If you’re looking to make some extra cash on New Year’s Eve while the parents can go out to celebrate, you might want to up your game in the activities you plan for the celebratory evening with the kids. So what can you do? Here’s a list of ideas to get you started.
Balloon Countdown
Count down the hours until midnight with balloons that get popped each hour. For extra fun, write an activity everyone will do a piece of paper and roll it up and tuck it in the balloon before filling. Some ideas could be:
- Write down or say out loud things you did this year. See how many you can name in 60 seconds!
- For the next hour, everyone gets new names. If you don’t call someone by their new name, you have to do 10 jumping jacks.
- Elf on the Shelf Charades: Use your mischievous elf as the prop to act out a game of charades.
- Write down a riddle or series of riddles in a scavenger hunt for the kids to solve and find a secret stash of treats.
Year in Review
Work on a craft project together all evening so that they can look back on all of the different and fun moments everyone had this past year. Some craft ideas include:
- Make a scrapbook with real(!) pictures. Be sure to coordinate with the parents ahead of time to get ones printed just for this project.
- Create a calendar for the new year by assigning each child to create the picture that goes with each month. Have them create a picture of something they did the previous year in that month.
Kids Mixology
Adults typically love to celebrate the new year with a flute of bubbly champagne. For a kid-friendly version, you can set up a “mixology” station for the kids to craft their own type of drink. Ingredients to have:
- Bubbly: sparkling grape juice, sparkling water, soda, etc.
- Juice
- Cut fruit and toothpicks to make garnishes
- Plastic cocktail or champagne glasses
- Cute straws
Make Resolution Journals
Take some time to talk about everyone’s favorite (and not-so-favorite) memories from the past year. Then discuss what each person can do in the new year to make it better than ever. While you’re having this conversation, everyone can decorate their own journal covers. You can then help them to write their new resolutions for the upcoming year on the first page. Some supplies to have ready:
- Plain journals
- Stickers
- Patterned paper
- Mod podge glue
- Markers, pens
- Magazines & scissors
Two Words: Cupcake Fondue
Adults know and love the romantic setting of dipping food into melted cheese or chocolate for a delicious evening. Well, there’s a kid-friendly version that’s loads of fun. Bake a bunch of mini cupcakes and have frosting and toppings in larger muffin tins and small bowls. Use forks or skewers to dip your cupcake into the toppings and enjoy! Here are more ideas for your cupcake fondue.
Whatever you end up deciding to do, make sure you design the evening around the kids involved. Be sure to find out from the family what they do or don’t enjoy doing and design your activities to be age-appropriate. You can also coordinate with the family about what supplies they already have and what you’d have to source ahead of time. Happy party planning!
