Our Tips for Celebrating the New Year with Little Ones
Highlights of our tips for celebrating the New Year with babies and toddlers.
- Ring it in early on Greenwich Mean Time.
- Make a family resolution or intention.
- See cheers with milk & cookies or sparkling juice.
- Make homemade noisemakers or confetti poppers.
- Host a friends and family game night.
- Plan an outdoor adventure on New Years Eve
- Give back to your community.
Whether you typically ring in the New Year popping champagne in a ballroom or on the couch in your PJs, your celebrations have likely changed dramatically since having kids.
We're here to say that ringing in the New Year with your little ones can be fun, is a great way to start off a year, and will undoubtedly create memories that last a lifetime.
Here are our ideas for celebrating the New Year with kids!
Ring in the New Year on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
This is London time, or 7 PM eastern. Stream the big celebration in London's Trafalgar Square and then put your kids to bed at their usual time. Win-win! You and your kids will then have lots of energy for a family adventure on New Year's Day.
Make countdown goodie bags to open each hour.
Fill the bags with a treat, a small toy, or a simple craft kit to keep the kids occupied until the countdown starts.
Make a family New Year's resolution.
Gather everyone for a New Year's Eve meal and chat about goal setting. Ask your kids what they would like to happen in the upcoming year. Ask them if they would like to do differently as a family? Are there places they'd like to visit or new activities they'd like to try?
Make homemade party hats and noisemakers.
What kid doesn't want to make some noise? All you need to make this simple noisemaker is two small paper plates, colored crepe paper, a popsicle stick, dry pasta or rice, paint, decorations, and a glue gun.
Here is a YouTube video showing you how to make a noisemaker.
Say cheers to the new year.
Pour apple juice, sparkling cider, or fancy mocktails into plastic champagne glasses and toast the New Year. Your kids will feel grown up!
Make a family time capsule from 2021.
Gather photos and small memorabilia from 2021 and tuck them away in a time capsule. Use a shoebox the kids can decorate. Wait five or ten years and open it again on New Year's Eve.
Watch a Netflix countdown.
Netflix's New Year's countdowns from your kids' favorite shows are available at any time in the evening, so you can do your countdown and still get the kids to bed on time.
Make toilet paper tube confetti poppers.
Gather your supplies and spend a little time earlier in the day making confetti poppers. Here is a list of 13 confetti poppers you can make at home with your kids.
Make a year in review slideshow and watch it together.
Compile your favorite family photos and videos from the year into a video or slideshow, and watch it together.
Host a family game night.
Invite friends and neighbors to join you for an evening of family-friendly fun. Set up a variety of kid-friendly board games at tables throughout your home and let the competition begin.
Don't forget to include prizes for the winners!
Create a New Year's Eve photo booth.
Set aside a spot in your home and set up a fun photo backdrop. Add props like funny hats, glasses, and other New Year-related swag. You can make your own or order one online. Designate someone in your family as the photographer.
Host a milk and cookies toast.
Buy or make plain sugar cookies and set up a decorating station with icing, sprinkles, and candies. Dip the rims of plastic champagne glasses in melted chocolate and then sprinkles. Then invite everyone to decorate their own cookies while you wait for the countdown.
Then at midnight, or whenever you decide to start your countdown, pour milk into the glasses and toast to the new year.
Set up a hot chocolate bar.
Keep warm on a chilly New Year's Eve with a cup of hot cocoa.
Set up a topping station with marshmallows, nuts, mini candy canes, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, fruit, cookie crumbles, and whipped cream.
Let your little ones create their own cocoa with their favorite toppings.
Start your new year off on the right foot.
On New Year's Day, get out and enjoy the great outdoors with a family adventure.
Take a family bike ride around the neighborhood or head to a local park for a hike.
If you live near a state park, take advantage of the First Day Hike program with a free guided hike at one of America's State Parks. https://americanhiking.org/first-day-hikes/
Give back to your community.
Discuss the importance of community service with your kids and find a small service project you can do as a family in the new year.
Go on a ‘neighborhood clean up’, drop off food to a local food pantry, or purchase toys to donate to a local shelter.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, New Year's Eve can still be plenty of fun. We think it is even more fun with your kids!
Whatever you do, you'll be making memories you and your children will treasure for a lifetime.
Cheers to the New Year. May you fill it with joy, adventure, and wholesome snacks.
From our families to yours,
Joana + Lauren
Read More: Baby Led Weaning Tips for Holiday Meals