up! in Manhattan. Upon leaving, each 'princess' received a note that read: "a small donation has been sent on behalf of all the princesses here so that another little girl somewhere in the world may also be a princess for a day!" Each note signified a $5 donation to the Make a Wish Foundation. The facility provided a glittery pouch, one faux jewel bracelet, and a mini 'glass' slipper that had held M&Ms from earlier in the party, balancing good will with a small goodie.

Explain the importance of making eco-friendly choices to your kids as you do all of the above to help them understand the beauty of a less-waste life!

Comments

[knittingbuddah]

When my kids were small we had several successful parties at the local Nature Center/Preserve. Volunteers provided a fun, instructional program. Snakes, turtles or maybe a walk in the woods are great fun. Scooping up pond life in a net to discuss with a naturalist is messy, but a big hit with kids. Make sure the kids wear messy clothes and not party clothes. And, what you pay for the party goes to help the nature center since volunteers run these as a fund raiser. Bring your own food--your choice. Goodie bags? I liked to give kids books. You can suggest that they take share their book with another friend or take it to the take it or leave it center when they are finished with it.

[maddie0001]

How is it green to pay $8, plus shipping and handling, plus the truck to deliver it to your house, for wrapping paper. (Green Field Paper Company)

I'm looking forward to the article where the green movement meets the frugal movement. Seems to me the frugal folks are doing a great job on the reuse/recycle/buy as little as possible front.

[noneIn2008]

Excellent suggestions for a real green party. Simplify and stay natural. Reduce the consumerism hype of birthdays.

Much better than the neogreens who would simply fly their kids to Europe and buy carbon credits.

[funkmeisterD]

Here in the NYC area more and more parents are featuring Kimmy Schwimmy music at their children's parties. These songs are GREAT, they're interactive, and provide the children and adults with lots of fun that keep the little ones happy, playing and singing along.

You've GOT to try these songs at your next party for your child!!

http://cdbaby.com/cd/schwimmy2
http://cdbaby.com/cd/schwimmy
http://www.myspace.com/kimmyschwimmy
http://www.kimmyschwimmy.com/