I am thrilled to welcome Jess, founder of The Eco Party Place, a fantastic business that sells all you need for an eco-friendly kid's parties. Jess is here to give us her tips and tricks on throwing a sustainable kids party!
I think people have this false thought that throwing a plastic-free party is hard work and expensive, well I’m here to tell you it’s NOT! You CAN do it! It’s simple and it will not only save you money in the long run; it will also help save our precious environment from all those single-use plastics.
Do I want you to throw out all those single-use plastic cups and plates you have leftover from your last celebration? Absolutely not, use what you have and then stop there, no more!
Recently we celebrated my son Jett’s first Birthday, plastic-free. I would like to share with you some ideas we used to ditch plastic at his party without taking the fun away!
So here are my top tips to throwing a sustainable party:
1. Change your mindset
At your next celebration, don’t have the mindset that you are only planning and purchasing for that party alone, instead, ask yourself, ‘will this product or item last me for the for the next 10 birthday parties?’
This will ensure any single-use plastics are crossed off your shopping list and only good quality, sustainable products are going into your trolley and joining you through years of celebrations.
2. Invest in quality reusable dishes and cutlery
Yes, the initial outlay of money was higher than a $2 packet of plastic plates, however, this will most likely be the last time we need to purchase dining ware for parties, saving money in the long run.
For the kids, I opted for 100% plant-based reusable dinnerware (plates, cups and cutlery) and I’ll make sure it only comes out for celebrations to ensure its longevity. Check out EcoCubs for plant-based reusable dinnerware!
3. Plastic Free Party Bags
Wooden party whistles, wooden spinning tops, wooden maracas, pencils, activity sheets and mini grow kits are some of the party bag fillers we used at Jett’s party. All of these are all offered through The Eco Party Place.
Themed parties are very popular at the moment that’s why The Eco Party Place now offers themed plastic-free party bags. Choose from superhero, fairy, dinosaur, woodland and safari. More themes coming soon...
Would you rather do some DIY?
Get creative and gift some herb seedlings, a jar of home-baked goodies, a children’s book or get the birthday boy or girl to grab the craft kit out and create a special gift!
4. Lollies from a bulk food shop
If you have never wandered through a bulk food store you MUST!
You would be amazed by what food and cleaning products you can buy that are package-free, including LOLLIES! Gummy bears and chocolate-coated goodness everywhere.
We purchased a good mix of sweets, had some in a bowl and used some between the pass the parcel layers.
5. Reusable decorations
Balloons scream ‘birthday party’ but there was no way real balloons were going to make an appearance at Jett’s party.
Instead, I did a little DIY and made fabric balloons! To put it simply, they are balloon-shaped cushions that you can hang from a tree or on the wall.
I used safety pins on the back of balloons and hung them on wall hooks. You can also use string to hang from a tree or post.
Made from 100% cotton inside and out, making them biodegradable. Click here to grab the instructions!
Another great product on the market is fabric Pass the Parcel bags. Instead of wasting paper and a lot of time, use these different sized drawstring fabric gift bags available at Partyora!
If you have run out of time to get crafty, you could always buy paper lanterns. These can be folded flat and stored away until your next party!
6. BeeDay Birthday Candle!
Although candles don’t contain plastic, some contain toxins, for example, paraffin. These nasty toxins are released into the air while your candle is burning on the cake with little ones surrounding it. This is why I chose to make beeswax birthday candles and is how our new ‘BeeDay Candles’ came to life! The Eco Party Place source beeswax from local Gold Coast beekeepers, as we always endeavour to support farmers. So swap out your toxic candles for these fun and environmentally friendly candles!
7. Say NO to plastic bottles
Instead of handing out little plastic pop-tops to the kids, use a large glass drink dispenser. You will actually find that kids love pushing the little nozzle down to fill up their cups, making them drink more healthy water! Win-win! Another plus, you can use these for all your other celebrations and even lend it out to friends. You can find these large glass water dispensers at Kmart, Target and Aldi.
Thank you so much Jess from The Eco Party Place for your fantastic ideas on how to create less plastic and an eco-friendly, sustainable kids parties! I wish I had your tips when my kids were first born.
For more sustainable kids party ideas and products head on over to follow Jess on Instagram and Facebook
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She’s a mum of one, entrepreneur, lover of nature and is on a mission to reduce the amount of plastic and waste that ends up in our precious environment, one party at a time!
Through her environmental science background, Jess has spent time working with injured wildlife undergoing care due to the effects of plastic and waste in our oceans. This first-hand experience fostered her passion for environmental conservation and she is now employed within the conservation industry.
During the planning of her son’s first birthday party, Jess discovered there was no easy one-stop-shop for plastic-free party bags. If parents wanted to choose the sustainable option they would have to scoot around to multiple shops in search of quality, fun, sustainable and affordable party bag fillers. As a new mum herself she understood that parents are busy enough.
Her drive for conservation coupled with her creative side sparked the launch of The Eco Party Place! She now offers not only plastic-free party bags, but also some incredible bespoke DIY Eco Creative Kits…plastic free of course!
So if you have little ones head over to The Eco Party Place and say G’day to Jess.
Would you rather do some DIY?
