Birthday parties are an important part of any child's year, and is still fun for older people as they hit major milestones. Unfortunately, a big part of birthday parties is also the enormous waste left behind. Birthday parties don't have to be boring to make them less wasteful. If you're concerned about the environment, but also want your kid to have a fun time, here are some tips to make an eco-friendly birthday party more fun.

Think Reusable

Almost everything that goes into standard birthday parties is disposable. Paper cups, paper plates, paper napkins. Almost everything is going to be thrown away. The biggest impact you can make is to use real cups, plates, and cloth napkins. 

Just swapping these things out can make a big difference in the impact of your party.

Think Second Hand

What about party favors, games, and prizes? You can find kids dress up, cool toys, table cloths, and so much more at your local second hand store. Using second hand items to find the perfect center piece or other decorative items in your color scheme is even better than getting something new, because it's something that might have been thrown away otherwise.

Keep the circle going

Let's face it. Chances are your little girl is going to love something else next year. She won't want pink and purple table cloths, those cute unicorn print cups, or any of the other reusable items you got for her unicorn party next year. If you have a complete set of reusable decorative items you may not use again, why not put them together in a birthday box and pass it on to another person with the request that they do the same when their party is done?

Being able to have a birthday theme coast around your neighborhood will save even more items from going in the trash, making it the most eco friendly of all.