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New Year Eve Party Ideas for Kids 2024

New Year Eve Party Ideas for Kids 2024

Oh, we know what it’s like. By the moment when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, you run out of celebration ideas, all Christmas gift ideas for kids are left in the past, while your creativity limits reach critically low levels.

Chin up, fellas!

Hosting an exciting kid-friendly event is doable with a bit of effort, time, creativity, and the tips given below. Even if you’re sure busy toddlers will tire out early, it’s still a good idea to celebrate this holiday as a family to get motivated for the year to come. So, roll those sleeves up, and let’s get this party started!

What Time Should We Start a New Year's Eve Party with Kids

If you’re pondering over the New Year Eve party ideas for kids, and the ideal start time raises doubts, consider the age of littles and their typical bedtime. Here are the potential options:

  • 👶 6-9 p.m. (early evening). With younger children that go to bed early, start a kids New Year’s Eve party earlier. Thus, the happy tots will celebrate the countdown and go to sleep on time.
  • 👦 8-12 p.m. (late evening). NYE with kids that are a bit older means enjoying the countdown magic to the fullest.
  • 👩 11.30-12.30 p.m. (midnight fun). Parents with slightly older children can plan celebrations closer to 11.30.

As you plan your New Year’s Eve 2024, consider babies and toddlers being sensitive to the loud noises of fireworks and other festivities.

 

What Time Should We Start a New Year's Eve Party with Kids

 

How Long Should a New Year's Eve Party Be with Kids

Again, the perfect timeframe for the NYE party with munchkins does not exist. Knowing their bedtime, ages, expectations, and planned New Year’s activities for kids, you have to pick out the most suitable time interval. 2-3 hours will do for younger bambini, while a bit older peers will definitely enjoy a 3-4-hour event. Finally, for older children who will stay with you until midnight, 1-2 hours will be a hit.
 
How long Should a New Year's Eve Party Be with Kids

 

5 Best New Year's Activities for Kids

Ready to initiate some fun NYE traditions? Basically, it is just like any other celebration. Just like you were on the hunt for toddler Christmas gifts 🎄 and decorating your home the month before, it’s about laughter, getting together, love, and a festive mood with only one difference – it marks the end of the holiday season that, in turn, precedes new beginnings. Whether you're keeping it small or throwing a larger-than-life party, it’s a great chance to start a yearly tradition or two. With top essentials like a table bursting with treats, staying up late, fun New Year’s Eve activities for kids, countdowns, and kissing at midnight, your next NYE with kids will be a blast.

 

#1 Add a Touch of Glam by Interviewing the Kids

Those parents, who don’t know how to arrange a kids New Years Eve party, get your cameras on! Let toddlers in your house feel like red-carpet stars by interviewing them in front of the Christmas tree. This activity will not only help you hold the glitz of the moment, but it will also give children something glamorous to do while they enjoy the bash. Plus, it’s a fun way of helping them become more social and even closer to you. Make sure you prepare a special list of questions and New Year Eve party ideas for kids in advance! Here are some of our inspiring (and silly!) ideas to get you started:

  • What do you want to be when you grow up
  • What is the funniest noise you can make
  • What is your biggest dream
  • Is there a movie/cartoon/comic book that you’d like to be like
  • What makes you happy
  • What makes you feel loved
There are dozens of questions to get little stars talking on a family friendly New Years Eve; choose what works for you to have a real treasure trove of sweet and fun memories. Both kids and those young at heart love looking back and revisiting memories, and that’s a fact.
 
family friendly new years eve

 

#2 Get a Memory Jar!

Officially, one of the sweetest New Year ideas for family on what to do with toddlers on New Year’s Eve. Bring your family together to record your wishes, hopes, and dreams. Take a look back to the outgoing year, and recall all those special moments to preserve them in a memory jar. Feel free to turn on your creativity to decorate your jar with kids in advance. You will thank yourself for your effort when reading through memories that last a lifetime.
 
new years activities for kids

 

#3 Fantasize about Your Next Big Journey

They say a dream about traveling is a good thing mainly because it suggests that sooner or later some movement will take place in your life. One of the most unifying New Year ideas for family is making and managing plans together. Plan a solo or group trip. Mind travel to the closest cities or a very distant location. Together with children, find the North Pole on an Enjoy The Wood map and ponder whether polar bears would be welcoming and friendly to having unexpected visitors. Seriously, enjoy this special moment to plan your summer vacation to warm and sunny Ibiza. The best thing here is that the youngest guests involved in the process magically take away the stress of planning! Finally, a nursery world map is a win-win gift for tots on literally any occasion.

new years eve activities for kids

#4 Home Treasure Hunt

Looking for some New Year ideas for family to have rest while kiddies are on the hunt for festive treasures? Armed with a marker and a whiteboard (oh, and some items you wish to hide, of course!), you will have to write down all the hidden objects on the whiteboard. Hide those gifts all over the house well in advance. Now, tell little hunters to set off on an exciting journey to find the hidden items and be the winner.

family friendly new years eve 2024

#5 Get a Photo Booth

A photo booth is absolutely one of the time-tested family New Year’s Eve ideas that we never get tired of. Set up a tripod, add your camera, and adorn the construction with all the festive tinsel you’ve got at home. If possible, get one of the older kids or an adult as a phone photographer to encourage guests to pose. Many years later, you will thank yourself for this family friendly New Year’s Eve when looking back at those precious keepsakes made in a photo booth.

new year ideas for family

 

Top 5 New Year's Eve Games for Kids

Saying goodbye to the outgoing year is usually associated with festive dishes leaving you with a gazillion of calories. After all, who cares if the piece of cake is of moderate size or not on a night like this? Still, if holiday weight gain bothers you, ensure to incorporate New Year’s Eve games for kids into your party checklist. Doing some type of physical activity like dancing, games, or making and breaking a snowman will not only get your mind off food but will keep the youngest guests entertained. Games are popular options.

#1 Charades

A hilarious game for those who spend NYE with kids at home! The rules are pretty clear to all ages: one player is required to ‘act out’ (no speaking!) a word or a phrase while the rest of the gang tries to guess it. The more a word is grotesquely illogical, the funnier the acting will be!

 

new year ideas for families

#2 Hot and Cold

Get your toddler to close their eyes tightly to play one of the most popular New Years Eve games for kids while you hide a particular object somewhere in the room. The game gets the crowd going as your tot tries to find a hidden object, saying ‘hot’ when the little explorer is close to it. At the same time, ‘cold’ means the child is on the wrong track. The game is a 2-in-1 entertainment! Not only will you all have fun, but you will also help your kids learn the concept of opposites and refine their listening skills. If at some point, you lack ideas of what items to hide, stacking toys for toddlers will save the day.

    new year ideas for families

    #3 Snowball Fights at Home

    How about spending the family friendly New Years Eve 2024 in a little fight? Well, why not? An indoor snowball fight is one of the most exciting New Year ideas for families to keep children entertained and adults active until the ball drops. Your task here is to get a pack of fluffy and soft snowballs (just a couple of clicks on the web!), divide the gang into two opposing camps, and let the fun begin! No cold wind blowing in your face and red nose – you are going to enjoy the traditional battle of all times until late at night.

      how to celebrate new years eve with kids

      #4 Musical Chairs Game

      Continuing our list of New Years Eve games for kids that make both children and their parents move, let us turn your attention to the other classy party fun. Dressed in toddler New Years pajamas or festive outfits, kiddies (well, you too, of course!) move around the chairs placed in the middle of the room. Turn on some most wonderful tunes of the year and get your phone camera ready! When the music suddenly goes off, everyone must sit in a chair. See how everyone in the messy crowd tries to tickle the opponent, making them get up!

          family new year's eve 2024

          #5 Bubble Jump

          How about some New Year’s Eve activities for kids that involve New Year's Eve appetizers kid-friendly and (just a bit of!) junk? Bubble Jump is an excellent option for children who like to jump and catch stuff. Make sure to hang down various snacks from the ceiling and ask the little participants to fold their hands to their backs in order to jump and catch the item they like the most. Tell them they should use only their mouths to catch the yummies. Don’t forget to declare the winner and say how proud you all are of one!

              new years eve games for kids

              We all know what December 31 is about. Santa’s about to leave the town and a dull routine will be back into place sooner than we know. However, not all is lost! You still have a chance to have a fabulous bash and make a countdown celebration special for the little ones. With store-bought and homemade meals, garland, and gifts that materialize from thin air in kids’ eyes, and the loved ones at the festive table, you can start New Year's Eve traditions with toddlers and draw a line under the most wonderful time of the year. The holiday season isn’t over just yet, so there’s time to kick off the upcoming year!

               

               

               

              5 comments

              • I really liked the idea of interviewing by the Christmas tree. It will be fascinating to listen to the responses from the little ones in a few years.

                - Eugene
              • Musical chairs game is both fun and fosters creative thinking in children.

                - Alexander
              • The memory jar is a unique way to capture memories and create a lasting impression!

                - marina
              • ChildUniverse, you’ve given us a New Year’s game plan that’s beyond amazing! We can’t wait to put these ideas into action.

                - Barbara ♥️
              • A massive thank you to ChildUniverse for the family-friendly New Year’s Eve ideas! This year, it’s not just about the clock striking midnight; it’s about building memories and creating traditions with our kids. The excitement in our house is palpable! 🥳

                - Linda

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