Great green birthday party favors

Birthday party season is in full swing around here. (It seems a lot of kids have spring birthdays...why is that? Did I miss the memo on spring baby planning?) Anyhoo, my 6-year old has been to a lot of parties lately, and no doubt more are to come. But they've been great parties! Some have been at-home parties with games and crafts, while others have been at near-by rock gyms or gymnastics centers or bowling alleys...lots of fun for this age! What has struck me the most are the simple, eco-friendly party favors that have come home from each party. These are items that are being used and cherished by my daughter long after the party is over, so I wanted to share some of these ideas:

Painted flower pot: I love this! You probably have several of these little pots rolling around your garden shed, and if not, you can pick them up for a song at garage sales. The kids painted the pots and then planted the primroses (which you can buy for about .99 cents). Every day my daughter looks at her flower, tests the soil to see if it needs watering and shows it to anyone who walks through the door. Love it!

Kid-sized cloth napkins: Renee made these for her daughter's birthday, and I've washed them about a million times because they are constantly used. They get tucked into lunch bags every day or used at dinner time. Other kids (and parents!) think they are really cool, which makes my kids love them even  more. (Yes, my son proudly carries his pink napkin in his lunch box, too.) Remedial sewing skills required.

Rock book: This favor was handed out at a party at a rock-climbing gym -- so appropriate. The host also included a tiny bag with a couple pieces of talc. This book gives just the right amount of basic info about rocks -- not overwhelming -- and perfect for the parent who is equally clueless about rocks. It encourages kids to get outside and scout around and notice rocks wherever they go. Both of my kids love this book, titled Let's Go Rock Collecting by Roma Gans.

Colored pencils: Again, something that will be used and appreciated over and over again. I think a lot of parents want to give out favors that will elicit squeals of excitement, which is what a bagful of plastic trinkets and candy often does. But that excitement is so short-lived and those trinkets quickly forgotten or broken. An item that is durable and longer-lasting might not be as provocative to a six-year old, but they will use it and appreciate it and it will be less likely to end up in a landfill.

We've been to a number of 'no-gift' parties lately, which is just great. But I'm starting to think that the party guests should be sending thank you's to the party host (kind of like you do for a grown-up dinner party). Think about it: you don't have to buy a gift, your child is treated to a fun party (which is often expensive if it's held at a special location), and they come home with a gift. Yes, they are participating in a celebration for the birthday child, but it's a pretty big treat for the guests. What do you think -- a new tradition in the making?

What are some other great green birthday party favors? Have your kids come home with any? Have you given any out? (And for more green birthday party ideas, make sure to check out our Birthday archive.)