New Years Day Activities For All the Family

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As the current year draws to a close and the excitement of the coming year builds, it’s time to plan the best New Year’s Eve activities for a memorable celebration. Whether you’re looking for a fun-filled night on the town or a cosy night at home, there are plenty of options to suit everyone’s preferences.

Picture this: Dad sitting on the couch watching football, the kids locked away in their rooms playing with new Christmas toys, and Mom running around taking down the decorations, cooking a huge meal, bringing Dad snacks, and keeping the peace between the kids. Sound like a normal New Year’s Day to you? Here are nineteen tips to make New Years Day a family-friendly event with these activities.

New Year Day Family Activities

Watch The Ball Drop In Times Square

One of the most iconic New Year’s Eve traditions is watching the ball drop in Times Square, New York City. If you’re lucky enough to be in the Big Apple, this is the perfect way to welcome the coming year with millions of other revellers. The atmosphere is electric, with live entertainment and a live DJ to keep the energy high until the stroke of midnight.

Host A New Year’s Eve Party

If you prefer to celebrate in the comfort of your own home, consider hosting a New Year’s Eve party. Transform your living room into a festive party haven with decorations, a photo booth for capturing memories, and a dance floor for a dance party that lasts until the early hours of the morning. Don’t forget the party hats, festive party favors, and a balloon drop for that extra fun factor.

First Night Celebrations

Many cities host “First Night” celebrations on New Year’s Eve, offering a family-friendly event with a variety of activities. These events often include live performances, face painting for the little kids, and even casino games for the adults. It’s a great way for the whole family to ring in the New Year together.

Have A BBQ

Invite family and friends over for a New Years Day BBQ. This takes mom out of the kitchen all day and gets dad excited too. The kids can join in the prep by making a vegetable tray. Let them wash and pat dry the carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, ect and arrange them on a tray for your guests. This let’s your children feel like they contributed to the day.

Don’t Forget The Fireworks

Check out the surrounding cities and see if any one is putting on a fireworks display. Pack up some little finger foods and drink boxes, pile in the car and enjoy. If you can’t find a display near you, set off your own, just make sure to check your cities laws on firework bans.

Create A Time Capsule

Gather your family members and friends and create a time capsule filled with mementos, handwritten notes, and your New Year’s resolutions. Bury it in your backyard or keep it somewhere safe, and open it on the next New Year’s Day to reflect on how much has changed over the year.

Attend A New Year’s Eve Bash

If you’re looking for a change of scenery, check out nearby towns for New Year’s Eve parties. Many places offer live entertainment, a cash bar with premium drinks, and a midnight champagne toast. It’s a perfect way to celebrate with friends and meet new people in a festive atmosphere.

New Year’s Eve Bingo

For a fun way to involve the entire family, consider playing New Year’s Eve Bingo. Create custom bingo cards with New Year’s-themed words and phrases, and use free printables available online. It’s a great activity for older kids and adults alike.

Enjoy A Cozy Night In

If you’re looking for a more relaxed New Year’s Eve, have a cozy night in with your loved ones. Consider watching classic New Year’s movies like “When Harry Met Sally” or “Gatsby’s House New Year” while sipping on hot cocoa. It’s a great way to reflect on the past year and look f

Make It A Game Day

Chances are your children received games as a gift in the past couple of weeks. Pull them out and check them out. The children will love spending the day playing their new games, even more so because it is with you.

Have A Movie Day

Stay in your jammies all day long and watch movies cuddled up on the couch or floor. You could even choose a theme and watch movies only of the chosen theme, eat food only of the theme, even dress up according to the theme.

New Year’s Day Brunch

Start the first day of the New Year off right with a delicious brunch. Invite family and friends over to enjoy a cozy morning filled with hors d’oeuvres, mimosas, and good conversation. It’s the perfect time to set intentions and share your New Year’s resolutions.

Miniature Golf

A family favorite at our house is miniature golf. We love to play the outside courses, or the inside glow in the dark courses, but our favorite is to set up our own course in the house. Use books to make ramps, shoes as the hole, and empty paper towel rolls as the club.

Choose Your Resolutions

Sit everyone down and pick out what you would each like to improve on in the new year. You could make a game out of it by gathering all the resolutions and taking them to a dart board. See if you can get a bulls eye on your resolution. As the clock strikes midnight, take a moment to reflect on the past year and set your New Year’s resolutions. Write them down on a piece of paper and keep them somewhere visible throughout the year to remind yourself of the good things you aim to achieve.

Clean The House

What?! No really, hear me out. You have all of this new stuff from gift giving, especially the kids! Get a bag and have them choose some old toys to give away. Use this to teach a lesson in how to help others and how happy these toys are going to make another child.

Make A Scrapbook

Have the family pick out their favourite moments over the past year and make a scrapbook. This can become a yearly tradition. Don’t forget to include drawings the kids have made and have them write or you can write some stories of what they liked best about the past year.

Professional Pictures

This is a great time to have your pictures taken. A great start to the new year. You can do this every year, then you’ll know exactly when they were taken.

Football!!

Have a guy who refuses to give up his football? Then play a family friendly game of touch or flag football. He’ll get the best of both worlds and you get that family memory to cherish.

Explore Your Local Area

Explore your current location for unique New Year’s Eve festivities. You might discover a comedy club hosting a special event, a science museum with fun things to do, or even a college football game to attend with friends. Sometimes the best part of celebrating is finding the right place for your preferences.

Whatever you do on New Year’s Day, remember to take a time out and think back on all the memories of the last year. And if the couch ends up being occupied all day with sports on the tv, then take a bubble bath and leave him in charge of the dinner, decorations and kids for an hour. He’ll learn.

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