Let’s all admit it: New Year’s Eve ain’t what it used to be! In my twenties, I’d find myself scoping out the hottest party in town, selecting the perfect outfit, arranging my transportation for the night, and partying like it was 1999 each and every year. These days, my NYE celebrations consist of making sure my PJs are comfy enough and crawling into bed around 10:00 P.M. with the TV on in hopes of seeing the ball drop…a goal that I never quite seem to accomplish. But now that my kids are two-and-a-half and four, it’s the perfect time to find ways of incorporating them into the annual tradition of closing out an old year and bringing in the new. Here are a few ideas to get your celebration started!
When to Celebrate
Just because the rest of San Antonio might officially be celebrating at 12:00 A.M. doesn’t mean you have to. In our house, we celebrate with the kids at 8:00 P.M. You could also have a pre-nap celebration just after lunch or, as suggested by Knoxville Moms Blog, ring in the new year over breakfast with pancakes!
Noise Makers
A celebration with littles wouldn’t be complete without items they can shake, bang, and rattle ’til their hearts’ content!
– Plastic Bottle Noise Makers are one of the easiest things you can make. Tip: the ones that come from Chick-Fil-A kids meals are perfect for little hands, but you can use milk cartons, water bottles, or just about anything empty lying around the house. Let your kids decorate them with markers, stickers, or paint. Experiment with different fillers to get different sounds like rice, pinto beans, or spare change, and throw in a little confetti!
– This idea from Jacksonville Moms Blog is great: Bubble Wrap Poppers! We received a ton of packages leading up to Christmas, so we just set the bubble wrap aside to use for New Year’s Eve. Let the kids decorate a long sheet of paper (we used leftover Christmas wrapping paper) with markers. Once finished, tape the bubble wrap down to the paper. When the clock strikes, let them jump it out!
– From Cincinnati Moms Blog, fill balloons with confetti or glitter before filling them up. Let the kids decorate the balloons with markers and stickers. When it’s time, pop the balloons and let the celebration sprinkle through the air!
Activities
– Make homemade party poppers using empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls. Fill the rolls with confetti, or make your own confetti using a hole puncher. Add some stickers and maybe a Hershey kiss, and top with tissue paper. We also love these beautiful confetti poppers from Handmade Mood.
– For an educational spin, make a Countdown Clock using paper plates, markers, and construction paper. Cut out hands with construction paper, write numbers around the face of the clock, and secure with a metal brad. Let the kids use their clock to count down the hours until celebration time.
– Make an At Home Balloon Drop: use wrapping paper from Christmas to make a “net.” Tape large pieces of the wrapping paper together, and attach a string to the center (fishing line works best, but any string will do). Fill your net with balloons and pull to release the balloons when the clock strikes midnight!
– Create a Family Time Capsule. Use a shoe box, an oatmeal container, a gift bag–anything that will fit everyone’s items. Let each member of the family gather items that marked their year (a sonogram picture from your pregnancy, your kids’ favorite obsessions from the year, a picture or note that the kids drew, a business card or something that marks a milestone from work, etc.) and add them to the box. Save to open up next year or in the future.
– Celebrate in the bathtub with a glow bath before bed. Head to the Dollar Store to stock up on glow sticks. When it’s time to throw the kids in the bath, turn out the lights and crack open the glow sticks for a Party in the Bath!
– Gather up your favorite pictures and let the kids make a 2014 Family Collage.
– We also love these adorable kid-friendly firecrackers or celebratory crackers from Handmade Mood that can easily be made to match your decor for the evening if you are throwing a party for families.
Like all of these ideas? Make it a Countdown Day and have bags labeled with each hour of the day. The kids can countdown the day by opening a new activity each hour throughout New Year’s Eve!
And if you still want to hit the town with or without kids, don’t miss our list of New Year’s Celebrations in San Antonio. Whatever you are doing to celebrate, we wish you a safe and Happy New Year from ACMB!
Fun ideas! Right now, our fridge is stocked with sparkling apple juice.