3...2...1... Happy New Year! Soon enough we’ll all be celebrating yet another year of memories. New Year’s Eve is synonymous with the oh-so-epic countdown to midnight and watching the ball drop in Times Square. However, if you have little ones at home, things might look a little different. Here are a few tips for celebrating New Year’s Eve at home with your kiddos.
- Establish expectations: It’s important to first set expectations for your celebrations. Will your kiddos be allowed to stay up until midnight, or will they have an earlier bedtime? Factors like age play a big role in this decision. Younger children usually need more sleep and therefore go to bed earlier — so a break in their routine may not be wise. However, for older kids who can stay up later, it can be a fun tradition to establish! It’s important to include all of the kiddos in your festivities though so nobody feels left out, even if different bedtimes are being followed.
- Plan festive activities: Whether or not the celebrations last until midnight, fun for the whole family is definitely achievable. New Year’s Eve calls for a countdown! Fill balloons with confetti and pop one every hour on the hour. Make a DIY countdown clock from cardboard or use a digital clock to count down every hour of celebration. Have a virtual countdown on Zoom with friends and family who are celebrating in different locations. Another way to celebrate is by hosting a New Year’s Eve party! Invite your family members or other families with kiddos over for an evening of fun. Play group games, set up a craft station, watch family-friendly movies and eat snacks all night long. Noisemakers and party hats are a must!
- Make resolutions: New Year’s Eve is a wonderful opportunity to teach your little ones about resolutions. A resolution is defined by Oxford Languages as, "a firm decision to do or not to do something." Starting a new year is the perfect time to have these conversations with the whole family. What’s something your kiddo wants to achieve this year? This could range anywhere from making new friends at school to being a kind sibling to learning how to tie their shoes! Encourage them to be creative and come up with resolutions of their very own.
With these tips, celebrating New Year’s Eve with your kids can be a memorable and fun experience for the whole family. Be sure to document your celebrations throughout the years to see how they’ve evolved as your kids continue to grow.