![\"Zero](\"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Eco-Friendly-Baby-Products-2.1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe zero-waste movement<\/a> is all about how we can keep creating the products we all need and love so much without taking away the planet\u2019s resources (or throwing them in the sea when we\u2019ve had enough).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Whilst the zero-waste concept is just one small area of how to live more sustainably, it doesn\u2019t take away from the fact that its purpose is monumental. After all, slow and steady wins the race! Plus, it\u2019s something you can easily incorporate into your life with your mini you \u2013 and Kiddies Kingdom can help with how.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n You\u2019ll have seen the notorious zero-waste hierarchy plenty of times before \u2013 but now you can use it to sprinkle some green into yours and your little eco warrior\u2019s life. It\u2019s a simple guide that\u2019ll help you understand how to decrease consumption so your once-loved products for your babe don\u2019t end up in a landfill.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n So, without further ado \u2013 welcome the five Rs:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Pregnancy gifts<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n As polite Brits \u2013 we like to use the term \u2018prevent\u2019 instead of \u2018refuse\u2019 because it\u2019s a friendlier way of saying no<\/em> to the lovely gifts you\u2019ll receive during your pregnancy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Once you\u2019ve announced the exciting news, it\u2019s likely you\u2019ll be surrounded by lots of eager and happy family members, all desperate to hit the shops and buy the cutest clothes and toys for your baby. Unfortunately, a lot of these presents will either be made of plastic, made using cheap labour (unbeknown to your lovely family and friends of course), or they could just not be of any use to your or your babe.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Thankfully, there are a couple of things you can do to point your family and friends in the right direction:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Of course, there\u2019ll be times where you\u2019ll still receive gifts because no one can resist spoiling a little cutie \u2013 and a lot of these may not be sustainable. All you can do is accept the gift and thank your friends and family for their kindness. But don\u2019t worry \u2013 there\u2019s still a glimmer of green hope! In these situations, you can either use the gift, or donate it to your local baby bank.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Children\u2019s gifts<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Whilst your not so little one grows up \u2013 you\u2019ll realise special occasions like birthdays and Christmas also come with the same gifting problem as when you\u2019re pregnant. Your friends and family want to express their love through buying things for your child and you end up with a mountain of gifts that most likely aren\u2019t so eco friendly. But don\u2019t panic! A little bit of planning goes a long way, and it can help with \u2018prevention\u2019<\/em> in this area.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Here are a couple of top tips when it comes to celebrating those all-important days, all whilst channeling zero-waste ethics:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Excessive baby products<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We\u2019re not saying you should never buy any baby products ever but reducing this and buying the essentials or opting for eco friendly baby products that are kinder to the earth, will go a long way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n For example, toys that aid your little one\u2019s development and offer educational benefits are always a great idea. Wooden puzzles<\/a> and shape sorters<\/a> help develop your baby\u2019s problem solving and fine motor skills<\/a>. As well as this, research<\/a> also shows that toy musical instruments<\/a> play a part in your little one smiling more, communicating better and showing a far more developed brain \u2013 you may just have a little maestro in the making!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n There\u2019s nothing more fun than shopping for the cutest baby clothes<\/a> \u2013 but remember your cherub is constantly going to grow (and very quickly) \u2013 sometimes in a matter of days. Instead, buy bigger sizes that your newborn can grow into. This way not only will you be saving money on constantly buying clothes, but you\u2019ll be showing the planet a lot more loving too.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Food waste and packaging<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We completely understand why sometimes you\u2019d want to use pouches or jars when it comes to feeding your bub. Being a parent is a 24\/7 job and it can be tiring, so don\u2019t beat yourself up about that emergency go-to jar in the cupboard, for those days where you need a helping hand \u2013 it\u2019ll never take away your title of being super mum or dad!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Having said that, just keep in mind that when your baby starts exploring solid foods, it\u2019s mostly going to be about discovering textures. And they\u2019ll still be getting most of their energy from milk feeds in their first precious year. It\u2019s no secret that some packaged baby food can be highly processed<\/a>, and often have a lot more sugar and less micronutrients than a hearty home-cooked meal. So, you could just mash up whatever you\u2019re eating (unless it\u2019s really salty or has honey etc). Or give your tot control and offer them yummy foods they can pick up all by themselves \u2013 this is called baby-led weaning<\/a>, and all it takes is simple finger foods to get their tastebuds tingling<\/a>, like toastie fingers, cheese sticks or pieces of mango.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you want to go the extra mile and do your bit for the planet \u2013 save on the packaging and transportation of baby food and cook from scratch instead. But if the thought of whipping up a meal after a long, hard day at work is making you sigh, why not batch cook a couple of meals, so that you always have a feast in the freezer that\u2019s ready to go!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n And as your not so little one grows up, here are our top tips to nurture the eco-warrior within them:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Second-hand shopping and swapping<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n You don\u2019t have to buy everything second-hand, but where possible, try your best to get some pre-loved goodies. But that\u2019s only if it\u2019s not going to be a safety issue. For example, you should never buy a car seat<\/a> second-hand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Over 650,000 babies are born every year in the UK<\/a> \u2013 and that also means a lot <\/em>of new stuff being manufactured and bought every year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Before you hit the shops to buy new things for your little one, try the following:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Choose eco-friendly baby products<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n There are lots of eco friendly baby products that can make a huge difference to our precious planet, but that\u2019ll also benefit your bank account in the long run too, and are simple, easy switches. We recommend thinking about the following alternatives:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Arts and crafts<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n You\u2019ll be surprised at how many materials around your home can be repurposed. Plus, it\u2019s a fantastic way of avoiding more waste being sent to a landfill. You can do this for all sorts of things as well \u2013 let\u2019s take arts and crafts<\/a> as an example. It\u2019s no secret that a lot of children are good at making a mess. But let\u2019s not think of it as mess, and more so an opportunity to be creative!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Make something together (good chance for bonding time too) using an old egg box, cardboard cereal box, or even loo roll tubes \u2013 the world is your oyster! Giving your child various bits and bobs from the recycling bin each week will get their creative juices flowing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you\u2019ve got some extra time on your hands, as well as some scraps of fabric handy, you can also make your own simple, but eco friendly baby toys.\u00a0Stackable cloth rings<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0fabric beach balls<\/a>\u00a0are very much doable, even if you\u2019re a beginner in the DIY world. And for those parents who are a little more experienced, push the boat out and make your very own baby swing<\/a> \u2013 trust us, it\u2019ll be adorable.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Children are like teeny tiny sponges \u2013 they absorb information from everything and everyone around them. The best way to curve your environmental impact is by making sure your little one knows why sustainability is important. So, when it comes to composting and recycling, get your children involved as much as possible. Let them put the veggie scraps and peels in the compost bin. Do a litter hunt where you both collect rubbish from your local area \u2013 you may even find goodies that will come in handy for those arts and crafts days! Build a worm farm and let your little one have fun creating their own natural fertiliser for the garden (and learn about caring for animals too). Make a solar oven<\/a> together and melt some squishy marshmallows for movie night! Whatever you do, letting your child get involved will help them understand why it\u2019s important in the first place to be kind to the planet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Now it\u2019s your turn to take the steps (and baby steps are perfectly ok) to reduce your family\u2019s waste. One small step for mummy and daddy, one giant leap for parenthood!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If there\u2019s one thing we\u2019re certain of, it\u2019s that little ones need stuff \u2013 and a lot of it too! That\u2019s why practicing an eco-friendly lifestyle can seem impossible when you have children. And social media\u2019s high standard of filtered perfection when it comes to sustainable living as a parent is enough to make any person run in the opposite direction. But listen up mums and dads \u2013 that\u2019s not what sustainable living is about<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7464,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[82,252,70,223,484],"tags":[278,253,516,513],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6137"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6137"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7465,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6137\/revisions\/7465"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Zero-Waste Hierarchy: How to Use the Five Rs<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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1. Refuse<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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2. Reduce<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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3. Reuse<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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4. Repurpose<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n5. Rot and recycle<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n