Letting the kids stay up for New Year’s may sound like a good idea… until you’re two hours past bedtime and they are bored out of their minds! Keep them happy with these fun New Year’s Crafts for Kids (and while they’re occupied, consider turning the clock forward a couple of hours!)

New Year’s Crafts

I’ve learned the hard way that New Year’s Eve and Kids don’t mesh, so we like to celebrate early in the day and count down to bedtime.

A fun way to build up excitement is to make some homemade New Year’s crafts and talk about your favorite parts of the past year and what you’re most looking forward to for the next year. While your kids are engaged with these fun craft ideas, they may just open up and share some insights you wouldn’t expect!

Several of these crafts are pure fun – while others have a sentimental or thoughtful side. Try a mix when planning your New Year with kids.

New Year’s Crafts for Kids

(Clockwise from top left corner)

• Skip the fireworks and celebrate with bubbles – and make your own toddler-friendly bubble wands with Red Ted Art.
• Making your own time capsule is a wonderful activity meets craft for New Year’s. (from Meaningful Mama)
• What a sweet homemade New Year’s Noisemaker from Teaching Mama.
• Make some Paper Plate Party Animals with your party animals!
• This Fireworks Straw Rocket from Fantastic Fun & Learning is a festive craft that works for just about any occasion involving fireworks.
• So many fun New Year’s Party Ideas including a DIY New Year’s hat are in this post from Artsy Fartsy Mama.
• No matter what you’re eating for New Year’s, you can still make and enjoy these Paper Fortune Cookies!
• I love how festive these Homemade Star Noisemakers are! (from Teaching Mama)

Printable New Year’s Crafts

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• Counting down isn’t the only math activity you can have fun with on New Year’s – check out this Thaumatrope for New Year’s from JDaniel4’s Mom.
• Find out what the New Year has in store for you with this Paper Fortune Teller Ball from Hattifant.
• Make your own pretty countdown clock with this printable from Red Ted Art.
• Make some pretty resolutions with this New Year’s Garland from Red Ted Art.
• Grab this New Year’s coloring page for some quiet, reflective time. (from Twitchetts)
• I love the idea of making and decorating your own New Year’s Crowns. (printable from Hattifant)
• Reflect on the best of the year with this Printable Journal from Adventure-in-a-Box.
• A cute activity for kids who are too young for their own watches – Printable Paper Watches from Hattifant.

Kid-friendly New Year’s Ideas

(Clockwise from top left corner)

• Our Paper Plate Noisemaker is a simple classic that is still loads of fun to make and play with!
• What little girl could resist making her own fireworks ring?! (from Fantastic Fun & Learning)
• Create your own magical New Year’s Eve Ball Drop craft at home with Giggles Galore. It’s quick, easy, and better than standing out in the cold!
• Make your own New Year’s Clock with the Pinterested Parent (and a paper plate).
• I love this idea for DIY Biodegradable Confetti from Mother Nature! And it’s naturally colored, too.
• Make your own “ball drop” with this New Year’s Activity from JDaniel4’s Mom.
• Ring the bell for New Years with these DIY New Year’s Bells from the Gingerbread House. (below)

How do you celebrate New Year’s with your kids? Which of these crafts will you be making with them?

This post originally appeared here on December 18, 2018.