New Year’s Eve gives us the opportunity to ring in the new year with confetti, wear silly hats, and drink fizzy things. And it can also be a fun time celebrate with kids since we all enjoy getting into the spirit of making noisemakers, counting down to midnight, crafting, and reflecting on the year that passed.
I also love the fresh start of a new year that can open us up to setting intentions. If you’re looking for something along those lines, be sure to check out our popular posts: 8 Ideas to Kick-start a Creative New Year and 5 Resolutions for a Creative New Year.
Included in this comprehensive list:
- New Year’s Eve art and science activities
- Counting down to the new year with kids
- New Year’s Scavenger Hunt Ideas
- Kid’s Party Hats for the New Year
- Making New Year’s Noisemakers
- Reflections on Last Year
- Setting New Year Goals with Kids
Art and Science Activities
Set up a Fizzy Science Party, Little Bins for Little Hands
Make up a batch of sparkly, fizzy concoctions with baking soda and vinegar.
Paper Cup Party Popper, Red Ted Art
This is a super quick craft (maybe 5 minutes) that can bring hours of fun
New Year’s Eve Playdough, Homegrown Friends
Make up a batch of glittery play dough. And if you love playdough, check out TinkerLab’s best playdough recipe.
Science for Kids: Fireworks in a Glass, Science Sparks
This is totally safe, very easy and looks just like a firework without the bang and sparkle.
New Year’s Eve Party Masks, Green Owl Art
Make these easy Mardi Gras-style masks with paper, tape, and craft sticks.
DIY Glitter Celebration Wands, Hello Wonderful
Cute celebration glitter wands you can make to ring in the new year with the kids.
Colorful Confetti Popper, Mama Miss
This is not for the glitter-phobes, but it IS a lot of fun.
Countdown to the New Year
New Year’s Eve Bingo, Playdough to Plato
Check these items off the Bingo chart as you see them during the night’s festivities.
New Year’s Eve Countdown Chain, Sugar Aunts
Make a New Year’s resolution, Play charades, have a Dance party. Tear off a chain on the hour for each of the hours leading up to midnight (or “midnight”).
New Year’s Eve Countdown Clock, Buggy and Buddy
Make this craft from a plate and sticky numbers. Decorate at will and then use it to help you countdown the hours until midnight.
New Year’s Scavenger Hunt Ideas
Memory Scavenger Hunt, No Time for flash Cards
This is fun way to take a family trip down memory lane. Create a photo card for each month of the previous year. Hide them around the home. After finding them all, sort them by month and reflect on the memories.
New Year’s Eve Scavenger Hunt, Buggy and Buddy
Similar to the Bingo game (above), how many of these NYE symbols can you find? Free download.
Kids Party Hats for the New Year
New Year’s Eve Party Hats, Tot Schooling
Print out this free printable, and then invite your child to decorate and color on the hat.
New Year’s Party Hat, See Vanessa Craft
These are elegant, and kids can cut the message out and help assemble them.
Watercolor Party Hats, Modern Parents Messy Kids
These would be fun to make with the kids, and oh-my-goodness, check out the cute dog wearing a party hat!
Making New Year’s Noisemakers
New Year’s Eve Party Horn, Pink Stripey Socks
These hilarious party horns are made to look like you’re blowing out of a gigantic mouth. So funny.
New Year’s Eve Noisemakers, Teaching Mama
Make this easy noisemaker from paper plates and confetti.
Wishing Spin Drums, No Time for Flashcards
These cool noisemakers and so unique, and if you use pre-made spin drums, they’re extra easy.
Looking Back: Reflections on the Past Year
New Year’s Family Interview, Teach Mama
Interview each other about favorite memories from the year.
Make a Time Capsule, Red Ted Art
Fill a jar with hand-written memories from the previous year.
New Year’s Tic Tac Toe, Carrots are Orange
This simple game is one that brings reflection, discussion, laughter, and even a bit of learning.
Looking forward: Setting New Year Goals with Kids
8 Ideas to Kick-Start Creativity in the New Year, TinkerLab
These are some of my favorite ways to bring creativity into your life in the new year.
5 Resolutions that fuel creativity, TinkerLab
This is the post that prompted the “8 idea” post (above). I think you’ll love it.
Free New Year’s Resolution Printable, Modern Parents Messy Kids
I love how simple this easy family resolution printable is. It invites you to reflect on the past year and think about the next year.
Resolutions with Kids: Word of the Year, NurtureStore
Combining art with good intentions, you can create Words of the Year.
Make a Wishing Wall, Buggy and Buddy
Dream up wishes for the new year, write them down, and add them to a wall filled with family wishes.
Make a Blessings Box, The Iowa Farmer’s Wife
Each night before bed write down a blessing and place it in the box.
Painting Fortune Cookies, No Time for Flashcards
Use food coloring to decorate a batch of fortune cookies. Open in the new year to find your fortune.
Help your child set goals for the New Year, Inner Child Fun
New Year’s resolutions are not just for the grownups! Kids benefit greatly from setting, working towards and achieving their own New Year’s goals. Big or small!
Make a Wishing Star Bank, Hello Wonderful
Make this bank from cardboard and paint (so adorable) and fill it with wishes for the new year.
More New Year’s Inspiration
8 Ideas to Kick-Start Creativity in the New Year
5 Resolutions for Creative New Year
Follow my New Year’s Eve Board on Pinterest
Thanks for including our activities!
Preschool Franchise Ahmedabad – looking for preschool franchise in Ahmedabad? Time Kids provides the best franchise in Ahmedabad with its strong team members who works persistently to manage franchise. Check it out: http://www.timekidspreschools.in/preschool-franchise-ahmedabad.html
[…] 30+ New Years Activities to do with kids, including countdowns, party hats, noisemakers, scavenger hunts, art projects, goal setting, reflection on the past year, and more. […]