Celebrating New Years With The Kids !

The annual New Year celebration is a special time of hope and renewal. Families often get together to enjoy a festive meal and evening activities, complete with music and fireworks. Celebrating New Year’s Eve with children can be a tricky endeavor, however, as young children may not have the patience for a long evening of activities. Yet, with some careful planning and creativity, parents can still have an enjoyable, memorable New Year’s Eve with their children.

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Organizing New Year’s Eve activities for children should take into account their age, personality, and interests. Generally, younger children will be more interested in simple activities and less able to stay up late into the night. For younger children, craft activities are a great way to spend the time leading up to the New Year. Make paper decorations for the home, have a paper hat-making competition, or even set up a puppet theater to entertain the little ones.

Older children who are able to stay up late should be introduced to the idea of a countdown. Gather the children and watch a few “countdown to midnight” TV specials or create your own countdown in your home. As the clock strikes twelve, you can enjoy a family toast and open a bottle of champagne, or sparkling cider, to toast the arrival of the New Year. You can also create a memorable moment by blowing whistles or bangers, or by setting off small fireworks.

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Some family’s might opt for a more traditional New Year’s celebration, complete with dinner and other activities. A great way to get children involved at the dinner table is to have them create their own table decorations and food. Have them put together center pieces from simple items found around the house, such as candles, colorful paper, and tinsel. They can also help prepare dinner, setting the table and helping to serve the meal. Showing children the joy of preparing a family dinner is both educational and rewarding.

When the dinner is finished, set up some games and activities to keep them entertained through the rest of the evening. Board games are always fun, or set up some classic party games such as musical chairs or Simon says. If you want to get the little ones outside, pack up a few blankets and let them enjoy the night sky and hunt for shooting stars.

Start New Year’s off right!

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