Buy once and it can become a school heirloom, or borrow from parents who have some pretty bunting at home. We did this to great effect at the summer fair, and there is no reason the same bunting can't be used for other events whether disco, fair or tea party. Look for creative ideas on Pinterest and Instagram. This included using repurposed astro grass and large cardboard tubes. We combined the creative power of parents and children to make some Hawaiian themed decorations including a large palm tree. When I think of all of the amazing creations on display during Arts’ week, I know that the children and parents can come up with something super duper. Even better, suggest that the pupils get involved (post SATS). Make your own (or get the kids to do it).ĭraw on your pool of keen parent volunteers to see who has the wherewithal to make some decorations. Put out a request to parents asking for decorations, paper crockery etc that they may be keen to donate or put to good use. We found a pandora's box full of things, like a red carpet which we could then use for the event. Make sure you check what is in storage at the school. A group of parents made some wonderful decorations for last years disco which we have happily commandeered for this year’s event. It seems silly to buy more and more decorations every time there is an event, only for it all to be tucked away, thrown away and/or generally forgotten about. Re-use what was used for previous events and ask for second hand donations. Hobby Craft sell plain brown bunting which you can decorate yourself. There are plenty of options online try Party Delights who have a comprehensive selection. For a previous Hollywood themed disco I bought some large paper pom poms in white, silver and black, which we strung from the ceiling to great effect. You can choose from different sizes and they are really impactful when used to decorate a room. There following tissue paper decorations make wonderful alternatives to balloons: What are the best eco-friendly alternatives to balloons? Oh and lots of people REALLY don’t like the sound of a balloon bursting so you’ll be saving their frazzled nerves. You won’t have to panic when they burst as you try to rescue the small chokable pieces from the hands of small children and the mouths of animals. So kiss goodbye to balloons, and look on the bright side. What about foil balloons I hear you cry? No, not biodegradable either I’m afraid and they contain metal, which makes matters worse. I have some on my compost heap and they haven’t budged in years. Unfortunately, and I confess to having been caught out by this one, balloons claiming to be biodegradable are nearly as bad, as they take many, many years to degrade. LIBBY HALL, MANAGER OF TARONGA ZOO'S WILDLIFE HOSPITAL "WE HAD A TURTLE COME IN RECENTLY THAT HAD FOUR DIFFERENT COLOURS OF BALLOONS IN ITS STOMACH. They are so synonymous with celebration in the West, that it probably seems like a big leap to think of not using them (although let's get real, we really don’t need them to have a good time at a party!). They gradually break down into small pieces of plastic ‘microplastics’ which end up being ingested by animals throughout the food chain (ourselves included). It’s time to burst your balloon once and for all.īalloons are one of those lose-lose plastic items that can’t be recycled and never biodegrade, ending up instead in landfill, on beaches or in the stomachs of unwitting birds and mammals. The challenge is in finding ways to run the events - parties, quizes, awards ceremonies - without producing mountains of waste. We all know that schools are strapped for cash, so these events are often important money raisers. Thus, in this spirit, I thought it might be interesting to look at how school events can be made more eco-friendly. The nice thing about having some clout in organising an event, is that I can influence the ‘eco-friendliness’ of the proceedings, and do my best to limit the amount of throwaway tatt involved. Having stepped up to help organise the same event when my son was in year 6, I thought I ought to do the same for my daughter (yep, always motivated by guilt :-)). Once the ‘dreaded’ SATS are out of the way, the children will be free to concentrate on the more important events in Year 6, like the much anticipated Leavers’ Disco! My second child (daughter, Rose, 11 years old) is coming to the end of her time in Junior school.
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