We’ve reached the end of another fun-filled year, and it’s time to welcome a brand-new one! It’s time to look back at all the wonderful memories we made during the year with our loved ones. That’s not all – it’s also time to plan a smashing New Year’s eve with our kiddos!
Every family has different plans for New Year’s eve, but if you have young kids who are toddlers or preschoolers, you’re most likely to be spending it at home. But a New Year’s eve spent at home doesn’t have to be boring at all! On the contrary, it can be super fun since you have full control over all the activities!
So get ready to have an amazing bash on the 31st of December this year, and plan for some delicious food and drinks. To take things to the next level, we’ve rounded up the best New Year’s activities for preschoolers and toddlers to try out on this special day. Get ready to have the time of your lives!
20 Fun New Year’s Activities for Preschoolers
1. New Year’s Eve Handprint Keepsake
If you’d like something to gift the grandparents for New Year, you can’t go wrong with this craft from Glued to My Crafts! It’s an easy project that only requires putting some paint on those cute little hands. So easy that you can even do it with babies – as long as you wash off the paint right away!
2. New Year’s Coloring Hats
Whether you’re having a big bash or a small family get-together at home on New Year’s Eve, it doesn’t matter – a party’s a party! And when it’s a party, you certainly need party hats, which you can get at The Pragmatic Parent. For younger kids, you can attach some elastic to the cap so it stays on the head even when they’re running around.
3. New Year’s Sensory Bin
Sensory bins are a great way for young kids to experience some tactile play, touching things of different materials, and noticing how each one feels and what you can do with them. Since we’re talking about New Year’s activities for preschoolers, Sunny Day Family has a sensory bin idea that’s perfect for the occasion!
4. New Year Sticky Wall
We know how little kids love to create art on the walls – now you can actually encourage them to do so! Happy Toddler Playtime brings us a project that’s great for toddlers and preschoolers. All you need is a large sheet where yu write the New Year, and let kids fill it up with all kinds of decorative materials.
5. Fireworks Preschool Craft
In many parts of the world, the New Year is welcomed with a display of fireworks, and kids usually enjoy watching them light up in the sky. That itself can be one of your New Year’s activities for preschoolers, or you can recreate the feeling at home with this easy project from the Preschool Toolkit, which encourages young kids to build their focus and attention to detail.
6. New Year’s Eve Bubble Wands
Is there any kid on the planet who doesn’t like playing with bubbles? That is the allure of those large, floating bubbles, especially for young children. With New Year’s eve coming up, get ready to blow some bubbles and spread the joy with these DIY bubble wands from Red Ted Art. You can use cookie cutters to create the shapes or go freehand.
7. Celebration Play Dough for Kids
When it comes to New Year’s activities for preschoolers that will keep them occupied for a while, you certainly can’t go wrong with play dough! But this isn’t any plain play dough – it’s a celebration version from Buggy and Buddy that is apt for the special occasion that is New Year’s eve!
8. DIY Noise Makers
You don’t really need to tell preschoolers to create noise – they’re doing it very well on their own! However, a celebration like New Year’s eve requires some extra noise to be made, and that’s where these noisemakers come in! All you need are craft sticks and paper plates, and you’re all set to make this project from The Crafting Chicks.
9. New Year’s Photo Booth Props
As you go about doing these New Year’s activities for preschoolers, you want to be sure that you’re taking plenty of photos! But don’t let them be boring pictures where everyone’s simply posing in a straight line – make them more interesting with photo props like these ones from DIY Candy! Perfect for a party!
10. New Year Countdown Wristwatch
Your little one has already probably asked you for a watch of his own, and you’ve most likely told him to wait till he’s older. Thanks to this printable from Hattifant though, you can grant him his wish right now! Young kids will feel proud to wear a watch just like Mom and Dad, especially since most of us wear wide smartwatches these days!
11. New Years Discovery Bottle
This activity from Little Bins for Little Hands is a great exercise for preschoolers and toddlers to try and find things floating in a bottle. Add in things that your little one will enjoy spotting, so she’ll have fun shaking the bottle and trying to ‘discover’ her favorites!
12. New Year Party Poppers
We’ve tried to avoid messy New Year’s activities for preschoolers, but this one could create a little clutter! Of course, your kids aren’t going to complain, although you’ll have to bring out the vacuum at the end of the party! Nevertheless, try making these fun party poppers from Fun Handprint Blog with the whole family.
13. Fireworks Letter Match
New Year’s activities for preschoolers can be fun and educational! If your preschooler has started learning his letters, then he’s going to enjoy spotting them in this activity from Happy Toddler Playtime! Cut up cupcake liners to resemble fireworks and add letters to random ones. You can also mix it up by inserting some numbers or funny doodles of a cat or dog.
14. New Year’s Eve Slime
Slime is something everyone likes playing with – even adults – because there’s something so stress-relieving about it. You can just let the goo play around in your hand – you’ll find that it makes young kids squeal with laughter! Since this is New Year’s let’s make some celebration slime with this tutorial from Little Bins Little Hands.
15. New Year’s Eve Balloon Countdown
You can’t have a list of New Year’s activities for preschoolers without including a countdown of some sort! This activity from Toddler Approved involves writing little notes and putting them in balloons, but you can totally skip this if your kids are too young to read. They can just pop a balloon every minute as you near midnight, so you welcome the New Year with a bang!
16. New Year Rice Shaker
New Year’s activities for preschoolers have to include lots of nice, so if the noise makers weren’t enough and you want to create some more noise, check out this rice shaker from Easy Peasy and Fun! It’s made from uncooked rice, but you can use any other material other than rice – the sound the shaker makes will change accordingly.
17. New Year’s Eve Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts may seem impractical for preschoolers who’re just beginning to read, but this one from Mimosas and Motherhood is perfect since it has pictures that kids can identify! Hide the items on the printable, like balloons, clock, etc., and let the kids hunt them down!
18. New Year’s Eve Paper Crowns
If you’re going all out this New Year’s eve with a proper party and dress up, then make sure your little prince or princess looks their best – with a paper crown! The House that Lars Built shows us how easy it is for kids to make these crowns, with a little help from Mom or Dad.
19. Scrunched Paper Star Craft
Won’t it be great if New Year’s activities for preschoolers included not just fun stuff but also activities that strengthen muscles? Well, that’s exactly what this activity from Crafts on Sea does, encouraging kids to flex their finger muscles as they scrunch little bits of paper. Then let them use their scrunched paper to fill a shape like a star.
20. Paper Handprint Firework Craft
Here’s another adorable handprint craft that would make a great card for aunts and uncles! Glued to My Crafts shows us how easy it is – simply trace your little one’s hand on some colored paper and then stick it on a plain card along with other patterned paper to create a candle. Add the year and you have a memorable keepsake!
Although this list mentions New Year’s activities for preschoolers, many of these activities also work for toddlers, so you’ll have to judge each activity based on your child’s specific developmental stage and interest. Don’t stress about doing all the activities, or even about completing a single activity! Kids of this age are notoriously fidgety, so don’t force them to finish something you’ve started. It’s a day to have fun and be with each other, so take things easy and just focus on having a good time!
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