With this year quickly coming to a close, it is time to start planning how you will spend New Year’s Eve. There is no better way to welcome 2014 than by celebrating with your kids through crafts, games, and other fun activities. Take away the stress of trying to find a babysitter on the most popular night of the year and avoid expensive restaurant prices by staying at home and using some of these ideas to enjoy the end of the year with the people you love the most.
Ring in the Noon Year
If you have young children who will be unable to stay up until midnight, consider celebrating at noon instead. As PBS Parents suggests, you can recreate all the usual New Year’s traditions such as counting down the seconds and toast the “new year” with sparkling apple cider.
Travel the Time Zones
This is another great suggestion from PBS Parents for families with young children, but it will also be interesting for their older siblings, too. This activity will help your children learn about how time zones work as you celebrate the New Year according to the traditions of the country where it is turning midnight.
Decorate Cupcakes
She Knows recommends making the regular party food even more exciting by letting the kids decorate their own cupcakes. Set up a bar with toppings and watch the kids get to work!
Play the Resolutions Party Game
This New Year’s-themed party game, a suggestion from How Does She, is great for groups of adults and kids. Everyone takes turns to tell two real resolutions and one fake. The other players must guess which resolution is the lie.
Make Homemade Noisemakers
Kids who will be staying up until midnight may like to make their own noisemakers ready for the event. This simple craft activity from The Crafty Crow involves filling recycled bottles with dried beans and letting the kids decorate the noisemakers in any way they please — a perfect way to use up leftover ribbon and scraps of wrapping paper.
Please share your own ideas! Leave a comment below and tell us how you and your family plan to enjoy the end of the year together.
Last, but not least, all of us at Real Kids Shades would like to wish our readers a very happy and healthy 2014!