Tips for Surviving New Year’s Eve with Kids

New Year’s Eve is a day loved by children and adults alike. However, it can be difficult to keep kids happy and adults sane when staying up so late. So how do you keep kids from crumbling into a big grumpy mess before the clock strikes 12? Here are some tips for making New Year’s eve with kids fun for the whole family!

Set the Clocks Back

My daughter gets invited to a New Year’s sleepover party every year, and that mom sets the clocks back to midnight somewhere, like . They celebrate midnight at 9 or 10 pm. The kids love being able to celebrate, and she loves knowing that all the kids are in bed and sleeping before our midnight. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Have Activities

One way to keep kids happy is to make sure you have things for them to do. Have a countdown activity. For every hour, have a new craft to do. They could be as simple as coloring pages and as elaborate as painting banners. Keeping kids involved and entertained is one of the best ways to make sure kids don’t get too grumpy.

Take a Late Nap

Depending on the ages of your children, naps may still be on the table. If they are, take full advantage of it! Have it be a little later than it normally would be during the day. That way, they will still have some stamina when it comes time to celebrate! If naps aren’t an option, encourage quiet time. That could be some quiet tv time or time spent reading a book. Even that rest will help older kids make it later into the New Year’s eve evening.

Have Yummy Snacks

Snacks can make everything better! Have a selection of snacks, healthy, salty, sweet, etc. That way every kid can find something that will help to sustain them through the night. My kids will initially go for sweet snacks, but I know that as they get more tired, the more they start to crave snacks high in protein and carbs, like pigs in a blanket, so a selection is the best way to keep kids happy.

Make it Comfy

As adults, we like to get all dressed up to celebrate, but kids do better when they are comfortable. Have kids come to your New Year’s party dressed in their most comfortable and fun jammies! If you are having adults to your house too, have a separate room that is quieter and darker for younger kids to go relax in if they start to get overstimulated. Make sure there are comfortable floor pillows and blankets to keep kids warm and comfortable and play kid movies for them.

Celebrate Midnight in a Big Way

If your kids made it all they way to midnight, make sure to celebrate in a kid friendly way! Have noise makers, do a balloon or confetti drop, or even do some fireworks outside! Kids will love the thrill of celebrating a new year with the grown ups in a very festive way!

Having kids stay up to celebrate New Year’s eve with you is wonderful, but it can also be difficult when the kiddos start to get over tired. With these tips, it will be easy for everyone to have fun!

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