Tips for Planning an Eco-friendly Kids Party 

This is a guest blog post by Isabel Mack from the Party Kit Network – an amazing free online resource to help you find your nearest kids reusable party kit anywhere in the UK. Please do check them out if you’re planning a kids party anytime soon!

Parties are a time of celebration – an opportunity to make memories. But parties can also be pretty wasteful. Whether it’s wrapping paper, leftover food or disposable plates, there can be bin bags full of rubbish after a party. 

When rubbish goes to landfill it isn’t simply gone. It can take up to 20 years for a party plate to break down in landfill, and plastic cups will be there for hundreds of years more. That’s a long time for something used for just one party.

Reducing waste is a key part of reducing our impact on the environment. So here’s my tips for a fun and sustainable party without the waste… 

Invitations

The best way to reduce waste from invitations is to go digital. This can be as simple as sending a text message with the party details. 

If you’re feeling more creative, make one physical invite, take a photo and then email it to your guests. Or you can create a digital design using a tool like the Canva app which has loads of free templates.  

There are online services specifically designed for managing digital party invites. These include Paperless Post, Greenvelope and Fundzzle, who all make digital invitations really easy. You can still have beautifully designed cards, just without the trees.

Not only will this change be a great first step to making your event a little more eco-friendly, it can also make the admin significantly easier with online RSVP tracking – which is a real bonus for any busy organiser!

Hire Reusable TabLEWARE

Switching to reusable tableware is an easy way to cut party waste. Instead of buying single-use plates to throw away, reusables offer a more sustainable solution. 

Many of us don’t have the space to store enough kid-friendly tableware for a party (especially if your kid is the one who has to invite the WHOLE class!) so borrowing is the easiest option. This could be from neighbours or friends, via a local swaps group or from your local party kit.

There’s a growing network of party kits all over the UK who hire reusable tableware perfect for parties. With everything you need in the box, hiring a party kit is an affordable and practical way to host an eco-friendly party. Many offer a washing up service meaning you get the benefit of disposable without the waste. 

Find your local kit at partykitnetwork.org/find

Party Food

Food waste can really add to the carbon footprint of your party. Last minute panic buying fuelled by a fear of under-catering can lead to a lot of leftovers. To avoid buying too much food for a kids’ party: 

• Work out a suitable portion size. One way to do this is to look at how much you might include in a packed lunch for a child and then multiply by the number of guests.  

• If your party isn’t being held at a normal mealtime, cut down on the food on offer – many will be happy with just some nibbles and a slice of cake saving you both time and money. 

• Be realistic about what the guests will eat. At children’s parties so often the beautifully made sandwiches get left in favour of a party plate consisting predominantly of crisps and sweets!

• Keep the menu simple – don’t go overboard with the variety of foods on offer. Consider offering just a couple of options like pizza, pasta or hot dog rolls. 

As catering isn’t an exact science, it’s still worth planning ahead for leftovers. Take food containers with you so any extra food can be packed up and given to guests to take home. Many party foods can be frozen (including cake and even crisps!) which means less ends up going to waste. 

Party Bags 

Party bags are often made of plastic and filled with plastic making them not very eco-friendly. Some party planners take the greenest option by not providing any party favours, but if you’d still like to give guests a fun treat then here are some eco-friendly alternatives:

• Switch plastic for paper. You could make your own party bags from newspaper or buy readymade ones from Plasticfreepartybags.com.

• Ditch the plastic sweet wrappers and instead go for treats wrapped in cardboard (like Smarties) or foil which can both be recycled. 

• Instead of a filled party bag, give each child a book. The cheapest way to do this is to buy a bundle of books. Discounted bundles of new books are available from suppliers like Books 4 People and The Works. Or for an even more eco-friendly party, pick up preloved books from charity shops or bundles from online marketplaces. 

• Create a lucky dip. Fill a box with shredded paper and add items – this could be a small toy or a sweet treat. Each child then takes it in turns to pick an item. The gift might be smaller than a traditional party bag full of things as the lucky dip really ups the fun! 

Presents 

If you’re keen to reduce the volume of gifts received by your child then you could have a Fiver Party. This is where each guest is asked to give the birthday child up to £5 instead of buying a gift. The child can then choose how to spend the money, which may be on one larger gift they really want. 

It’s wise to make sure the child is on board with this idea before the party if they are old enough to have any expectations. 

Group gifting can be managed online via tools like Fundzzle. 

Who am I?

I’m Isabel, founder of the Party Kit Network and mum of two from Hampshire. 

I’m passionate about helping make parties more sustainable without spoiling any of the fun. When I first discovered the party kit concept I felt more people needed access to this great waste-reducing option and launched the network. So much like Buildabundle, we help keep items in circulation and dramatically reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. 

Find out more at partykitnetwork.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/partykitnetwork

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