Eco-friendly Ideas for 2Nd Year Party

As far as party favors how about a homemade play dough, and some cookie cutters and a rolling pin to go with it? You can google a recipe for play dough online. If you want you can even provide a light colored paper for the kids to draw on and put hand prints on in paint. Then laminate them and give them to the kids later (after the party) for them to play with their playdough set on. Laminating is about $1 per 8.5" x 11" sheet at most office supply stores.

That is tough! If people ask you, tell them you don't have much room and that a certificate for a museum or something similar would be appreciated so you can have a fun experience with your child. I think people would think that was great!

You could also ask people to bring books for your son and/or some to be donated to a shelter or school.

Hi S.,
A friend of mine bought a bunch of the Ikea colorful dishes/cups/cutlery and uses that for all the parties and events. I believe each set is about $2 and there are six per set. In a very short period of time, you would make up the cost of purchasing disposable for events.

My son just had his 3rd birthday and we decided to support Project Night Night - projectnightnight.org. I suggested that anyone who wanted to bring a gift bring an item or two to make the bags. We got a bunch and did a couple ourselves so that he knew a bit about the plan. Family gave him gifts. My boys could identify with project night night because we have our special blankets, animals and books we use each evening.
S.

I know what you mean with gift overload.

I finally just started inviting less kids to the party, so that mean't less gifts. My kids now only get 2 or 3 of their closest freinds at their bdays. They seem to like it even better now. Whew! Sure makes things easier for me.

Good luck!

Gail

1) What about a book exchange? Each child brings a new wrapped book (like a gift) but then, at present time, EACH child chooses a book to unwrap and they take that book home. If you feel like you need to send home more of a "favor" then the books.

2) IF you have a poloroid camera or a printer that can print digital photos during the party, have your sone pose for a snap shot with each of his guests as they arrive. Then during the party have the kids decorate frames (tag board squares, or popsicle sticks or whatever you want to make them with, and glue on shells, buttons, stickers, etc). Stick the pictures in and send the framed picture home as a party favor.

Hope this helps.
T.

Hope these ideas help.

T.

after the party - hide the gifts. Wait for your son to ask for a certain item or at 2 just give him the few gifts you feel he will really enjoy. The rest can usually be exchanged at Target or Walmart for store credit. We also save some of the gifts to donate to the local toy drive for Christmas. My son just turned 5, I hid his presents after letting him open 2 after his party that he was the most excited about - I then let him ask for 1 from memory for the next 2 days. The rest he has forgotten about or were duplicates so they went back to the store and a few are in the closet for Santa's Helpers. He got some gift cards too so we used those for a new bike helmet and soccer pads (and winter clothes - but don't tell him!) ;)
Our local "Santa" we donte to is called A Brighter Christmas, they always have a booth in the WEst Valley mall in Tracy - we take the toys with us and add more when we go get his photo taken with Santa - he looks so pleased and proud when he gives "Mrs. Santa Claus" the toys he's donating.
For 2 year olds - skip the goody bags - just choking hazards at that age or give out home-made cookies or for my son I gave each kid goldfish crackers and cheerios in those cute little 4 oz. Glad Ware containers that can be washed and re-used and a few stickers.

For Reese's past two birthday parties I have bought terracotta pots and either used stickers or puff paint to put each child's name on it, then I fill it with different stuff. For her first birthday I went all out and hand made flower lollipops, and used that green, stringy grass like stuff as the grass. Hard work! For her third birthday I just did the sticker thing, filled them up with dollar store treasures (pencils, cute pads of paper, bracelets, matchbox cars...) and for the filling used the Jelly Belly belly flops (super cheap jelly beans.) The second year was much easier, I think it cost $20 and took less then an hour to complete.

As for the presents, good luck. You can always say the donate to a charity, but most of the time people will just take that as a free pass to not get a gift or donate, or they just show up with a gift anyways. So, my solution is to let her open her presents with the help of all of her guests (cousins) and I only let her take out maybe one or two. The rest I put in mommy's magic closet and pull out as we become bored with the toys that we have, rainy weeks, or use as prizes. The only thing I wish that I would have done is as I give her a new toy have her donate an old toy, but, you live and you learn. I do this with all gift-able holidays. And candy holidays? I still have 90% of the Easter candy above my fridge, and 100% of the Halloween candy.

Good luck!

Personally, I think it's too much work for a 2 year old's party (I have 5 children). 2 year old's do not get the 'donate' thing. As for party favors, small candy, can be organic or whatever, 2 year olds just feel like kings when they get anything 'special', cups with their names, etc. For him turning out greedy and living in excess, that is a matter of opinion and upbringing. I know two kids who lived in virtual poverty most of their lives and are very greedy, yet others who are well off who would give someone the shirt off their back if it was necessary. Make suggestions for toys that need replaced and donate his old ones to charity, kids LOVE bringing presents and seeing their friends open them. As he gets older it will be easier to downsize the gifts and change the ideas. But he's two. I like suggesting tub toys, they always need replacing. If you don't like what he gets, put it away, then when he's particularly bored or has been extra good at listening, pull a toy out, for that age, they are excited about lots of things. Just some suggestions.

take care!

S.:

We held a food/diaper/formula drive at my daughter's first birthday for the Sacramento Food Bank's women and children program. Also, a friend has suggested to me to ask all the kids to give a "play date" for a gift, rather than stuff. Gets the kids to be creative while stopping the accumulation of stuff in your home.

Good luck!

I hope you get a lot of great responses. I am a very new mom, so I don't know much about birthday gift etiquette. I totally hear what you're saying though and, if I had more friends and family close by, I'd probably be posting with a very similar question.

One thing that came to mind is to ask that, in lieu of gifts, donations be made to something like the Heifer Project... I've also heard of children being asked to bring a copy of their favorite book to help with the child's local or personal library...

In terms of party favors, what about flora of some sort? They could paint pots and/or take home a sprouted seed or something.