Sally Jackson shares her top tips for creating an eco-celebration, including her top tips on staying calm!
If you're looking for a fun and memorable way to celebrate your child's birthday, a nature themed party is a great option. Not only is it a great way to get kids outside and exploring the world around them, but it's also a great opportunity to teach them about the importance of conservation and caring for our planet. Here are some tips for planning a nature themed birthday party that your child and their friends will love:
Choose a location
The first step in planning a nature themed birthday party is to choose a location. Look for a local park or nature reserve that has plenty of space for kids to run around and explore. If the weather is nice, you can even host the party in your own garden.
Create a nature scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is a fun and interactive way to get kids engaged in nature. Create a list of items that can be found nearby, such as leaves, flowers, rocks, and insects. Divide the kids into teams and see who can find all the items on the list first. You can even offer prizes for the winning team.
Use nature as decorations
For a nature themed party, you don't need to spend a lot of money on decorations. Instead, you can make your own decorations using natural materials. Collect branches, leaves, and flowers and use them to create a beautiful centrepiece for the party table. You can also create garlands and streamers using leaves and flowers.
“My son Seth's most-loved party was a bug-tastic extravaganza in our garden. The little explorers crafted necklaces using tiny log slices and decorated them with bug drawings”
Plan nature-based activities
There are plenty of fun and educational activities you can plan for a nature themed birthday party. You can set up a station where kids can make bird feeders using pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed. You can also have a planting station where kids can plant seeds in small pots to take home. Another idea is to set up a nature art station where kids can create their own nature-inspired masterpieces using leaves, bark rubbings, twig paintbrushes and other materials.
Serve nature-inspired snacks
When it comes to snacks for a nature themed birthday party, you can get creative. Serve fresh fruit skewers, vegetable cups with hummus, and trail mix. You can even make your own insect-shaped cookies using a cookie cutter.
How to stay calm when organising a party
If organising the party at home seems overwhelming, the increasing availability of forest schools across the country also offers a great choice for a nature-themed celebration - and the best part, you don’t have to clean up after! See opposite for a selection around the UK
I always like to have a few activities planned to give the party some structure and bring everyone together. This could be anything from roasting marshmallows to collecting pine cones - simplicity is key.
Set a clear end time for the party and weave in a closing activity like singing "Happy Birthday" or offering party bags. These gentle cues help everyone wind down, especially young ones who can tire easily. Keep the party to around 1.5-2 hours to maintain energy levels and avoid meltdowns.
Planning a nature themed birthday party is a great way to get kids outside and exploring the world around them. With a little bit of planning and creativity, you can create a memorable experience for your child and their friends!
Sally Jackson is the founder of sorenshouse.co.uk and lives in West Yorkshire with her two children, Seren and Seth, two dogs and 4 cats.
Nature Themed Party Goodies
Cotton Twist
As a mother of three, Cotton Twist’s founder Anne-Clare has a deep passion for fostering creativity and imagination in children, in a world that often feels overrun by gadgets and technology. Choose from personalised tin fillers and a variety of craft kits, which come in recyclable Kraft envelopes and will get kids making and creating with non-plastic materials. cottontwist.co.uk
Eco Party Bag
Based in Taunton, Somerset Eco Party Bag produce a range of ready-made bags for you to choose from. Or you can build your own. All bags have been created with the environment in mind, by reducing the plastic and giving you and your loved ones something more meaningful and thought-provoking than the traditional party bags and gifts. There are many themes including woodland, nature, Space, Mermaid and more. ecopartybag.co.uk
Party Organisers
Communitree
There's no better way to welcome in another year than being surrounded by family and friends in nature. Lasting for two hours, the themed parties provided by Communitree, in Greater Manchester, include nature-based games and activities and plenty of time for tree climbing and unstructured play. Choose from Dragons and Knights, Outdoor Kitchen or Woodland Fairytale. communitree.co.uk
Wild Minds
Do you have a love of nature and art? Have you ever created something beautiful with the things that the trees and flowers provide? Wild Minds in South Derbyshire host nature art parties for all age groups. Guests are invited to collect wonderful things in the woodland and then work on individual art projects and a final BIG NATURE display that will bring joy to those around you and those who follow. wildmindsnature.co.uk
Fireflies
This Forest School site in Huntingdon, Cambs makes a magical setting for a party. They decorate the site with bunting, put up ropes, hammocks and swings and stock the mud kitchen with potions and more. There’s mini wheelbarrows, trolleys, cuddly toys, natural resources, and musical instruments and lots of tools available to use in the tool area. Optional extras include bananas baked on the fire, birthday cupcakes and plastic-free party bags. firefliesforestschool.co.uk
Photos by @madelinevphotography for wildlingsforestschool.com.
