Eco Friendly Living:

How to Green Your Kid's Birthday Party

Your kid's birthday party is just around the corner, you all planning and preparing for the grand event, especially the birthday honoree who can't wait for his/her big day.

When the party ends and everybody are happily going home you look around and all you can see are tons of waste and garbage that are not very friendly to the environment.

This year, I thought to myself that there must be a better alternative to all the waste we produce, and how we as a family can educate our kids to be more eco-concise even when it comes to their birthday party and gifts.

Don't get me wrong, I still have plenty to learn myself and make greener choices for the next time; however, I'm totally against making my daughter unhappy on her birthday, so for now, a combination of green party with traditional one works just fine.

However, we all have to start somewhere and taking one step at the time is better then nothing.

So here are some of my eco friendly living ideas on how to green your kid's birthday party, and if you have some more creative ideas please share them with us so I can use them for my next kid's party.

Invitations:

E-mail your inventions. You can use your computer to design a cute invitation and e-mail it, this might save a tree or two. The problem is that you don't always have everyone's e-mails and some people don't even bother to open them.

Therefore, the second green option is to use the phone, this is what I did.

If you prefer to have written invites then consider making them on your own with old magazines, used paper, recycled paper etc.

If you have some time, here is a great video series on how to make your own recycled paper. Kids love to be involved in their birthday party planning so it is a wonderful way to get them to help.

Decorations:

Try to avoid balloons, they end up being swallowed by baby turtles.

Although I know balloons are not a green deco option, I ashamed to admit that we still use them because my daughter just refuse to give them up and I cant stand to see her cry on her birthday. I guess it's something we should work on for the next time.

OK. So balloons are out, what's in?

You can buy some biodegradable, color fast, crepe paper and recycled paper decorations or you and the birthday kid can make your own party decorations.

For example your kid can make a paper garland using old magazines, colorful wrapping paper, crepe paper, or whatever you have at home. If you want to add some color you can make beautiful recycled flowers to decorate with.

Tableware:

The green option is to use the non disposable tableware including washable table cloth and cloth napkins. But again, it is up to you to decide whether you want to give 20 little munchkins reusable plates or go for the compostable alternatives.

You can buy the kind made from recycled or sustainable materials made from corn resin or sugar-cane stalk, or items labeled "biodegradable" or "100% recycled content".

Birthday Activities:

Combine birthday activities with eco friendly living values. If you want to deliver a green massage to the younger generation, the best way is to do it through fun activities.

For example, you can give the kids to decorate a terracotta pot, fill it with soil and plant organic seeds. They can take it home and watch the seeds grow. Another fun idea is to make animals from toilet paper rolls.

Gifts:

This one is difficult. It is hard to explain the young ones why they need to give up their birthday gifts, even thought they have plenty of toys and don't really need them.

One eco friendly living alternative is to ask your kid to choose 2-3 gifts he/ she liked the most and the rest of them deliver together to sick children in a near by hospital, or to a needed family.

If your kid is more willing to give up his gifts then you can ask him to choose a favorite animal he would like to help to, and ask the guest to send donations on his behalf to that charity fund.

As for the gift wrapping, save it for future wrapping, craft projects etc…

Having a green party can be a lot of fun for all the family, especially for the birthday honoree who gets to help in preparing and planning.

But remember, you don't have to go green all at once, take one step at the time and use ideas you feel comfortable with this way you are sure to have a wonderful party and eco friendly living!

Have some more creative ideas? Please share them with us so I can use them for my next kid's party.

Other Green Birthday Party Ideas Submitted by Readers: