New Years Activities For The Whole Family

Celebrating New Years Eve with kids is not exactly the wild-and-crazy time you may have had in in holidays past.  But you don't need to pack away your party pants just because you've got little ones around! 

Check out these awesome New Years Eve family activities that will make the evening both fun and meaningful for your kiddos...and you!

 

 Green Your Party - Just about any used container can be turned into a festive New Year's Even noise maker, and decorating them is half the fun!  Family Fun suggests using empty ribbon spools, National Geographic's tutorial uses left-over Christmas wrapping for decoration, and my friend Marie at Make and Takes says paper rolls are the way to go. 

Make A Family Time Capsule - This the tradition that keeps on giving because once you've filled a container with 2010 memories, you'll have something to open and cherish on New Year's Eve 2011!  Time capsules don't have to be fancy - you can use a left-over holiday box or cookie tin (like the one pictured, found at Kaboose).  Decorate the outside with paint or paper and the words "Don't Open Til New Years Eve 2011", then fill it  - photos, mementos, written memories, etc.  Little ones can draw pictures of their favorite 2010 events and school-age kiddos can write themselves a letter to read a year from now!

 

Boogie In The New Year - We're a bunch of dancing fools at our house so I can't wait to put this idea I found at Martha Stewart to good use:  Lay out bubble wrap for each family member, put on your favorite tunes, then jump, wiggle, stomp and jiggle to make your midnight noise!

 

Make A 2011 Wish Jar - Teach your children to reach for the stars, and then help them acheive those goals by decorating Wish Jars for the coming year.  Decorate with pictures of your little one's wish!  Then make a plan to either put aside a bit of each week's allowance or fill it with loose change earned through helping around the house.  Such a great way for kids to learn how their patience and hard work can make almost any wish come true!

OR

Make A 2011 Happy Jar - An awesome idea I found on BringTheFamily.net in which your family takes a little time once a week to jot down something good going on in their lives and sticks it in the jar, so that by the end of the year it is filled to the brim with wonderful things to look back on.  And hmmmmm - maybe you then paste them in a scrapbook to save and look back on?  Maybe with a photo you took from each week?  Oooooo - I feel a year-long project coming on!