Greening up kids’ birthdays

Virginia De Leon has a great article in today’s Spokesman-Review about the local options for kids who want art-themed birthday parties. In addition to the parties held through the Spokane Parks and Rec department at the Corbin Arts Center and those at Michael’s stores , she featured a local art teacher named Robin Nelson Wicks who hosts parties like this in her studio and garden on the South Hill.

It’s refreshing to see a party theme that doesn’t require matching hats, cups, plates, balloons and napkins, all displaying the image of some commercial character.

A friend of mine held her own version of an art party for her 2 year old a couple years back, and I know it was a hit with my daughter. At the start of the party, each child drew on paper at their own easel or art table. Then, during cake and presents, the birthday girl’s grandma quickly framed each child’s masterpiece so that everyone went home with their drawing as the party favor.

Virginia’s article got me thinking about the overconsumption that surrounds children’s birthday parties today. I don’t want to be a killjoy, but just think about all the paraphernalia many parents feel like they have to buy to celebrate a birthday right.

Vermont blogger Katy Farber, of Non-Toxic Kids, shares the concern and offers some tips on greening up kids’ birthdays:

-Forgo the goody-bag favors. Instead, like my friend did, create some sort of craft that each child makes during the party and takes home with them as a souvenier.

-Lay off the Disney themes, which promote overcommercialism, stereotypes and more waste.

-Have the kids make their own decorations using recycled or repurposed materials. Farber had a friend who made a pirate ship out of cardboard with her children, for example.

-Use real plates and silverware. Yes, cleanup takes longer, but birthdays only come once a year.

-Ask guests to bring homemade gifts, recycled items, secondhand books, a donation to a charity of the child’s choice or no presents at all. Of course, you’d want to get your child on board before spreading the word to the invitees. My kids are still young enough that they’d be thrilled with a homemade or secondhand item—and I hope they’ll continue to be through the years after teaching them about overconsumption at a young age. But I’m sure the social pressures only build from here on out, and I imagine convincing a 7 year old of the virtues of being green on their birthday is more challenging than teaching the same lesson to a 3 year old.

-Make your own party hats. You can see the ones my daughter and I made for her rainbow-theme birthday party above.

-Speaking of themes, choose general themes instead of ones linked to commercial products. For example, “oceans” instead of The Little Mermaid and “woodland forest” instead of Tinkerbell.

-Instead of mailing paper invitations, invite friends to the party over e-mail or through an online invitation service like Evite .

For more ideas and information, check out this July 2008 San Francisco Chronicle article and visit this site , which is completely dedicated to reducing the pressure of putting on a birthday party. For a jaw-dropping peek at just how over-the-top birthday parties have become, go straight to this list of anecdotes.

What are your suggestions for greening—or at least simplifying—kids’ birthday parties?