New Year’s Eve is one of those events where the anticipation of it is just as fun as the actual occasion. Counting down to midnight helps to build the hype. As a parent, you want your child to experience all this pageantry but may struggle to find age-appropriate activities for the holiday.
Never fear: We have assembled 10 unique ways to count down to the new year with tiny humans. There are fun crafts, balloons, and even a bedtime-friendly option. With these new traditions, New Year’s Eve might just become your family’s favorite holiday.
New Year's Balloon Countdown
When you break a balloon down to its core parts, it’s just rubber and air, but putting them together makes magic. Take this to the next level and give it a New Year’s Eve spin. Start by writing down fun activities on a small piece of paper. Slip each into a balloon before you blow it up. Use a Sharpie to label the balloon with a time to pop it. After that happens, have a blast doing whatever the paper dictates. We thank Life With More Babies for this banging good countdown idea.
Early New Year
Sleep is so important, even on holidays. If bedtimes are a concern, don’t feel pressured to have your kids stay up late. There are so many different time zones that it’s almost always midnight somewhere. In the United States, West Coast moms can celebrate East Coast New Year’s countdown instead. East Coast moms can look to Europe for their festivities. Worst case scenario, clocks can be changed to accommodate everyone’s party and beauty rest needs.
More from CafeMom: 8 Ways To Have a Romantic & Inexpensive New Year’s Eve
Wearable Countdown Clock
The passage of time can be so subjective. It can fly by or drag, depending on the vibes. Give your kids a tangible way to count down the minutes with this wearable craft from Hattifant. The watch can be decorated ahead of time and colored as the night goes on. Midnight will be there in a blink of an eye with this interactive craft.
Make Resolutions
Moms can turn almost any occasion into a teachable moment. This even applies to New Year’s Eve countdowns. While you wait for the big event, have a conversation about resolutions. What goals do your kids want to accomplish next year? How can they be better, more empathetic citizens of the world? Introduce the idea and let your child take the lead. You might be surprised at their deep insights.
Dance Party
Sometimes you just can’t contain the joy of the moment and you have to dance it out. Words may fail, but shimmies and box steps prevail. On the flip side, if your home New Year’s Eve celebration is lagging and could use some energy, turn on some jams and make the living room a dance floor. Laughs, giggles, and smiles are almost guaranteed. Teens may roll their eyes, but they will secretly love it too. You can even make it a tradition to get down at the top of every hour to count down the time until midnight.
2025 Countdown Clock Craft
Time can be an intangible concept for kids, who often live in the now and want instant gratification. Red Ted Art has a way to make the concept tactile with a cool New Year’s craft. This free printable will help your family count down the minutes to the new year. Bust out your best crayons, colored pencils, and markers and get creating.
Bingo
Games encourage play and healthy competition and teach cooperation. Plus, it’s fun to win bragging rights and prizes. Included in Little Bins Little Hands’ free New Year’s activity set is a printable bingo card. Be the first to get a whole row to be the champion of the night.
Make Party Hats
Even if you opt to stay in, you can still get fancy. Dress up to the nines. An equally valid life choice is donning pajamas. Wherever your family’s fashion decision lands, hats are a must. Make your own with this tutorial from Super Simple. It’s all about the accessories.
Scavenger Hunt
Every night needs a good mystery to solve. New Year’s Eve is no different. Create a scavenger hunt for your family. Each clue builds on the other, leading to the big finale countdown. If you are struggling to come up with ideas, Play Party Plan has done all the work for you with its free printable offering.
Highlight List
Much of New Year’s Eve celebrations involve looking forward to what’s to come in the future. It is equally important to look back and celebrate your accomplishments. As a family, make a list of all the good things that happened. They can be small wins, such as making the bed, or silly, like besting the family pet in a staring contest. There is no right or wrong here – just gold stars leading up to the big countdown.
