5 top tips to throw a zero-waste and eco-friendly kids birthday party

If you want to have a sustainable and eco-friendly party for your kids, then here are 5 tips for a greener party and they won’t even know the difference.

Historically, kids birthday parties (including our own as children!) include a lot of waste in terms of wrapping, disposable crockery and plastics, but it doesn’t have to be that way!

It’s actually much easier and cheaper to throw a sustainable party so save yourself money (and energy) with these really easy tips.

Sisters enjoying summertime — Kid’s party

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1. Bake or buy an organic cake

There an increasing number of bakers and manufacturers out there producing organic cakes using sustainable ingredients if you want to buy one. If you’re good at baking or fancy a challenge, then check out Pinterest for ideas, or get a copy of The Great British Bake Off Children’s Party Cakes & Bakes ebook by Annie Rigg for some amazing recipes that your kids will love.

PRO TIP:

Save money and time by inviting parents via social media or Whatsapp instead of sending out invites. If you want to get the kids involved then they can help with food or decorations instead.

2. Use reusable crockery

Obviously, you don’t want small children to smash plates everywhere (nightmare!) so I would invest in bamboo plates and cups instead of using single-use plastic or paper plates which aren’t necessarily recyclable and may also contain plastic. These Isoboo plates and cups are dishwasher safe and hard-wearing but can still be composted if they get damaged or break.

I also recommend bamboo straws for drinks as they are more kid-friendly that metal straws. The Other Straw is a great provider of sustainably-sourced bamboo straws and the delivery is carbon neutral!

3. Make your own decorations from recycled materials

This can be a great activity that kids will love in advance of their actual party. On Pinterest, there are some great themed party ideas, all from recycled and household materials – no purchases necessary! If you need more inspiration, Usborne have a selection of great craft books for kids, they’re not ebooks but you can buy them second-hand from Amazon to save money.

4. Rent toys from a toy library

There are loads of reasons to use a toy library, as it saves you money, space and gives back to the community! Mummy’s Gin Fund makes a great case for 6 reasons why she loves them. You can also ask friends to bring some toys over for you to borrow as well. If you want to buy a sustainable gift for the birthday child to keep, then I would suggest Dantoys as they are made from sugarcane instead of plastic.

5. Personalised eco-friendly party bags

The good news is that don’t need to skip the party bag in order to be eco-conscious! Waystosaythankyou personalises these eco-friendly bags for you and they contain seeds, a plant pot, pencils and a notebook. All sustainable of course, but not recommended for children under 3. There’s even space in there to put their slice of cake in.

If there are any ingredients that you need for cooking or baking then try getting them locally. For organic and local fruit and veg without the hassle then I recommend getting a box delivered from Abel and Cole, then you can have carrots for dipping, apples for slicing, orange segments, lemons for lemonade and any other easy healthy snack that you decide to prepare!