When you have children, New Year’s Eve may not be the party you once had, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be the best one yet! Both you and your kids will forever remember this NYE with these 8 activities and ideas to help you celebrate. From dance parties to toasting with sparkling grape juice, everyone is sure to have loads of fun this holiday.
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1. Party Hats and Accessories
Shop Walk in Love
No matter the ages of your children, making your own party hats and other accessories will definitely be a hit. Grab some colored paper and markers and let them create their own masterpieces. The little ones could make wishing wands, as they are super easy to make, as well. Just collect some pipe cleaners, tie them together, and then cut out a star to put on top. When the ball drops, make sure everyone wishes upon their wands!
DIY Now at shopwalkinlove.com
2. Noise Makers
Project Nursery
Another fun New Year’s Eve idea is to create noisemakers-- if you have the patience that is! Staple two paper plates together and fill it with some beads, beans, or rice. Grab the markers, stickers, glue, and feathers to dazzle it up. Once the craft is dry...shake and celebrate the night away! Don’t have any paper plates? Not a problem. Empty out a water bottle and fill it up with the same noisy beads. Twist the cap on and shake, shake, shake!
DIY now at projectnusery.com
3. Dance Party
Giphy
Let’s face it… what child doesn’t like to let loose and dance the night away - especially when their parents are willing to join them!? That means you have to get out there too, mom and dad! Create a fun playlist for the kids and have them wear their princess tutus and superhero costumes. If you have older kids, get the sparkly headbands and colorful bowties out -- no one is too old for a dance party! So no matter how old you are, put on your best dance outfit - and your dancing shoes, of course - and get to grooving!
4. Party Snacks
Celebrating Sweets
While you are dancing all throughout the night, you’re bound to need some food to munch on! This New Year’s Eve, make the food prep and cooking a family affair!t. Brownies, cut-out cookies, cupcakes - all the best junk foods that they’re not normally allowed to eat. Or you could always put together a veggie and fruit tray if you’d rather stick to your normal healthy habits. Either way, be sure to make this a fun family activity during the day so that you can enjoy all of your hard work while you’re waiting for the ball to drop!
DIY now: S'mores Dip from celebratingsweets.com
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5. Countdown Bags
Spaceships and Laser Beams
Your kids will go nuts with these countdown bags! Have them color on a paper bag, and fill it up with all sorts of goodies -- candies, craft ideas, coloring books, or activity tags. Activity tags include an idea that they can do until it’s time to open up another gift. Some ideas that you could write down include “watch a movie,” “create your own ice cream sundae,” or “play a game.” Every hour, let them open up the bag, choose something out, and carry out the chosen activity until it’s time to choose something else at the next hour.
DIY it at spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com
6. Make Some Drinks to Celebrate
Chelsea Messy Apron
What're New Years without some fancy drinks? Let the kids splurge and have some fruity soda pop or sparkling grape juice to celebrate. Maybe add some cherries or garnishes, and make up a fun name for the drink to jazz it up a bit. When you serve these yummy drinks to the kids, you could even put them in plastic champagne flutes for a more grown up effect.
DIY Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade at chelseasmessyapron.com
7. Set Up a Photo Booth
Pretty Designs
A photo booth at home… how fun! Get a big white poster board and let the kids draw all over it. When they are finished coloring, hang it up and let that be your scenery. Find fake mustaches and silly glasses that the kids can dress up with and then pose for the camera! Whether it’s 5 pictures or 500 pictures, the memories will last a lifetime.
DIY Sparkly Backdrop from prettydesigns.com
8. Build a Fort
Ten Thousand and Villages
Wanting a little time to relax this New Year’s Eve? Having the kids build a fort is a great way for them to wind down (once they’re done building, of course). Provide them with a bunch of pillows, sheets, and blankets and watch their imaginations run wild. Once they’re finished, pop in a movie for them to watch while they lay in their comfy fort. If they’ve been running around like crazy, they may even fall asleep!
DIY Blanket Fort from tenthousandandvillages.com
9. Countdown to Midnight
Giphy
New Year’s Eve is all about that midnight ball drop, but 12 am is a bit too late for some kiddos to stay up. Celebrate the New Year using ANY timezone to make sure your kids head off to bed at a reasonable bedtime. Whatever time you choose to toast the upcoming year, make sure that when that ball drops, you give lots of hugs and kisses and loud hootin’ and hollerin’ so that they feel like it really is the New Year wherever you are!
Pop some balloons and raise your glass to another amazing year with the family sitting beside you. No matter what age your children are, these New Year’s Eve activities will make it a celebration to remember forever. So, dance and laugh the night away, right into the new year, with some great memories for everybody to hold on to.
