28
Dec
Celebrating New Years Eve with your children
Being a parent usually means glamorous, crazy New Years Eve nights out are a thing of the past but hopefully a thing of the future too. Why not enjoy the middle ground – your children would be delighted to spend the biggest party night of the year in your company.
You know your children best and know if they will last the distance until midnight, if not then give them naps during the day or bring the clocks forward two hours and have midnight strike at more manageable 10pm. This trick is great for the younger ones and saved me from some grumpy faces in the past.
At the usual bedtime instead of sending the kids to get their pyjamas on, send them to get their party best on for the rest of the evening. If you have it pre-decided and laid our all the better. Most of the girls will adore this idea but if you son is anything like mine he might dig his heals a little so maybe encourage the boys by adding some tinsel/funny hat/goofy glasses to their attire.
- Make your own confetti. Coloured tissue paper left over Christmas wrapping, a scissors and start chopping. The kiddies will love this activity and the more they have the more to celebrate the New Year with.
- Use balloons for the count-down. Filled a balloon for each hour with a little activity to get the party started and label the balloon with the different hours. Then letting the children burst the balloons on the hour and carry out the activity. Activities can include, karaoke, disco dancing, tell jokes, take selfies and gaze at the stars.
- Use picture props for taking pictures. Children love experimenting with selfies and you would be surprised now much mileage they can get out of some paper props and a funny moustache. If you are feeling adventurous set up a selfie background. These are easy to be found and the selection below can be bought on etsy here.
- Serve the children’s favourite drinks in grown up glasses and make they feel as important as the adults. Hot chocolate is a favourite in our house and gives a lovely warm belly when finally heading to bed.
- Redecorate the Christmas tree. It can be as simple as taking the Christmas decorations off, leaving the lights on and adding paper numbers of the New Year. This is the type of job the children can take on themselves and get a great sense of achievement from it.
- Have a new year wishing tree. This is a great way of getting your children to get goals and think about what’s approaching in the New Year. Also its food for the children to see their parents have goals and desires for themselves as well. Keep all the wishes for next New Years Eve and see how many have been achieved.
- Smash a piñata at midnight. What a fun way to end the evening. It can be filled with anything like sweets, confetti, little toys and sparklers. Any of my piñatas can be customised with the New Year on it and this star piñata would be the ideal pinata to add 2016 to.
New Years Eve is a special time of year and I hope some of these ideas will help you and your family to celebrate and make memories to treasure. Have a happy, healthy new year.
Ruth x
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