How To Host A Zero Waste Kids Party (Kind of!)

A zero waste kids party? Do you think it’s possible? Can you really remove all the cheap tack and single use plastic whilst hosting a party for twenty something five-year olds? I asked my instagram followers, who had lots of ideas (thank you) and here are mine.

Well, this year Daisy turned 5 and, in a bid to keep our house intact, I decided to throw her two parties, one for school friends and one for her church friends. Like every parent my number one goal was for Daisy and all her friends to have an awesome time. But I also wanted to do it in a way that wouldn’t create a huge amount of waste. Early on I realised that it wouldn’t be a 100% zero waste kids party. I’m not eco-perfect and despite my best efforts single use plastic was involved at some point down the line. But that’s ok, because every step we make helps. So, here are the simple plastic free swaps that I made and also the compromises.  

Party Food

Food is probably the hardest area to make waste. Particularly if you shop at a local supermarket. And if there’s not plastic waste, there will most certainly be food waste. I decided to keep it simple and make pasta with tomato sauce and cheese. We buy our pasta in big 5kg (plastic bags) because it is cheaper and uses less plastic. Not every child ate all of it, but generally most kids eat pasta. For speed I bought the tomato sauce in a jar, Seeds of Change do a lovely organic tomato & basil sauce that my children love and is readily available in local supermarkets. For pudding, we had ice cream and brownies. The ice-cream tub though plastic once washed gets used as a lunchbox, to freeze meals in or as part of the kids’ craft.

Party Table Essentials

It’s very tempting to buy beautiful disposable plates and cups, as it makes the clear up so easy. But I’d recommend investing in some reusable ones that you can use year after year. When Daisy was born, we bought the colourful plates & cups from Ikea which we’ve used time and time again. However, if you’re after something a little more aesthetically pleasing and ultimately eco-friendlier have a look at Ekobo. They make beautiful bamboo tableware specifically for kids. It is a more expensive option, but all their products are FDA and LFGB certified which ensures they are free of toxins. Prices start from £8 for cutlery.

Daisy loves drinking from a straw, so as it was her Birthday, I opted for FSC certified paper ones. They are easily recyclable. For everyday use, we use reusable ones. Specifically, Bambaw’s natural bamboo straws, from Pure Skin Lab. They cost £9.99 for 12 but use code noplastic15 for 15% off. If stainless steel if more your thing, look at Klean Kanteen who do x 4 stainless steel straws for £9.50. Alternatively, Waitrose do a very affordable sturdy plastic version £2 for 6. The only problem with reusable straws is that they are a complete pain to clean.

Napkins, I had some to hand, just in case a child needed one, but I didn’t put them on the table as then they are guaranteed to end up in the bin.

Party Decorations

Daisy loves flowers, so I bought a small bunch and then added to it with foliage from the garden. One day I hope to be able to grow enough flowers, so we don’t have to buy them. I also used party hats from Meri Meri and the paper pinwheel to make it feel festive. I bought these last year for Laurie’s birthday from Niddle Noddle, my local toy shop in Crouch End, and they’ll do another few parties yet.

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Now sadly balloons aren’t eco-friendly. Even the biodegradable ones have been shown not to actually biodegrade. But this is where you have to know your audience. Daisy specifically requested balloons, so I compromised and went for just a couple. For next year the hunt it on for some fabulous pom pom bunting or tassels to replace them.

Zero Waste Party Bags

Making party bags zero waste is a real challenge mainly due to cost and expectation! I highly recommend setting your budget and then finding something that works within that. If you’re time poor, then Cotton Twist do gorgeous affordable party bag fillers. Like these mini craft sets, where you can make a superhero mask, or a unicorn bracelet. Prices from £2.45 each. Or their personalized keepsake tins, from £3.95. They also handily do recycled paper party bags, from £2.95 for 10. Owner Anne-Clare is both really creative and also has a passion for making things eco-friendly. So, these products all arrived completely plastic free, even down to the sticking tape.

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If you’re tight on budget, then how about making something edible as a goodbye present? For Daisy’s school party I made heart shaped shortbread. When the children arrived, they got to decorate them with icing and sprinkles. The sprinkles did come in a plastic container, but like I said, I’m not eco-perfect. We also gave them a Julia Donaldson activity book each which we found from The Book People for a £1 a book. However, the package did arrive wrapped in plastic, typical!

Kids Party Games

Kids love good old-fashioned party games and fun. Musical chairs, musical bumps and statues are completely zero waste. As are relay races. We made Daisy’s friends dress up and run around with water and egg and spoons, it was hilarious.

Pass the parcel required a little more thought. I reused old wrapping paper and packaging and made sure the final present was a toy to last, Lego. But the kids did get a chocolate in each layer. When they’re older I will replace the chocolates with forfeits. They’re completely zero waste and amusing to watch.

If you want to hold a truly zero waste kids party then I recommend you stay clear of a Pinata, because you really do need to have individually wrapped sweets for hygiene reasons. Or you stuff it with kids’ toys, bouncy balls would work.  

Zero Waste Wrapping

Those of you who are regular readers, know that I like to find alternatives to using new wrapping paper. In fact, I wrote a blog post all about it, do click here to read! You see we Brits use the equivalent of 50,000 trees in wrapping paper every Christmas. And that figure doesn’t include the rest of the year. Recently I bought this beautiful tropical flower fabric wrap* for Daisy from TheFabricWrappingCo* on Etsy. It’ll be used every birthday’s in the years to come, a bit like the way you get the same stocking out each Christmas. Now she received a few smaller presents too, so those were wrapped in old paper. I store any paper that is reusable in a big chest in the study. We have also saved (where possible) all the paper her presents came wrapped in.

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Can You Really Hold a Zero Waste Kids Party?

Daisy’s parties (x2) weren’t 100% zero waste. But with a little thought I was able to seriously reduce the amount of waste created. And do it without it costing the earth, excuse the pun! I’m aware that this will definitely get easier as my children grow, and their friendship groups get smaller. So, I’ll leave you with my top tips for a zero waste kids party (well, kind of!)

n4mummy’s Top Tips for a Zero Waste Kids Party

• Invest in reusable decorations
• Invest reusable tableware
• Be creative with games
• Reuse wrapping paper
• If you want to be truly zero waste steer clear of a Pinata.

If you’ve got any other suggestions for hosting a zero waste kids party, then as ever please do comment below.

Disclosure: Cotton Twist kindly gifted us the zero waste party bags. Affiliate links are highlighted with a *