Ideas for a Kid-Friendly New Year's Eve Party

As a child, I have always enjoyed New Year's Eve because it had become the only time of the year when the entire family would be in the same place, at the same time. We weren't a big family. Despite being less in number compared to other families in the neighborhood, we managed to have such wonderful time together as we welcomed the New Year.

My mom always spearheaded the planning for the New Year's Eve party. She would make this insane list of things she wanted to do and then, gather us to get our opinion on which ones should stick and which ones should go. Because, as earlier mentioned, we were relatively small in number, there weren't many disagreements. Soon after, we'd all come to an agreement and then start the necessary preparations. I remember, mom was always in-charge of shopping, my sister was in-charge of the guests, and I took charge of the decorations. Our extended family would also pitch in like aunts, uncles, and cousins. On New Year's Eve, we had games and karaoke. By the strike of midnight, we would all run to the patio to watch the sky beaming with fireworks display.

Some people's idea of a New Year's Eve party is hanging out with friends, eating out, clubbing and watching fireworks displays in town. And so the kids are just left with babysitters watching TV at home.

However, this idea of a New Year's Eve party doesn't sit right among other parents. New Year's Eve is a great time to bond with your kids by organizing a kid-friendly party that both grown-ups and children can enjoy and create lasting memories from (just like I did). Here are some suggestions on how you can make this wonderful celebration enjoyable for all ages.

Plan ahead and involve your kids in the decision-making. Determine if it's going to be just a family-affair or a big one which would involve guests. If it's the latter, make sure you give preference to your kids friends over yours. No one wants a children's party with too many adults (and very few kids) in it.

Decide on the theme. Themes can spell the difference between fun and disappointment for kids. Use only one theme from the invitations to the decorations down to the games and prizes.

Food is always a major part of any party. On this one, cater to the kids' taste buds by providing snacks and food like sandwiches, pizza, cheese, crackers, fries or wedges, muffins, chocolates, chips, dips, and veggie salads. However, be creative in your presentation by using cookie cutters, forming different shapes and sizes. For the kids' enjoyment and your own convenience, it's better to serve finger food during the party. For the drinks, try serving fruit punch or flavored sodas. Remember, it is ok to let the kids enjoy the food that they like on this special occasion.

Be flexible with the games during the parties. There are a variety of games you can choose from - board games, word games, card games, and action games. You can even partner up grown-ups and kids in a game to make it more fun. Be alert. If the kids aren't enjoying and you sense boredom in them, change the game. Don't worry, kids won't mind the change.

Decorate your house with colorful materials. You don't have to make it fancy. Just make it bright. Kids love colors.

Finally, when midnight strikes, bring out the noisemakers and give the kids something to hold and encourage them to make noise. You can even make your own family tradition for the New Year's Eve like a time capsule or a secret resolution ritual.

Whatever you come up with, just keep in mind that a kid-friendly New Year's Eve party doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be fun!