Recently, Steve Dubiel, the Executive Director of EarthCorps, reminded me of birthday celebration possibilities that restore our sense of community and connection to the earth:
"As a parent of two young children, I have my share of trepidation when it comes to the consumption associated with birthday parties. EarthCorps is one of four US nonprofits teamed up with ECHOage to create meaningful birthday celebrations. The concept is simple - ECHOage provides online tools including party invitations; guests make an online contribution in honor of the birthday child; payments are pooled for the purchase of one special gift with half of the pooled payments benefiting a great cause. I hope you'll consider trying this as a great opportunity to reduce your carbon footprint, instill great values in your child, and help a great cause. Visit www.echoage.com/ to learn more."
One of the more popular activities at Camp Long is birthday celebrations. The lodge is a great place to let little ones run around indoors, and nothing beats sleeping overnight with friends in a cabin. Taking your birthday child on a camping trip will build experiences of the beauty of nature and can foster a sense of community in children.
Those of you who are concerned about the consumption values we are passing on to the next generation can find solace in providing an experience, rather than gifts, as a birthday ritual. Let the party be a time for celebrating the joy of being a child, not a time for counting the loot.
A Camp out party provides plenty of time and space for fun. Invite some parents to provide adequate supervision and provide list of things to bring- sleeping bags, tooth brush, flashlights, etc. Here are more suggestions:
Fun decorations for a camp out party include:
* photos of wild animals from magazines
* luminaries at night
* large rocks, leaves, pine cones, etc.
Fun activities for a camp out party include:
* scavenger hunt
* nature walk
* shadow puppets
* nighttime flash light tag
* storytelling
Fun arts and crafts ideas for a camp out party include:
* paper bag luminaries
* animal masks
* modeling clay animals
* leaf prints
