Celebrating New Year’s Eve is usually an adult-only event, but even young children get excited about the holiday, too. They see their parents getting dressed up and hear them talking about parties and food and want to participate as well. Rather than trying to plan something that involves little ones staying up until midnight, when many can get cranky or fall asleep before the festivities even begin, plan a kids’ style New Year’s Eve party so they can welcome in the New Year, too. [photo via flickr]
Twelve O’clock is Relative
Who says you have to stay up until midnight to celebrate the New Year? It is always midnight somewhere in the world, so celebrate with your young kids at noon on New Year’s Eve instead. Most young kids have a hard time staying up past their bedtime, so ring in the noon year right with noisemakers, confetti, silly hats and even a balloon drop at the stroke of 12:00pm.
Make a Balloon Drop
One of the most notable events on New Year’s Eve is the ball drop in Times Square in New York. You can recreate something similar in your own living room for the kids. All you need is a large garbage bag, some duct tape, string and some blown-up balloons.
Cut the garbage bag sides open so it is twice as long as normal. Blow up balloons and place them on top. Attach the garbage bag to the ceiling with duct tape and attach a string long enough that you can reach when the time comes. Have the children count down to noon, and at the last second, pull the string, releasing all the balloons over the kids’ heads.
Food for Thought
No party is complete without yummy food, and this kids’ party is no different. Have lots of finger foods on hand for small hands: chips and dip, vegetables and dip, fruit slices, etc. You can even make festive confetti cupcakes. At noon, make sure each child has a cup of sparkling apple cider or grape juice to toast each other and welcome in the New Year.
Activities and Games
It would not be New Year’s Eve without silly hats. Kids love to make crafty projects, so set up a table with glue, glitter, markers, etc. for decorating New Year’s Eve hats before the noon hour. The kids will have a blast designing their own hats and will love showing them off throughout the party.
Young kids get bored and distracted easily, so provide fun games to keep them busy. A game kids love to play is called “Hide the Clock.” In this game, an adult hides a ticking clock somewhere in the room. The children must find the clock before the alarm goes off. By keeping the kids entertained with games, your New Year’s Eve party will run smoothly and all the children will have a good time.
