Our Top 5 Favorite Ways to Celebrate New Year’s Eve with Kids

New Year’s Eve doesn’t have to be all late nights and fancy parties. It can be a magical, memory-making evening right at home with your kids. We know how special it is to create traditions with your family, especially while your child is still in the preschool or early elementary years. If you’re looking for fun, kid-friendly ideas to ring in the new year, here are our top 5 ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve with your little ones!

1. Host a Mid-Day “Noon Year’s Eve” Celebration

Staying up until midnight isn’t always realistic (or advised) for young children, and that’s okay! Create your own countdown at noon (or any time you choose). Fill the celebration with music, balloons, and simple snacks your kids love. Many of our daycare classrooms do this, and it’s always a hit—children get the full New Year’s excitement without the overtired aftermath.

2. Make a Family Time Capsule

Making a family time capsule is a wonderful way to slow down and reflect with your child before the upcoming year. Have each family member draw a picture or write down a favorite memory from this year. Help your toddler add something small like a photo, a craft, or even a scribble they’re proud of. Seal everything in a container and tuck it away until next year. Add to it each year as a meaningful tradition that grows with your children.

3. Create DIY Fireworks Crafts

If your kid isn’t a fan of loud noises, these silent fireworks are a perfect alternative! Using paint, glitter, straws, or toilet paper rolls, children can create bright, colorful “fireworks” on paper. It’s a fun hands-on project your preschooler will love, bringing a little creativity into your home. You can even turn the finished artwork into a keepsake for next year’s time capsule.

4. Put Together a New Year’s Eve Snack Board

Make the night feel special with a kid-approved snack board. Think fruit, popcorn, cheese cubes, pretzels, or tiny sandwiches cut into fun shapes. Let your kiddo help pick the items and arrange the board as a confidence boost, giving them a role in the celebration. For families with older children, you can even theme the snacks by color or create a “snack countdown” where you open a new treat every hour!

5. Set New Traditions with a “Family Wishes” Jar

Gather your family and talk about hopes and dreams for the year ahead. Have each family member write down one thing they’d like to try, learn, or experience in the new year. Preschool-age children can tell you their wish, and you can help write it down. Or have them draw their wish. Place all the wishes in a jar and pull them out throughout the year to make intentional memories together.

Making New Year’s Meaningful for Your Family

No matter how you spend New Year’s Eve, the most important part is being together. Whether your celebration looks like a playful daytime party, a cozy night inside, or a creative craft session with your kids, these simple traditions can help make the night feel magical for your child.

Here’s to a joyful, bright, and memory-filled year ahead—from the Sunshine House family to yours! 🎉