This is a re-post from last year when we were on Studio 5 for New Years Ideas...Hope you can find something fun to do for your party!
Here are some of the ideas we talked about on Studio 5 today...
Make a New Years Eve (Christmas) Tree:
Turn your Christmas Tree into a New Years one! Right after Christmas take down all decorations and store away. Get a combination of horns, blowers, balloons, garland, streamers, confetti – and decorate the tree! Keep it up for the week in between Christmas and New Years to get in the spirit! Right before midnight , guests or family members grab what they want off the tree to ring in the New Year!
A FUN PARTY THEME IDEA: Countdown by the Hour
(Use a CLOCK theme to carry throughout the decorations and activities)
-Paint kids faces white, then use black to draw clock hands.
-White balloons (or clear filled with confetti) can be drawn on to look like a clock.
-Have guests bring an alarm clock (and gather all of your own)… set the alarms to all go off at midnight (or earlier, depending upon the ages of the guests).
-Kids can decorate a paper plate to look like a clock. Punch a hole in the top, and hang the clocks at different levels from the ceiling.
To start out the night…
Make an individual party bag for each guest that you will hand each guest at the beginning of the party (instead of the end). Personalize the outside with their name as well as a greeting: “Let’s Start the countdown to 2010!” or “Countdown by the Hour to 2010 starts NOW!” In the bag will be their hat, horns, individual pack of confetti, a champagne glass, a notepad for goal setting, and of course, a treat. A few creative filler ideas include bubbles (for midnight or before), bubble gum (have a contest to see who can blow the biggest), silly string, glow in the dark paint or necklaces, face paint (just for fun), alarm clock or any other clock accessory.
Here are a few ideas for different activities that can be done throughout the night. Each activity you choose will be wrapped up in a container or just with ribbon and have a clock set for the time that it will be opened.
1. Baking – any recipe will do! Cookies, brownies – something to decorate afterwards makes this activity a “craft” and a treat! Cut your cookies out in all different shapes to make look like confetti – frost in all different colors, add sprinkles, and deliver to a neighbor!
2. Pedicures – (obviously for a group of gals) Have someone come and do glitter toes for everyone, or get your own supplies and give yourself a new do! Soak the feet in coordinating colored buckets, have individual supplies for each guest, and break out all the nail polish.
3. Movie watching – open up your bag and have 3 different movies to watch. Each movie is labeled (#1, #2, #3) Take a vote on which movie to watch or randomly draw a number. Don’t forget the microwave popcorn!
4. Flashlight Limbo- Grab 2 flashlights shining towards each other to make the limbo line, turn off the lights, and limbo away! Don’t forget the music!
5. Silly Snapshots – Grab a camera (or more, if possible). Gather some fun props – sunglasses, hats, high heels, purses, scarves – even non-clothing items such as a broom, margarita glasses, pots and pans, etc. Give everybody the assignment of using the props to take some silly photos. Inside, outside, upside down… the more creative and silly the better! After all snapping is done, look at your pics on the TV as a slideshow. This is really fun; even for adults! Don’t forget to print out the pics or get everyone’s emails to send afterwards.
6. Classic Board or Card Games: gather up all your favorites, wrap up with a ribbon and have fun! Set a designated time to start and stop if you want to get all the other activities in.
7. Crafts Galore: Necklace or bracelet making (with food items or real beads), scrapbooking, etc. Have all the supplies ready to go beforehand.
8. Snow Painting: You will need spray bottles filled with water. Add food coloring to make your “paint.” Send guests outside (bundled up, of course) to paint the snow! You could give a prize for the most unique painting.
9. Scavenger Hunt: Hide New Years supplies (horn, hat, mardi gras beads, etc.) either in the house or around the neighborhood. Split into teams and give each team a list of what they need to find. First team back with all the items wins! Another option is to not hide the items beforehand, and have the teams actually knock on doors to find the items.
10. Bubble Wrap Stomp: As part of the grand finale, purchase a big roll of LARGE bubbled bubble wrap (it pops easier). Roll it out on a hard floor or sidewalk and let the kids jump like crazy at midnight ! It sounds like firecrackers are going off!
11. Stuff the Balloons: This can be done before your party, or used as a craft during the party. Either buy or make your own confetti (making your own can be fun for kids!) and using a funnel, fill your balloons with a small handful of confetti. Blow them up, attach string, and hang upside down from the ceiling. Just before midnight , each guest is given a pin to POP the balloons! A great way to end the night in a “magical and festive” way. Don’t forget the camera because the confetti falling creates a great scene.
12. Snow Sculpting: Split guests into groups of 2. Each team will have a big mixing bowl… Send them outside to fill up their bowls with snow. Then everyone comes back in and makes a “sculpture” out of their snow before it melts! You can give each team random supplies: knives, spoons, food coloring, etc. to help with their sculpting.
13. Play the CANDY GAME: (You will need at least one candybar for each guest – but more is better; as well as a variety of candy – some big, some small – hard to find candy is great, too. All the candy is set on a table or the floor in the middle of the circle. Also a pair of dice and a brown paper sack for each guest). Have guests sit in a circle. First player rolls the dice onto a small plate or tray. If the guest rolls a 1 OR a 6 on either die, he/she gets to choose a candy out of the middle and put it in your brown bag. (Choose 2 candies if you roll a 1 AND a 6) . Do this until all the candy from the middle is gone. Then set the timer – 5, 7, 10 minutes depending upon how long you want the game to last. Again, you roll the dice and if you get a 1 or a 6, you get to “steal” a candy away from another player. This is where you have to REMEMBER who took WHAT and ask for the candy by name. If you guess right – they have to give you the candy. If you guess WRONG, you have to give them something from your bag. It’s fun to see who “fights” over what candy!
14. New Years Resolution Game: At the first of the party, give everyone a 4x6 piece of paper and have them write down their top 3 New Years goals. Gather them up and put in a hat or other container. After a couple hours, have each guest “draw” a card from the hat. Take turns reading the goals and guessing which goals go to what person! You can keep track of points: 1 point for each right guess.
