New Year’s Eve with the Kids

Most of us parents will be finding ourselves celebrating the New Year with ours kid(s).  So why not pull out all the stops and make it a New York style New Years party?  Your kids will love it and you may start a tradition the whole neighborhood looks forward to every year.

I made a fun ball that the kids can drop at the strike of midnight, and found a few other fun ideas that will help you get the party started.  The best part is the kids can help in the preparations, which will make them all the more eager for the celebration!

New Year’s Eve Ball

Supplies:

1. Large Styrofoam ball
2. Long wooden skewer or something similar
3. Invisible thread
4. Small craft mirrors varying in size
   
5. Craft jewels
6. Thin wire or something similar
7. Glue

I found all of these items at Wal-mart and they had a ball even larger than the one I used that would be great.  Now lets get started!

• Start by inserting the skewer through the center of the ball
• Leaving the skewer in place take your large mirrors and firmly press them into the ball so they make a good indentation
• They more than likely will not want to stay so glue the back of the mirror to the ball.  You want to make the indentation first to create a firm place for the glue to adhere to
• Now press the rest of the smaller mirrors into the ball and they should stay in, as well as the jewels

Now take a thin piece of wire (I used floral wire) and make a loop at the end to tie the invisible thread to.  Remove the wooden skewer and guide the wire through the same hole.  I’m not gonna lie, it took me a few tries.  Then gently pull the thread through.  Make sure the piece of thread is fairly long allowing to hang from a high place.  Your done!  Hang from the ceiling with a tack securing the thread and place a little clip under the ball to hold it in place till the big moment.  You may have to draw straws to pick who gets to do the honors!

I think it would be fun to hang it over the food table with some decorations like Martha has done here.  These streamers are made with left over holiday paper and would be a great way to occupy you older kids time.  Go here for the details.

It wouldn’t be a party without party hats, and Martha has a fun twist for the party hat.  Even if you don’t have all the supplies on hand, you can personalize them to make it work.  It too would be a great project for the kids to see what they come up with.  Go here for all the details.

Nor would it be a party without the noisemakers to rattle while ringing in the New Year.  I think these little noise makers from Alpha-mom are so cute, and look like they would be simple to make.

Happy New Year!!