Categories: Mum's SanctuaryParentingSeasonal

5 Ways to Spend New Years With the Kids

This post may contain affiliate links, or we may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post. For more information on this, please visit our legal page.

Let’s be honest, when you have kids, new years isn’t quite the party it used to be and a lot of us stay in

As our little guy gets older though, I like the idea of ringing in the New Year together and this doesn’t mean we can’t stay up and have fun with it and make it memorable! If you are brave enough you can always invite all your friends with kids over and have a parent/kid New Years party, unfortunately we have neither the space or the inclination to deal with all that chaos and would rather spend it just the family.

So here are some of the ways to enjoy New Years when you have kids:

Mocktails

Kids always want to have what you have, we’ve all been there. Obviously, you can’t give them alcohol but that doesn’t mean you can’t include them in a fancy drink! Be sure to give it a long, important-sounding name, then garnish and decorate it ridiculously and put it in the fanciest glassware you have then you can all toast the new year together.

Dance party

Make a playlist that has a mixture of you and your kid’s favourite music tracks. Put it on and dance like no other all night long! If you’d like you could even have a little dance contest, use sweeties as prizes because, why not it’s new years! Also, it’ll tire everyone out so when it’s time to go to bed you can all fall asleep easily (she says optimistically, although you will all likely be hopped up on sugar or booze!)

Dress up Fancy

Take out you and your kid’s fanciest or most outrageous clothes and get all dressed up. This will make the night feel extra special and fun, not only that it’ll make for excellent pictures! Be as over the top as possible, I’m talking pearls, white gloves, bow ties, tiaras, etc. If you don’t have these things go to a local party store or a thrift shop. Just make sure to go crazy and live it up!

Photo booth

Go to a craft or art supplies store and buy a roll of craft paper in white or any other bright colour. You’ll use this as the backdrop for your DIY photo booth, let the kids paint/draw on it or you can all write out your resolutions, the possibilities are endless! Go through your house and find silly props you can use, if you don’t have any buy some craft supplies to create your own, you can make whatever you’d like and have plenty of memories from your big night!

Build a fort

If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times! build a fort – it’s on my frugal activities for kids list and it is one of our favorite things to do! You are never too old to build a big and elaborate blanket fort. You can make it cozy and have snacks in their and at the end of the night you can all bring in your duvets and pass out in it.

New Years may never be the same again since we’ve got a kid now, but like I said above you won’t have to sacrifice much. You won’t regret including them in the festivities and you can make new traditions as they get older to make things as memorable as possible!