5 great party favors that will help your kids — and their friends — waste less

My kids are OBSESSED with "stuffies" — and these were a huge hit at my daughter's birthday party. You can buy them in bulk (12 per order) for about $3.75 per plush, and they come with information and tags that highlight their mission to inspire children to become wildlife advocates by learning about animals through imagination and play. Wildlife Tree supports zoos, conservation, and animal education all over the world who actively fight to save species and conserve wildlife.

You can find mini succulents pretty much anywhere these days, from Target to Walmart and any garden store, and they typically run between $2 and $5 each. Decorate the pots with chalk or paint, set up a decoration station and let kids take them home, or simply invite each guest to choose their own type of succulent.  

How about mini puzzles made of cardboard — when kids are done with them, they can do them again, or recycle them. What's better? These from eeBoo, a women-owned, mother-run company, are made from recycled materials, and they run about $5.50 each for a box of 16 puzzles. 

Cookies to take home are a guaranteed crowd pleaser. If you're feeling inspired, you may even consider a homemade s'mores kit with a marshmallow, piece of chocolate and a few graham crackers, wrapped in a recyclable or compostable bag, like these from LunchSkins or even these from Ziploc.

I love giving books as party favors. There are plenty of inexpensive kids' books available at Scholastic (check with your school to see if they have a special ordering program), but you could also go to a second hand store or your local library and see if they have free or reduced-price kids books to give out.