Fun ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve with the kids
Good planning is everything - especially with kids.
New Year’s Eve can be one of the most enjoyable holidays of the year. That said, parents with young children should take a few things into consideration to make sure that everyone has a good time.
The younger your children, the better prepared you should be. This is true no matter where the event takes place, be it at your own home, at a restaurant or at a friend’s. That said, if you are the parent of small children, it’s certainly much more convenient to celebrate New Year’s Eve in your own home, so that the children can go to bed when they’re tired.
Here, we’ve put together a few tips on how to throw a great New Year’s Eve party when you have young children.
A guest list that makes everyone happy
For any party, a guest list is a good place to start. When it comes to who is invited, everyone’s voice should be heard, even though at the end of the day, the parents probably have the last say. When celebrating with children, however, parents should think about inviting a family with children of a similar age. That way, the kids can play amongst themselves and the parents can have some adult time.
The right dinner choice
A meal that is fun to eat is always a great choice for the kids. Fondue or raclette are especially good picks, as they allow children to prepare the meal exactly as they like it. This alone ensures that everyone will have a good time.
You might also want to have a midnight snack prepared, in case the children don’t fall asleep and get hungry again.
Plan for a midday nap
Children need their sleep! New Year’s is no exception. It’s been shown that children who take a midday nap experience New Year’s Eve completely differently and can even fall asleep more easily at night. Even if the excitement of the holidays is too much or the noise outside too loud, your child has gotten some rest earlier in the day and can still cuddle up in bed, once the fun is over. It’s much harder to calm cranky and moody children down if they’re tired on top of that.
Start preparing your children for their nap in the morning. This is really important! Kids who want to celebrate New Year’s Eve with the adults need their midday nap.
Give the kids a chance to sleep during the party
Parents should be sure that a special place is reserved for kids who can’t stay up the whole night. Here, it’s important to “read” the child correctly! Does he just need some attention, is she hungry or has he just gotten a bit tired? If the last is the case, then send the child to bed for a bit. Of course, the child’s own bed is the best option, if you’re celebrating in your own home.
Prepare games and activities
Parents shouldn’t assume that the kids will follow the same program as the adults, which is why it’s important to have thought of some games or activities for the kids beforehand. Keep these ready for whenever the kids feel like doing their own thing.
Children get tired when the evening lasts longer than they’re used to. This is why it’s a good idea to have some child-friendly games ready that help them stay awake and keep them in a good mood. There are plenty of games which are fun for both children and adults, such as board or card games for younger children and strategy and role-playing games for teenagers, etc.
Ideally, the guests will split off into several different groups, allowing each individual group to choose an age-appropriate activity.
A firework display for the kids!
A little firework display is a nice gesture, to make sure that the evening is memorable for the little ones who won’t make it till midnight. Fireworks are often the biggest attraction on New Year’s Eve and children often torture themselves to stay awake in order to see them. A small display which takes place a bit earlier will be the highlight of the evening, after which your children will go to sleep in a good happy and contented, and not feeling like they’ve missed out.
Conclusion
As you can see, with good preparation and well-thought-out activities, New Year’s Evening can be a huge success and fun for the whole family.
It’s important to put yourself in the shoes of your child and not plan everything from the point of view of an adult.