New Year’s Eve is almost here and if you’re not going out on the town to celebrate, here are some great ideas for staying home with your young children and making your own party. Invite some family or friends with children also and get ready to “ring in” the New Year! Happy 2017!
- Dress up. Even if you are staying at home, have everyone dress up in their best frills and have a celebration. It might last for an hour—make that hour count.
- Bring on the Sparkle! Who doesn’t love all things sparkly (babies to grown-ups too!). Christmas lights, glittery streamers, and balloons will make your celebration special and child-friendly.
- Make your own party hats. Find some glittery paper and make cone shaped hats. Use them for photo ops with your dress up clothes.
- Noise, Noise, Noise makers! You can easily make a few of these by putting pennies or beads in empty water bottles. Decorate the outside if you want and watch the little ones enjoy!
- Special Toasts. With the littlest ones, say “cheers” with milk bottles! For toddlers and young children, they will enjoy any fizzy drink like sparkling.
- Toddler “Appetizers.” Party food on New Year’s Eve can be their favorite snacks served in special containers or plates.
- Bring on the photo booth fun. Take lots of pics to remember the party. You can make your own photo props or order them on the internet that you can print and cut out. iPhone uses can find an app to download for a photo booth. Have fun with it and snap away!
- Make some music! Young children love music and singing so play some tunes and start singing and dancing. Make a short music video for the New Year for a family keepsake!
- Play games. Play board games, Pictionary or charades.
- Make a New Year’s Eve Fort. Get the children in their pajamas and let them “sleep” in the fort for the night.
- Plan a balloon drop for the countdown at midnight. Attach a sheet or large garbage bag filled with balloons to your ceiling and let them drop at midnight.
- Ring in the New Year (early)! You may be up to ring in the New Year, but your little ones can ring in a little earlier. Plan your “midnight” around your children’s bedtime!
Here are some New Year’s traditions from around the world to try out:
- Eat black eyed peas on New Year’s Day (Southern tradition)
- Eat 12 grapes at midnight – one at each bell strike – for the year’s prosperity (Spanish tradition)
- Make little piggies out of Marzipan to give away (German tradition)
- At exactly midnight, step forward with your right foot to start the year off… right (Argentina)
- Stand on a chair and jump down from it as the clock strikes midnight (Denmark tradition)
Make your own family traditions and most of all, make memories with your family and enjoy!
Happy New Year! 2017!
