Long day…
As I write this, I’ve just finished the mad dash to get my kiddo to bed at a reasonable time after a sports practice that ends much later than we’re used to. It’s been a long day for me too, with very little downtime, and I found myself needing a snack at at least two points (that I can remember) during the day.
The one I’d planned for was no big deal: I just ate my apple in the car on my way back from checking in on my shelf at Homemade Community Shoppe in Chilliwack (I tucked the core into a reusable bag to put in the organics bin once I got home. And you know I had a cloth napkin with me to wipe my hands.)
The second one, however, resulted from a lack of time to eat lunch. I found myself reaching for a packaged snack before we left for practice. That’s not my usual reaction to being hungry and it got me thinking about how much low-waste routines and kids’ after school activities can really go hand in hand. So this week, let’s discuss.
Spoiler alert: it really is about planning and establishing routines.
So how do you actually DO low-waste kids’ after school activities? Read on for my 6 favourite ideas for establishing routines for low-waste after school activities.
Look for activities that you can get to easily
Gold standard: you can walk or bike there. Still great: easily accessible on public transportation. The reality for many of us, though, is that there is a time crunch, or multiple kids to get to different places, or stops that need to be made along the way there or on the way home. All of that often means that caregiver = driver. If, like me, you must drive, do your best to choose activities that are close together/close to home/close to school (if you go straight from there), that you can combine with other trips, and/or plan your route to be as efficient as possible.
Pack snacks in reusable containers
Fruit, veg, cheese, nuts/legumes/other proteins are great snacks that will keep your kiddo full of energy for the duration. Look for the shelf-stable items at bulk stores or refilleries. Obviously, their water will be in a reusable bottle appropriate for the activity. Have a plan for what happens if things are unexpectedly running late: extra snacks are key here. I have a friend who regularly carries an ‘emergency banana’ in her bag and it has honestly prevented more than one meltdown amongst kids and adults alike.
Pro tip!
Make removing the snack containers, water bottles, and the like a part of the ‘getting home’ routine. You’ll save yourself some headaches trying to find them later AND your car will stay at least a little bit clutter-free. Older kids can be responsible for bringing in their own stuff but even little kids can put their containers into a designated bag or box so to make it a bit easier for you to bring everything inside for cleaning.
If you’re considering making more use of litterless lunch practices but need some help, click here to read the post I wrote a while back on exactly this topic. Or here for one on litterless lunches for kids. Or here for one on making a litterless lunch kit from stuff you already have.
Look for the needed clothing, equipment, and footwear secondhand
Online marketplaces, brick and mortar resellers, and friends/family with older or bigger kids are all great places to start. Yes, this might require a big more time, attention, and thinking ahead than a quick trip to a large retailer or ordering something online, but it certainly means that the amount of waste generated will be lower than buying everything new. It’s also often a less costly option, which is definitely a plus.
Try it first!
Look for opportunities for your kiddo to try a new activity (music, arts, sports) that they’re interested in before you have to commit and buy the gear that goes with it. If they like it enough to commit, consider renting or borrowing if that makes sense for the activity. A musical instrument is probably a better fit for renting than is a lot of sports equipment, for example.
Consider cutting back on organized activities
A radical suggestion, I know, but if you’re up to your eyeballs in commitments and are part of a household that is scheduled to the very last second, taking even one thing off of the calendar will remove the waste generated by that activity from your burden as well. Not to mention the benefits to everyone’s mental health. Rest is productive too.
Carpool when you can
There’s no sense in having 3 adults from the same neighbourhood driving 3 kids to the same activity in 3 different vehicles. Reduce the number of cars on the road by arranging to take turns driving a full, safely buckled carload of kids to their activity. If you think this sounds like a form of torture, before you come for me in the comments, consider that you’ll reduce the number of times that you’ll need to GO to that activity because you’ll be sharing the driving duties.
Those are my best ideas related to low-waste routines and kids’ after school activities. Do you have any tips for making after school kids’ activities less wasteful? Share ‘em in the comments below or send me a message! I’d love to hear your suggestions.