How To Throw a Green Party For Kids Part B
This is the second part of our green blog topic for growing green kids about green kids’ parties.
If you missed the first part about green kids’ parties, or any of our blog series on growing green kids, be sure to check Good Gifts Naturally’s blog archives.
As for entertainment at a green kids’ party… allow me to indulge in my very own best-birthday-ever story. When I was six, my mother “invented” a game that led to both me and my parties being VERY popular. She cleverly attached string to party favor gifts, and then wound the string all over the backyard for me and each of my guests to follow. When we walked outside the backyard looked like a massive spider web of brightly colored yarn – festive, mysterious and VERY exciting! The kids had a blast weaving and climbing over one another, moving across the yard in twister-like fashion on the hunt for our treasure! She got us all engaged, gave me a priceless memory and gave us all bellies full of giggles. Best of all everyone got a present! How much more empowering is it to earn prizes than to simply receive a gift bag at the end of the afternoon for just showing up?!
Don’t forget that some of the best-loved party games need little or no materials. Scavenger games, musical chairs, capture the flag and charades, for example, require minimal supplies and have engaged party goers for generations. One Good Gifts Naturally’s most sought after party favors doubles as party entertainment: handmade hacky sacks!
hacky-sacks
If you do want goody bag, it’s a lot easier and cheaper than you think to get good green gifts. Seeds and a small inexpensive flower pot, soy crayons & eco-friendly coloring books, soapstone paperweights, reusable sandwich and snack bags (which can double as the goody bag), or fair trade chocolate bars are all great green gift ideas for children! Another of my favorite from the ideas we heard that would make ANY child smile: give gift cards in small amounts to the local frozen yogurt or ice cream shop!
Often the gifts given to your child are a source of waste at parties, especially if they already have more toys than you can store. If it’s a family party, ask them for activity gifts. A trip to the zoo with grandpa, an aquarium visit with cousins, a hike or special lunch with a favorite aunt will create a lasting memory and strengthen them against that fight we all face: consumerism.
Why not talk to your child about what makes a good gift? Saying that maybe it’s something that gives back, makes you feel good and helps people etc. can encourage them to ask for good green gifts. Suggest they try and think of things that don’t need batteries (energy consumption) and encourage their creativity or intellect. Talk to them about what they truly love more than what they are wishing for, and how you can include that in their special day. For example if a child loves to read, book exchanges are a great idea. Have each child bring a new or used book and each gets to take home one. You can also invite guests to make a donation to a charity (picked by your child – another opportunity to grow them green) in lieu of a gift. If you like that idea, check out an incredible website: echoage.com. Their company helps families throw green charity birthday parties by having your child pick out one or two gifts for themselves and then share the donations given by guests with a charity of the child’s choice. They supply e-vites, awards for the kids who help, and are very good at explaining the charities in a way a kid can grasp – another way to get your kid thinking like a green giver!
Most importantly, don’t stress yourself out if you can’t manage to make every single aspect of your kid’s birthday party green – it’s okay. Even small changes make the world a healthier place. Your child’s birthday should be about celebrating their magnificent presence on the earth! It should not be about spending a ton of money and it most certainly should not be about creating waste!
A green and giving outlook is the best birthday green gift you can give to a child.
After all it’s their green planet too!
