Whether you’re “stuck” with the kids, or making a conscious choice to stay at home and off the streets this new year’s eve, the long wait for midnight to roll around can make for a pretty anti-climactic drop of the ball when the kids’ excitement turned to tired crankiness hours earlier.
Today we’re going to share 10 activities that can cure the boredom kids can feel while waiting for the clock to strike midnight.
One good option, especially for younger kids, is to push the time ahead and make your midnight happen at 7:00 or 8:00. The kids won’t even notice, the celebration may be more fun for everyone involved, and it will give you a chance to also celebrate in a more adult way, if you’re so inclined, when the clock really does strike 12.
Whatever time you choose to celebrate, you’ll find a good idea or two here to keep the whole family filled with the new year spirit.
1. Sparkling Cider and Ice Cream Bar
Kids love to mimic adults, and using sparkling cider in fancy glasses (which of course can be plastic) is a great way to let the kids in on the traditional champagne celebration adults partake in.
Have different flavors on hand for them to sample, and make sure to use “special” glasses.
Pair their drinks with an ice cream bar that they construct, and you can skip making dinner if you choose.
Let the kids pick out toppings, sprinkles, candies, and of course whipped cream, and keep the bar open for as long as you want.
Use small cups and allow the kids to have a little bit of ice cream each time so they can make several trips to the bar, taking advantage of different toppings with each trip.
2. Confetti Balloon Drop or Piñata
Kids of all ages love balloons, which means you won’t have to talk anyone into helping you with this project.
Make your own ball drop by filling balloons with confetti and letting the kids pop them at midnight.
You can also help them construct a piñata that resembles a ball and let them strike it at midnight.
3. Family Vision Board
What better time to solidify your goals for 2019 than new year’s eve?
Buy a large poster board from the dollar store, gather up some old magazines, have the computer nearby to find picture online, and make sure you have a set of markers on hand for drawing pictures and words.
Let each person contribute ideas to the vision board, focusing on things you want to be/have/do as a family in 2019.
You can glue the pictures on, and also draw pictures and words, there are no rules.
Give the kids the option of creating their own individual vision boards at the same time if they want.
4. Time Capsule
Create a time capsule to open next new year’s eve, or when the kids go off to college, or any time that holds some significance for your family.
Each person gets to choose what they want to put in the time capsule. It can be a favorite item, something they want to save or remember, a prediction for the future.
The only rule is there’s no judging what others include.
5. Staycation
Renting a hotel room in town for the night can be a fun change of pace for the kids and a little break for mom, who can escape the dirty dishes and unfolded laundry for a night.
Many hotels have some kind of small dinner or appetizer bar you can snack on in the evening, and of course you’ll want to choose one with a nice hot breakfast you can enjoy before checking out and heading home on January 1.
You can take advantage of the indoor pool during the early evening hours, and then head to the room with snacks and chill out in the bed while watching your preferred new year’s eve programing.
6. All Day Countdown
This is a good one to cure the boredom kids can feel while waiting for the big moment.
Make up six bags (or the number of your choice) and let the kids open one bag each hour from 7:00 till midnight.
The bags of course can contain anything you want from small gifts and food treats, to things to do that you've gathered around the house such as books to read or card games to play.
The time will pass surprisingly quickly when you only have to wait an hour for something exciting to happen rather than six hours!
This is a good one to cure the boredom kids can feel while waiting for the big moment.
Make up six bags (or the number of your choice) and let the kids open one bag each hour from 7:00 till midnight.
The bags of course can contain anything you want from small gifts and food treats, to things to do that you've gathered around the house such as books to read or card games to play.
The time will pass surprisingly quickly when you only have to wait an hour for something exciting to happen rather than six hours!
7. Scavenger Hunt
Choose a holiday theme or hide little treats around the house and give the kids a card containing a picture of each item on it for the most fun.
If that’s more time than you have, you can of course just give them a list and have them check each item off as they find it, or take a picture of each item if they’re old enough.
Offer a prize for each child once she completes the hunt. If you’re using treats, once she provides proof she's completed the hunt, she can indulge in the treats.
8. Wishing Wall
At Times Square in New York there’s a Wishing Wall where you can pin your wish and have it released with the confetti that floats down on all the revelers gathered there at midnight on new year’s eve.
You can develop your own Wishing Wall by simply dedicating a space in your house and having sticky notes available for everyone to write their wishes throughout the day and place them on the wall.
At midnight you can gather them up and do what you want with them. Maybe put them in your time capsule for next year, incorporate some into your vision board, or throw them in the fire as a way of releasing them into the universe and seeking their fulfillment.
9. Conversation Starters
Use index cards to make a deck of conversation starters that will get the family talking about what they loved/hated about this year and what they want more/less of next year.
There are no rules about what should be on the cards, but some suggestions are:
What was your favorite memory of this year?
State your biggest accomplishment of 2018.
Tell a story about something funny that happened to you.
What’s one new habit you’d like to have next year?
What’s your favorite TV show and why?
Think of things that would be fun and interesting for your family to talk about.
Each person can draw a card and others can chime in with their answers too when they feel like it.
This can be done as an organized activity, or just randomly in lulls throughout the day and evening.
10. Marshmallow Shooters
Here’s a fun one that will keep the kids (and you!) entertained as you make the shooters and play with them throughout the evening.
What You’ll Need
- small solo cups (Dollar Store), cake pop containers (Michael’s) or toilet paper rolls
- balloons
- rubber bands, glue, or duct tape
- mini marshmallows
Directions
- If you’re using cups, cut the bottom off. With the cake pop holders, the small hole in the bottom of the tube should be big enough.
- Tie a knot in the end of the balloons and then cut the large part of the balloon off, leaving about 3-4 inches of balloon to create the shooter.
- Stretch the balloon over the cup and use a rubber band, glue, or duct tape to secure the balloon to the end of the cup.
- Add a mini marshmallow or two and pull the knotted end of the balloon back and let ‘em fly. (Kids will want to pack their shooters with marshmallows, but they’ll go farther if they just shoot a few at a time.)
Happy New Year From Kids Party Characters
Hopefully we’ve given you a few good ideas on how to make your family’s new year festivities even more fun without creating a lot of extra work for you.
From owner Cheryl Jacobs and all the team here at Kids Party Characters, we want to wish you a happy and healthy 2019, and thank you for being a Kids Party Characters’ supporter and friend.
There are still a few days left to take advantage of our special “thank you for your loyalty” offer and receive either 15% off your next party, or an upgrade to the next level party package.
Simply put down a deposit by December 31st, and when it comes time to book your party, you’ll receive your discount or upgrade. So, whether the party’s in January or June, you can lock in your special discount by putting your deposit down today.
Head over to KidsPartyCharacters.com to get your deposit in and make sure to mention this special offer to reserve your discount.
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