New Year’s Eve is a celebration typically reserved for adults, but does that mean the rest of the family has to feel left out of the occasion? Not at all! There are plenty of fun activities for the young and not-so-young to participate in and make a party right at home; wholesome yet vibrant.

If these are your plans to welcome 2019, here are eight family friendly New Year’s Eve ideas to have a blast indoors.

 

1. Hold an Early Countdown for Kids

They might seem like they’re endless bundles of energy, but 12 AM is still way past the bedtime of most children. Instead of nudging them awake when the time comes, or letting them ride out the night until they’re too tired to properly celebrate, why not hold an earlier celebration for them? Go over the countdown, hugs, well wishes and even have a toast with non-alcoholic cider or champagne. Not only will they feel happy to be a part of the moment with the adults, but they’ll be snuggly in bed by the time the New Year comes. Everyone wins!

 

2. Make Time to Visit Relatives

Even if the New Year is a celebration mostly for adults, like we said, we all have relatives who prefer to stay indoors and have a mellow night in while the party rages on outside. So why not visit them? You can plan the night so as not to overstay, especially if you bring the kids along (it’s even better if they have kids of their own, so everyone has their own fun). Just remember to drive safe on the way back home if you stay for the countdown!

 

3. Turn your kitchen into a snack buffet!

Instead of just waiting for midnight, why not get productive in the meantime? Have each family member choose what snack they’d like to prepare, then make them all as a family (let the younger ones among you take care of simple steps like mixing ingredients). Set up a colorfully decorated table to reflect the spirit of the season and by the end of the night, you will have an hors-d’oeuvres and desserts bonanza to enjoy as a family, and a fun memory of the occasion with everyone helping around in the kitchen.

 

4. Hold a family tournament

Your family may enjoy a more challenging experience to mark your New Year’s Eve. Bring out the board games! Play a multiplayer video game! Organize a little family tournament and time it right so the winner can be crowned right when the new year comes in; it’ll be a fun experience for everyone. Regardless of what you choose to play, remember to keep it wholesome, no tears on New Year’s!

 

5. Create your own New Year’s photo booth

Who says you need a party to have some photo booth fun? Arrange an area of your home to serve as the stage, then hang a backdrop from the wall and sprinkle some colorful decorations. If you have a flair for the theatrical, you can also prepare some costume pieces to mix and match with your family. Even if you don’t have a camera, a smartphone will suffice, just find a stable enough stand for it. Get creative with it!

 

6. Have a movie marathon

If your family is made up of movie buffs, then there’s no better way to celebrate the coming of a new year than to marathon your favorite film series! Whether it’s an action-comedy franchise or a fantasy affair, pick something the whole family can enjoy, especially if kids are involved. The time it right so you can all still enjoy the countdown and prepare some snacks beforehand then lay them all on the table, so you don’t miss a moment of movie magic.

 

7. Take a moment to reminisce

What better time to reflect on the year that’s about to end than when having a nice family moment? Collect all the pictures of your family from 2018 that you can and organize them in a chronological slideshow, showing their best achievements or most significant moments and share your feelings with them. This is a great way of strengthening your family bonds and letting them know that their story is important no matter what.

 

8. Dance the night away!

Dance parties are an excellent form to celebrate the New Year while keeping the family active. You can buy some glow in the dark decorations and create some easy costumes with fluorescent tape, clear a room of furniture to make a dance floor – and take advantage of it to get some deep cleaning done-, then curate your own playlist, and get the party started! Pick the best song for the countdown and welcome 2019 with some fire dance moves.

There you have them, eight fun things to do for New Year’s Eve with family that gives every member a chance to enjoy the last night of 2018 with some style. Try them next week!