10 Fantastic Kids New Year's Activities [Free & Fun] • Mindfulmazing.com

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Inside: These ideas for kids New Year’s activities will keep everyone smiling (and awake!) Includes a free set of adorable printable New Year’s Placemats to help ring in the New Year right!

Are you looking for some fun and entertaining New Year’s Eve Ideas for Kids (besides watching the ball drop)?

You don’t have to go to an extravagant party to make New Year’s special. I love spending New Year’s at home (warm and cozy and if you have younger children – so necessary!)

If you are like me and plan on spending New Year’s Eve at home (whether dressed up or in your pajamas), we have some fun kids New Year’s Eve activity ideas to help you entertain the kids.

Oh, and this post includes free printables! Snag this FREE New Year’s Eve Placemat Bundle to make the festivities even better! (You can download it at the end of this post.)

Let’s get to all the fun kids New Year’s Eve Activities for our favorite holiday now!

Kids New Year’s Activities

1. New Year’s Activity Mat

Put the party hats on, the kids are staying up a little bit later, and you might be looking for some quiet (but fun) activities.

Put these fun craft activity mats before the kids, break out the party food, and let the fun begin. (These printables come free in our New Year’s Activity Bundle, which you can score at the end of this post).

This activity placemat includes:

Tic tac toe
Maze
Word Scramble
Coloring
Word search
Color connect game

2. Time Capsule (Favorite kids New Year’s activity!)

There is no better time to create a Time Capsule than New Year’s Eve. This is a family-friendly event!

Time capsules should reflect a special time and a little bit of the time period they are coming from (and reflect a little of your personality).

Examples of items you could put in your time capsule include:

Magazine clippings
A list of your accomplishments throughout the year
A list of your goals for the upcoming year
Most wonderful memory from this holiday season
Pictures of you or your friends or family
Small toys
Any crafts you made
List your favorite things: Movies, games, songs, etc.

Use this free Time Capsule printable to add to your time capsule. (Snag at the end of this post!)

Your time capsule doesn’t need to be fancy. An old shoe box or cereal box is a great idea. You could decorate it with glitter and coloring.

I like to make the New Year’s time capsule for one year out, so you can open it next year at your New Year’s party and then create your new one. It can become a sweet family New Year’s tradition.

This bundle includes easy activities and is perfect for parties, the classroom, or any holiday event with kids!

3. New Years Eve Celebrations – The Countdown

Now, if you are like me and have young children and do your countdown early (because keeping the kids up until midnight spells d.i.s.a.s.t.e.r), you can use this fun coloring page to motivate the kids for the early countdown.

4. New Years Coloring Pages

If your kids love good old-fashioned coloring, this could be a great whole family activity to come together.

Happy New Year!

This free New Year’s bundle includes two coloring pages – one is to decorate the party items (you can really get creative here), and the other page is a traditional coloring page.

I love to hang up the pictures for the New Year’s countdown (for added festivity).

5. New Year’s Memory Game

How about this fun idea? Cut out the New Year’s symbols on this free printable and place them face down.

Put on your favorite songs, pour some apple cider, and let the extra fun begin!

Flip over two cards, and when you get a match, you get the point. Play until all the cards are matched. The person with the most matches wins!

You could also color the symbols before you play for added fun!

6. DIY New Year’s Eve Party Hats

Supplies needed:

Construction paper or cardstock in various colors
Scissors
Markers, stickers, or glitter glue
Glue or tape
Elastic cord or string

Instructions

Give each child a piece of construction paper or cardstock and have them cut out a large circle (about the size of a dinner plate) for the base of their party hat.
Next, they can cut out a long strip of paper to create the hat’s band. Make sure it’s long enough to fit around their heads comfortably.
Let the kids decorate the circle and band using markers, stickers, or glitter glue to make their party hats unique and festive.
Once they’re done decorating, help them form the circle into a cone shape and secure it with glue or tape. Attach one end of the band to each side of the hat to create a chin strap.
Allow the hats to dry, and then the kids can wear them during the New Year’s Eve countdown and celebration.

7. New Year’s Eve Countdown Balloon Poppers

Supplies needed:

Balloons
Small slips of paper
Marker
Confetti or small treats (e.g., candy, small toys)
Tape

Instructions:

Write different fun activities or challenges on small slips of paper. For example, “dance for one minute,” “tell a joke,” “sing a song,” etc. Be creative and tailor the activities to the kids’ ages.
Roll up the slips of paper and place one inside each balloon. Add a small amount of confetti or treats before inflating the balloon.
Blow up the balloons and tie them off. You can use as many balloons as you like, depending on the length of your countdown.
Hang the balloons from the ceiling or create a balloon drop by attaching them to a net or large piece of fabric.
As you count down to midnight, the kids can take turns popping the balloons. When a balloon pops, they must retrieve the slip of paper inside and complete the activity or challenge written on it.

8. New Year’s Eve Scavenger Hunt (A+ kids new years eve activities)

Supplies needed:

Index cards or pieces of paper
Markers or pens
Small prizes or treats
(optional)A timer or clock

Instructions:

Create a list of New Year’s Eve-themed items or clues for the scavenger hunt. For example, you can include items like a party hat, a noisemaker, a clock, a balloon, a confetti popper, etc.
Write each item or clue on a separate index card or piece of paper. Be sure to keep them hidden from the kids until it’s time to start the hunt.
Hide the items or clues around the house or in your designated scavenger hunt area. Make sure to place them in safe and age-appropriate locations for the kids.
Give each child the first clue to start the scavenger hunt. As they find each item or solve each clue, they will receive the next clue to lead them to the next item.
You can include small prizes or a special treat with each item to make the scavenger hunt even more exciting.
Set a timer or announce a specific end time for the scavenger hunt to add a sense of urgency and excitement.
Once all the items have been found or all the clues solved, gather together and celebrate with a small New Year’s Eve party using the items they’ve collected.

Additional Kids New Year’s Eve Ideas

I love this idea from Happiness is Homemade to make your own confetti party poppers. It’s super easy to do and a ton of fun!
Have you ever played Minute to Win It? The Pragmatic Parent has a list of fun Minute to Win It (Christmas-style) ideas!
You could make your own Balloon Drop! Make the countdown extra special. One Good Thing has full instructions here.
Build the best fort ever!
Play a board game.
Have a movie night.
Go for a walk.
Make a smorgasbord of snacks.
Have a dance party!
Watch the ball drop in Times Square – New York City.
Make a New Year’s Resolution

How to Use the New Year’s Eve Activity mats

You always have the option to laminate the activity pages and use them for years to come. This is also super helpful if you want these for your classroom. (The coloring pages will need to be printed with each use, however.)

I always recommend printing on cardstock, so they are more durable and can handle some wear and tear (we all know kids are hard on things).

What ages are New Year’s placemats appropriate for?

These PDF New Years’ Eve placemats are perfect for kids of any age. (Ages 2 to 102!)

Younger kids will love coloring and mazes, and older kids will love getting creative and decorating their party items.

Want even more? You’ll love these FREE Christmas activity mats!

Final Thoughts on Kids New Year’s Activity Ideas

I hope you found a few fun ideas to celebrate New Year’s, and I hope you and your kids love these printable New Year’s Placemats placemats. I’d love to see your creations! Tag me on Instagram @mindfulmazing!