As the clock ticks down to midnight on New Year’s Eve, there is excitement in the air. For parents of preschool and kindergarten-aged kids, the challenge lies in finding festive activities to enjoy before those early bedtimes. In this post, we’ve rounded up 15 delightful and age-appropriate New Year’s Eve family activities at home, as well as some open ended play ideas, to make your celebration memorable for your little ones.
New Year’s Eve crafts & printable activities
NYE Ball Drop Craft for Kids – Countdown to the New Year! – The Soccer Mom Blog
Ring in the New Year with this adorable New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Craft for kids! A fun way to countdown to the new year!
Free New Year Printables for Kids – Simply Full of Delight
Celebrating New Year’s Eve at home with children? Here’s some free New Year Printables for Kids!
Happy New Year Coloring Pages (Free Printable!) – Simply Full of Delight
Here’s 3 Free Printable Happy New Year Coloring Pages. These free printable New Year coloring sheets are perfect for your New Year’s party!
Easy Confetti Popper or Confetti Cannon for New Years – Crafting with Kids
Learn how to make your own DIY confetti popper from a toilet paper roll.
Popsicle Stick Rocket Firework Craft – Little Ladoo
Learn how to create a fun and decorative popsicle stick rocket firework craft for Diwali, New year or other celebrations.
FREE Printable New Year’s Eve Hats for Kids – Blessed Homeschool
These free printable New Year’s Eve hats are a fun craft your kids will love, and will help you ring in the new year with your family.
FREE New Year’s Eve Printables for Kids: Countdown Party! – Blessed Homeschool
Looking for easy prep New Year’s Eve activities for the kids? Grab my New Year’s Eve Printables and make great memories ringing in the new year.
The Best New Year’s Eve Color By Number Sheets – Confessions of Homeschool
I absolutely love New Year’s Eve! But sometimes keeping the kids entertained until mid midnight can be tricky. Thank goodness these New Year’s Eve Color By Number sheets are a great way to keep your entertained as you wait to welcome the new year!
Q-Tip Painted Firework Craft – Little Ladoo
Create stunning firework art with Q-tips! Explore our Q-Tip Painted Firework Craft guide for a colorful and fun DIY project.
New Year’s Eve Bingo for Fun Game with Kids (Free Printable) – Rock Your Homeschool
This New Year’s Eve Bingo Game is an excellent activity to enjoy with kids. Make your celebration extra special as you enjoy interactive fun.
New Years Coloring Pages (Free Printables) – The Best Ideas for Kids
Get 10 Free Printable New Years Coloring Pages for Kids. Choose from Happy New Years lettering, countdown, fireworks and more!
168 Charades Ideas for Kids: Full Illustrations + Free Printables – Katherine Rosman
Helping children understand the basics of charades will take some explaining. But follow our step by step explanations and it will be a breeze.
New Years Eve Scavenger Hunt for Kids (Free Printable) – Mimosas and Motherhood
end kids around the house searching for clues in this fun New Year’s Eve scavenger hunt that requires zero prep!
Fireworks in a Jar – The Best Ideas for Kids
Try this easy and fun fireworks in a jar experiment! Video and step-by-step instructions to make your own fireworks in a jar.
Escape Room Puzzles for New Year’s Eve – Teaching Ideas
A New Year’s Eve escape room is the perfect way to celebrate! This escape room can be set up in minutes without any special materials.
New Year’s Eve open ended play ideas
Dress-Up Parade:
Celebrate the new year with a fancy dress-up parade. Provide them with simple accessories like hats, tiaras, and noisemakers, as well as whatever else you may have for costumes or dress up. Let them march around the house, showcasing their New Year’s Eve attire. Kids love showing off their fun outfits and sparkly accessories.
Countdown Balloon Pop:
Inflate colorful balloons and write the name of different activities on slips of paper, placing one inside each balloon before sealing it. As each hour approaches, pop a balloon to reveal the fun activity for that hour.
Crafting New Year’s Hats:
Engage in a creative crafting session by making personalized New Year’s hats. Provide plain party hats, stickers, markers, and glue, allowing your little ones to decorate their hats as they wish. They can also use these hats for the dress up parade.
Bubble Wrap Stomp:
For a sensory and energy-releasing activity, lay out a sheet of bubble wrap and let your preschoolers and kindergarteners stomp on it to create satisfying pops. It’s loud and joyful fun to close out the the year.
Bedtime Balloon Drop:
If staying up until midnight isn’t in the cards for your young ones, create a mini balloon drop earlier in the evening. Suspend balloons from a doorway using streamers and gently release them, allowing the balloons to descend like confetti. This simple yet magical moment adds a festive touch to an earlier bedtime celebration.
Dance Party Countdown:
Create a lively dance party atmosphere by compiling a playlist of your preschoolers’ favorite dance-worthy tunes. As the countdown to the “midnight” hour begins, crank up the music and let the kids dance their way into the New Year.
Sparkling Juice Toast: Set up a “fancy” beverage station with plastic champagne flutes filled with sparkling juice. As the clock nears midnight (or an earlier designated time), gather for a toast to celebrate the New Year. Kids LOVE toasting. Cheers!
These additional activities add a mix of creativity, reflection, and celebration to your New Year’s Eve family activities at home with preschool and kindergarten-aged kids. Adjust the timing and complexity based on your little ones’ preferences and bedtime routines. Happy celebrating!
More holiday activites for preschoolers / kindergarten
20 at home Christmas activities for kids
Ugly Christmas sweater coloring pages
