Ring in the new year with a bang. Celebrate the ending of one year and the fresh start of a new year with your family. Our New Year’s Eve celebrations may look way different now than they did before kids. But not in a bad way. We are in a season of young children and you can still have a fun and festive celebration with your family. Last year we started a fun tradition of hourly countdown bags.
So how does it all work? Each hour, leading up to midnight, the kids open up the corresponding countdown bag. Inside each bag will be all the details on that hour’s fun activity. The kids will be excited and sure to love it.
Choose Your Times
To start, determine how many bags and activities you will need. Decide if you want to keep a normal bedtime and start sooner in the afternoon or push for the midnight ball drop. The last bag can be 11:55 or just before the last hour you choose. Feel free to change up the times to fit your needs. We don’t want any meltdowns by pushing our limits, right? That’s no fun. Below is a list of activities to create your own countdown bags. The possibilities are endless.
Pick Hourly Activities
- Glow Sticks
- Photo Props for Photo Booth
- Craft time
- Confetti Slime
- Glittery Play-Doh
- Puzzle
- Model Set
- Board Game
- New Movie
- scavenger hunt
- Silly String
- Glow Balloons
- Disposable Cameras
- Bubbles
- Sticker or Coloring Books
- Science Experiment
- New Year’s Eve Party Supplies
- Decorate Christmas Tree with streamers and candy and small treat filled balloons
- Party Poppers
- Build a Blanket Fort
- DIY Noisemakers
- Sparkling Champagne Toast in Flute Glasses
- Make a Festive Party Snack
- NYE Bingo Game
- Make Candy Filled Noise Makers
- Karaoke Session
- Bubble Wrap Stomp
- Minute to Win It Games
- New Year Goals/ Resolutions
- Create a Wishing Wall/Tree of Hopes and Dreams
- Make Marshmallow Shooter and Have a Marshmallow Fight
- Year End Interviews
- Play Dress Up
- Have a Dance Party
- Create a Time Capsule
- Festive Dinner
- Hot Chocolate Bar
- DIY Balloon Drop
- Sparklers
- Conversation Starter Cards
- Fireplace S’mores
- Bubble Wrap Surprise Ball
- Card Game
- Small White Elephant Gift Exchange
- Paint or Draw a Favorite Memory From the Year (include supplies like paint and small canvas)
- Decorate Your Own Cupcake with Supplies
- Build a Snowman Kit with White Play-Doh
- Bargain Bin Toy Lot
- Decorate a Party Hat
- Chocolate Fondue
Make Countdown Bags
Next gather all your supplies and start preparing your countdown bags. You can use paper bags found at most party stores. Then determine how you want to decorate the outside of the bag with digital time or a clock face or both. Here is a link to a free printable clock face. You can also grab number stickers from a craft store.
Add Disney Magic
Since we are a little Disney crazy over here, last year we decorated our bags with a Mickey themed clock. We started at 6:00 pm and ended just before midnight. Well those that made it still awake anyway. The boys loved the Disney themed countdown. I went overboard with Disney decorations last year from our Disney Cruise trip and Mickey North Pole Breakfast to the Disney themed Christmas tree. Check out my Pinterest board for the Disney free printables. We celebrated hourly by building model cars, conducting science experiments, watching a new movie, playing with glow sticks and party props, writing new year’s wishes, and having a milk and cookie toast. It really helped pass the time and I loved the slower pace.
Once everything is prepped and ready to hang, then pick the right spot to display it for the night. A fireplace mantle is a great idea or even a staircase. Simply string your bags up and let the fun begin.
How do you celebrate New Years Eve with your family? I would love to hear what you do too. Happy New Year!
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