Remember the days when New Year’s Eve meant glittery dresses, crowded bars blasting Kesha, jello shots, and champagne toasts at midnight? As a new mom, or toddler mom, those nights might feel as distant as the stars. But fear not, tired mama! You can still celebrate New Year’s Eve this year with your little one and create a memorable night that’s just as special, even if it involves glitter glue and a bedtime before the clock strikes twelve. It may just turn into your favorite New Year’s Eve yet! Here are some sparkly and fun ways to make this New Year’s Eve extra magical for you and your little love.
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How to Have a Magical New Year’s Eve Party With Your Toddler At Home
Setting the Scene:
Decorate with New Year’s Eve decorations: Transform your living room into a mini disco with string lights, colorful balloons, and sparkly decorations.
- Make homemade decorations with your toddler. Think construction paper chains, and glittery painted stars.
- Make a diy balloon drop or just fill up the living room with colorful balloons or sparkly balloons like these.
- Use fun lights and star projectors: Hang up twinkling fairy lights or glow in the dark stars, and put on a cool star projector to transform your living room into a glowing, starry, New Year’s Eve party! You can even get some black light bulbs, dress in white, and really glow! Add in some glow sticks and you have a super fun glow party for toddlers. This year we got this mini disco ball light projector to try out.
- Play upbeat music and encourage your toddler to crawl, dance, and explore under the twinkling lights. Remember, the magic is the experience, not the end result! Your little one will love all the sensory action. Try using a fun, starry light projector, like our favorite one (its awesome!) to turn your entire living room into a magical glow party under the stars! For a more cost effective option check this one out.
New Year’s Eve Activities for Toddlers You Can Do At Home:
- Bubble Bonanza: Blow bubbles of all sizes and let your little one pop them with glee. You can even make giant bubbles using a hula hoop and dish soap for an extra-special effect. Or, use a festive pretend fireworks bubble blower like this one to make a never ending bubble party. Check out this bubble blower too that plays lights and music! This is sure to bring on the giggles and “wows”.
- New Year’s Eve Dance Party: You can never go wrong with a dance party for toddlers! Put together a playlist of your toddler’s favorite songs or simply search for toddler dance party music on YouTube or Spotify. Set the scene with a cool light projector like this mini disco ball projector and danc ethe night away. Turn the dance party into a game by playing freeze dance! My toddler loves freeze dance! In toddler version, no one is out of course, it’s just a fun musical game of stop and go.
- Make Your Own Noise Makers: A few simple materials can make the best noise makers. Gather these items: small paper plates, uncooked rice or beans, tape, construction paper, paper towels tubes, rubber bands, markers, ribbon, pencils or straws, and a stapler. You don’t need all these items just a few will do. 2 paper plates decorated with markers and filled with rice or beans (securely closed by tape and staples) is one option. You can also decorate paper towel tubes, cover with construction paper, fill with rice or beans, and secure with rubber bands. Decorate then shake away!
- Mess Free Canvas Finger Painting: Get out some paints, glitter, confetti, or sequins for a fun and festive painting activity. Don’t worry this is a mess free activity for toddlers and babies can do it too! Simply put everything into a large ziplock bag and let your little one squish away to make a gorgeous masterpiece. Check out the full directions for this mess free canvas painting here.
- Snacky Finger Paint Countdown: Get crafty with edible finger paints (think mashed bananas, yogurt, and food coloring) and let your toddler create their own countdown masterpiece. Hang it up and point at the numbers throughout the evening, giggling every time a colorful finger smudge disappears. The best part about using food to fingerprint is that it’s a snack and an activity! If you haven’t fingerprinted with your little one yet then yogurt mixed with food coloring is a great place to start. It may be a little messy but it’s taste safe and your mini will love exploring with it. You can also try these edible finger paints if you don’t like the idea of painting with food.
- Noisemaker Orchestra: Gather pots, pans, wooden spoons, and any other safe, sound-making objects. Let your toddler conduct their own mini orchestra as you ring in the “new year” at your desired bedtime. Add in noise blowers and colorful streamers to the mix with supervision of course. Check on Netflix or YouTube for old NYE countdowns or kids countdown and play it any time to celebrate your “midnight” together as a family!
- New Year’s Eve Sensory Bin: Make a new year’s eve sensory bin with toddler safe noise makers. I made a new year’s eve sensory bin for my one year old last New Year’s eve and he absolutely loved it! I filled it with large bells in a jar, these large hand-held jingle bells, sensory popper tubes, mini disco balls, new year’s eve blowers, and this cool, spinning light wand that my toddler still uses. Check out how to make a new year’s eve sensory bin here.
Delicious Treats for Tiny Toddler Taste Buds:
- Rainbow Fruit Platter : Arrange melons, all the berries, and cheeses on a platter for a colorful festive snack. Use star cookie cutters to cut out shapes for the melon and cheese. Or use cookie cutters like these star shapes or a homemade stencil to arrange berries in the shapes of stars, animal, or anything your little one likes. Have fun with it!
- Toddler friendly charcuterie board: I don’t know about your little one, but my toddler loves a charcuterie board. Make a toddler safe charcuterie board by quartering grapes, pre squishing blueberries, and slicing different cheeses. Add in any other fruits your toddler enjoys like sliced bananas and strawberries. Add in some whole wheat Ritz crackers, Goldfish crackers, and/or mini pretzels, and you have a charcuterie board fit for a toddler, guaranteed to be gobbled up!
- Decorate Cupcakes or Cookies: What toddler doesn’t love treats? Toddlers love cooking and creating. Decorating cupcakes or cookies together is a great activity that will keep your toddler busy, engaged, and it’s a fun way to bond. Put some frosting in cupcake liners or these paper bowls that I used, get some sparkly, festive sprinkles, mini spatulas, and let your toddler go to town! We had a toddler Christmas party and decorated cookies. The kids loved it! We also had these adorable child sized aprons.
- Mini Pizzas: Make mini pizzas using mini naans, mini bagels, or cut out small rounds of pizza dough. Let your little one decorate them with cheese, tomatoes, ground beef, and any other toppings your chuld likes. I’ve found that mini pizzas are a great way for me to sneak in some spinach. You can also add extra veggies to the sauce!
- Yogurt Parfaits: Layer yogurt, granola, and diced fruit in clear cups for a delicious and visually appealing dessert. Let your toddler sprinkle in some edible glitter or sanding sugar for a touch of New Year’s Eve sparkle.
- Fun Milk or Juice Toast: Pour milk, or apple juice into clear plastic cups, or plastic champagne flutes, and cheers in the new year! This year we’re using sparkling apple cider because my toddler discovered he loved apple cider when we went pumpkin picking this fall.
Creative New Year’s Eve Traditions for Families:
- Time Capsule Treasures: Gather small, meaningful items that represent your year with your luttle one. Put them in a decorated box and seal it with the promise to open it on the next New Year’s Eve. This is a sweet way to reflect on your journey together and create a precious keepsake. It’s also a unique family tradition to start that your child will end up looking forward to each year.
- Have a Happy NOON year: Instead of staying up until midnight with your little one, have your own special countdown at 12pm noon. Have a brunch party and countdown as the clock strikes 12, in the afternoon! This way your toddler can experience the fun of celebrating without messing up bedtime.
- Wish Bubbles: Think of your hopes and dreams for the new year and wish upon a bubble. Blow bubbles outside together, sending your wishes up into the night sky.
- New Year’s Eve Bedtime Fun: As bedtime approaches, create a special bedtime routine by reading picture books with twinkling lights, we love this one, or a fun new year’s eve story like this one, underneath a starry light projector. Tell your little one what you wish for them for the new year and ask them if they have any wishes, you might be surprised at what they say.
- Family Movie Night: Snuggle up under cozy blankets and watch a lighthearted movie as a family. Something with music always gets my toddler’s attention. Try Frozen, High School Musical, or something from the Queen herself- Ms. Rachel.
New Year’s Eve Movies and Shows for Toddlers (and where to watch)
- High School Musical – Disney Plus
- Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year – Disney Plus and Amazon Prime
- Frozen – Disney Plus
- Happy New Year Charlie Brown – Apple TV
- Pete the Cat a Groovy New Year- Amazon Prime
- Handy Manny: Have a Handy New Year
- Thomas and Friends: Confused Coaches – Netflix
- Fancy Nancy: Nancy’s New Year – Disney Plus and Amazon Prime
- Llama Llama Happy New Year – Netflix
- Sesame Street Celebrates Around the World – Amazon Prime
- Sesame Street Stays Up Late – You Tube
Remember This:
The most important ingredient for a magical New Year’s Eve is your presence. Embrace the chaos, enjoy the giggles, and savor the cuddles. This may not be the glamorous celebration you envisioned, but it’s one you’ll cherish forever. You’re creating memories that will sparkle brighter than any champagne toast, and those are the ones that truly ring in the new year.
And to all the new moms out there, Happy New Year! May your year be filled with laughter, love, and little hands that hold onto yours with the tightest grip. Here’s to rocking tiny pajamas instead of glitter gowns and midnight naps instead of midnight toasts. We’ve got this, mamas!
Happy New Year and Happy Mommying!
