6 Ingenious New Year’s Activities for Kids

It’s natural to feel overwhelmed by another holiday. You get through the Christmas festivities and bam - New Years is waiting for you.

You are probably ready for a break from the party planning, cooking, and overtired kids. But you can make your New Year's Eve memorable for the whole family with any of these 6 fun New Year’s activities for kids!

Plus, it’s not even required that you stay up until midnight!

1. DIY Balloon Drop

Your children will feel like they’re in the middle of Times Square when a balloon frenzy drops down on them. Add extra confetti if you’re feeling really festive, or skip it if you’re aiming for an easy cleanup.

Don’t feel like you can only have the countdown and balloon drop at midnight. Not all New Year’ss activities for kids need to be late night. Midnight and toddlers usually doesn’t bode well, so it’s understandable to set the countdown for 8 o’clock or even noon!

Directions on how to make the Balloon Drop

2. Celebrate with Noisemakers

Your kids will really turn up the volume with these DIY noisemakers. It’s a great way to pass the time while on break from school. (Otherwise, you can easily find them at the store.)

The clanging and banging is sure to make a memorable celebration! Parenting tip: Keep the noisemakers out of sight until the countdown nears. Otherwise, you may end up with a splitting headache.

Directions on how to make the Noise Makers

3. Play Minute to Win It Games

Get your timer in hand, and watch your little ones feel energized as they attempt these challenges designed especially for kids! A prize basket will definitely up the ante, and get the kids excited to win!

• Post-it Note Challenge - Group everyone in pairs. Each partnership receives one post-it notes stack. Once the timer begins, one person tries to stick as many post-it notes on your partner in one minute. After one minute, count who has the most post-it notes stuck on them.
• Stack the Cups Challenge - One minute just won’t seem long enough to see who can make the tallest cup tower. Let your kids have a couple practice rounds to get the hang of it.
• Pom Pom and Straw Challenge - Use a piece of colored tape to mark a beginning and end. Place up to 10 pom poms on the beginning line, and see how many poms poms your child can blow across the finish line in one minute.

Get directions on other Minute to Win It Games

4. Set up a Photobooth

Buy a roll of craft paper at a craft store—white or another bright color—and gather up any props or costumes you have around the house.

If you’re creating New Year’s activities for kids – especially a group of kids, a photo booth is very entertaining.

Kids love the photo booth props you can print online, then simply add a jumbo popsicle stick to the props. You’ll be surprised just how many combinations of silliness your kids can procure!

Get ideas on how to make your photo booth

5. Decorate

Making decorations for the party is a great way to build some excitement before the party actually starts.

Try making some of these glitter celebration star wands or a countdown clock if your kids are determined to make it until midnight!

6. Make Resolutions

Ask your child to set a goal—it can be a song they want to learn, a person they want to help, or a new talent they want to learn.

Write the goal down and display it (perhaps on the refrigerator or on their bedroom door). You will be reminded to work on the goal together, making even more memories in the year to come!"