Party Favors
Most parents dread the bags of gift junk that accompany their children home from birthday parties. All too often, these bags are filled with cheap and poorly made trinkets that were harmful to the planet to produce and harmful to children to play with.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the follow items should be kept out of the hands of infants and young children to reduce the incidence of choking: latex balloons, coins, marbles, toys with small parts, toys that can be compressed to fit entirely into a child's mouth, small balls, pen or marker caps, and small button-type batteries.
Replace these bags of junk with eco-friendly gifts that are gentle on the planet and healthy for small children. Consumable gifts, such as cookies or muffins, are always a hit for kids. Plants or flowers make great waste-free gifts for adults. Useful items such as a picture frame or a small board book will also make a thoughtful gift.
Another idea is to have a craft activity at your party that the kids can take home with them as a favor. Party guests can paint a T-shirt with nontoxic finger paints, decorate a picture frame, or make a birdfeeder by spreading a pine cone with peanut butter and rolling it in bird seed.
