Christmas is around the corner, and New Year’s Eve will be here before we know it.
If you’re trying to figure out what to do with your family, rest easy because we have you covered! Whether you want to stay in and have a low-key celebration or you want to head out and party, we have some of our favorite family-friendly ideas and events for you. Read on and find the NYE celebration that matches your mood for 2022.
Family Friendly New Year’s Eve Ideas at Home
At-Home Fun
Play Favorites
Make New Year’s Eve a time for remembering and enjoying all of your favorite things from the past year. How to make it happen::
- have a playlist consisting of every family member’s favorite songs from the past 12 months
- we have a crazy buffet of everyone’s favorite food and desserts
- play favorite board games
- share your top three favorite moments of the year
- you can even have a short film festival of favorite viral videos
- each kid gets a time slot for the whole family to participate in the activity of their choice
- everyone contributes — everyone’s ideas and wants get weight and an audience
Hourly Fun
Whether you want to have 2 hours of fun or many more, you can celebrate hourly with your crew. How to make it happen::
- fill balloons or paper bags with different activities
- one balloon is popped or bag is opened each hour and the family participates in the activity
- find an activity like this one on Pinterest or make up your own activities
- suggestions include dance-offs, lip sync battles, play a board game, make something tasty, go outside for a walk, play flashlight tag, do a craft
- the beauty of this activity is that it is all perfectly customizable to the age and energy level of everyone involved
Dress the Part
What says NYE like all the gear to signify the new numbers we’ll be writing for the next 366 {it’s a leap year!} days? How to make it happen::
- visit any store or go to Amazon to make your purchases
- buy those glasses that say 2022
- buy the hats
- buy the confetti poppers
- buy the party horns {don’t worry they won’t last the night unless your child has much more patience and self-control than ours}
- it really does add a layer of festivity and the kids love to see their mom and dad rock the gear
- this is not a necessity but it is fun
Fake It Til You Make It
No one around here, or any parent ever, thinks it’s wrong to fake countdown the New Year. Sure we all love celebrating with our little ones, but do we love starting the first morning of a new year off with sleep-deprived, hysterical little people who lose it over the placement of a chocolate chip in their waffle? Nope. Here’s how to make it happen so you can have a sleep-filled night::
- start partying early – you’ll need to get plenty of fun in before normal bedtime rolls around
- Netflix and YouTube both have all kinds of countdown options
- pick one or two countdowns
- cheer like crazy
- kisses all around
- toast with some sparkling grape juice
- countdown whenever the littlest eyelids start to get heavy
Be Futuristic
Each new year brings so much potential and what better way to look forward to all of that than talking about it with your family. How to make it happen::
- review your favorites from 2021
- spend some time talking about the things you hope the next year will bring
- dream big together
- find printables on Pinterest like this one
- end 2019 not by looking back but by looking forward
Camping Indoors
Is there anything more fun than this for a little one? Here’s how to make it happen::
- gather blankets, sheets, pillows, maybe even some couch cushions
- build forts and sleeping pads together
- great family fun building and playing and enjoying together
We’d love to hear from you. What’s your style with the family? What are your favorite ways to celebrate? Happy New Year, y’all!
Also check out our family friendly New Year’s Eve events!
