We typically haven’t done too much to celebrate New Year’s Eve with the kids in the past. But now that they are getting a little older, I wanted to do something fun with them. I put out a call on the Facebook page for suggestions from readers asking what you all do with your kids, and I got some great suggestions, so I thought I’d share them!
If you are looking for simple and affordable ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve with your kids, check out the following ideas:
1. Line your hallway with balloons, each one filled with a different activity — make overs, bake a treat, read a book, make a resolution, make a craft, do a puzzle — and each hour a child gets to pop a balloon, and then complete that activity. They love it!!
2. Check out your local ski resorts. Some have special activities after dark like a torch parade down the ski hill.
3. Check out your local indoor ice skating rink. Some have a New Year’s party for $5/ per person.
4. Do New Year’s around the world. Watch it turn midnight in a few countries each an hour apart. (Thank goodness for the Internet!) Make cheese and chocolate fondue. Kind of. In the microwave. Play board games, and put the kids to bed by 10.
5. Decorate paper bags and cut out confetti to place inside. At midnight (or 7 o’clock when you set the clocks ahead) have kids blow their wish for the new year in it and pop the paper bag!
6. Pinterest is full of fun Minute To Win It games. Pick a bunch and do those with your kids!
7. Write down goals for the coming year (simple goals, like learning to tie shoes, or baking brownies or reading a book a week, or taking time for an activity each month) and then place them in a decorated box. Each child can create their own box, including art work. Open the box next New Year’s and see which goals were achieved!
8. Stay in, order Chinese, play board games, watch a movie, then do the New Years countdown.
9. Do a game night or movie night with friends who have kids too. Wear your pjs and drink sparkling grape juice out of plastic wine flutes (from the Dollar Store). Do sparklers outside after dark. Let the littles stay up past their normal bedtime, but not until midnight. After they go to bed, the grown-ups play games and the older kids pile into the living room with sleeping bags to watch a movie until they pass out.
10. Watch the ball drop on TV, and then scream and ring cowbells or bang pots and pans on the front porch! (You can watch the ball drop early on Netflix if you don’t want to stay up until midnight).
11. Don’t want the kids to stay up late? Have a Noon Year’s Eve! Make masquerade masks and fill out a year-in-review sheet printed from the internet and have a dance party at noon!
12. Check out your local library. Some also have “Noon Year’s Eve”parties.
13. Make a box for each child, each New Year ask the same questions to each child about what they want to be when they grow up, their favorite color, food, etc. Put the answers in the box and open up in 5 or ten years or when each child is a senior in high school!
14. Play monopoly, make fondue for dinner, and have root beer floats!
15. Check out your local library. Some also have “Noon Year’s Eve”parties.
16. Make appetizers for dinner and eat on fancy dishes with candlelight and play board games. It’s low key but fun!
17. Make appetizers, play board games, and wear hats, glasses and noise makers from the Dollar Store. If you are not going to make it to midnight, do your own countdown at an earlier time (you can always set the clocks ahead for the kids who caand let the kids go out front on the porch and blow their noisemakers. Then it’s off to bed!
18. If you live in California, Colorado, etc… Eat a fun dinner and play games with music and listen to the countdown in the background! Let them stay up to watch the ball drop… in New York. Works every year!
19. Celebrate Irish/Italian or French New Years – only eat food from that country and watch the countdown in the country you choose on TV – midnight comes hours earlier than 12pm!
20. Make a time capsule with lists of kids favorites (favorite singer, show, sport, movie, tv show, song, etc.) and save them to open several years later. Then play games and celebrate around 9.
21. Many towns have a free First Night celebration in town. Easy to find on Google, family friendly and fun for all ages!
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