New Year’s Crafts and Activities for Kids
As we gear up to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new, it’s the perfect time to involve kids in the celebration with fun and creative activities. These New Year’s crafts and activities are designed to keep little hands busy and encourage their imaginations as they prepare for the countdown.
In this post, we’ve rounded up the best New Year’s crafts and activities to make New Year’s Eve extra special for your kids. Let’s dive in!
DIY Countdown Clocks
This Paper Plate Countdown clock is a fun and easy craft from Buggy and Buddy.
What You’ll Need:
- Paper plates
- Markers or crayons
- Number stickers or a pen
- A brad fastener
- Cardstock or foam for clock hands
How to Make It:
- Let kids decorate the paper plate to look like a clock face, adding numbers and designs.
- Cut out two clock hands (one longer for the minute hand) and attach them to the center of the plate with a brad fastener.
- Practice moving the hands to the hour for the countdown and discuss how time works.
Why It’s Fun:
Kids will love creating their own clocks and learning about time as they prepare to count down to midnight.
New Year’s Cootie Catchers / Fortune Tellers
Do you remember these paper folding games you used to make as kids? What you call them differs from region to region, some may know them as fortune tellers, cootie catchers or chatterboxes.
Kids can make their own using a blank piece of paper, or see below for our done for you instant download bundle:
Grab our New Year’s Eve Fortune Teller Bundle
Whether you call them cootie catchers, fortune tellers or chatterboxes, our bundle of New year’s themed fortune teller templates will be fun for the whole family!
What’s included:
- New Year’s jokes cootie catcher / fortune teller
- New Year’s fortunes cootie catcher / fortune teller – ask a question and get the answer… (just for fun of course!)
- New Year’s challenge cootie catcher / fortune teller – fun challenges to liven up the party
- New year’s scavenger hunt cootie catcher /fortune teller – find these items around the house or party venue!
- 1 blank template to add your own fortunes or challenges
- 1 instruction sheet of how to cut out and fold your cootie catcher / fortune teller
Kids will love these but they are great for the whole family to enjoy!
New Year’s Resolution Jars
What You’ll Need:
- Mason jars or plastic cups
- Colorful paper or sticky notes
- Markers
- Stickers and glitter for decoration
How to Make It:
- Have each child decorate their jar with stickers, glitter, or their name.
- On small pieces of paper, they can write or draw their goals and resolutions for the new year.
- Seal the jars and place them somewhere special to open at the end of the year.
Why It’s Fun:
This activity encourages reflection and goal-setting while letting kids unleash their creativity.
Noisemaker Shakers
What You’ll Need:
- Plastic bottles or cardboard tubes
- Beads, rice, or dried beans
- Tape or glue
- Paint, markers, and stickers for decoration
How to Make It:
- Fill the bottles or tubes halfway with beads, rice, or beans.
- Seal the openings securely with tape or glue.
- Decorate the outside with colorful designs, stickers, and festive embellishments.
- Let the kids shake away as they celebrate the countdown!
Why It’s Fun:
Noisemakers are a classic New Year’s tradition, and kids will love making and using their own personalized ones.
Grab our New Years Eve Family Party Bundle
This New Year Party game bundle features 12 family party games to add fun to any New year’s Eve party or family get together! A variety of activities suitable for kids and adults to play together.
Instructions, templates, answers and everything you need to play is included. This is an instant download digital file for you to print at home, meaning it can make a great last minute addition to your NYE party!
The games are as follows:
Scavenger Hunt
New Years Trivia
Would You Rather
Alphabet Race
Candy Dice Game
True or False Quiz
Scattergories
Make A Word Game
Memory Game
Find Someone Who
Drawing Game
What’s Your New Years Name?
Firework Art
This New Years Firework Art is an easy and inexpensive activity from In The Playroom.
What You’ll Need:
- Black construction paper
- Washable paints in bright colors
- Plastic forks or toilet paper rolls cut into fringe
- Glitter (optional)
How to Make It:
- Dip a fork or fringed toilet paper roll into paint and press it onto the black paper to create firework shapes.
- Layer colors for a vibrant, bursting effect.
- Sprinkle glitter on the wet paint for added sparkle.
Why It’s Fun:
This mess-free craft allows kids to explore color and texture while creating their own festive firework display.
New Year’s Eve Countdown Bags
What You’ll Need:
- Paper bags or gift bags
- Small toys, candy, or activities
- Markers and stickers for labeling
How to Make It:
- Decorate each bag with the hour it should be opened (e.g., 6 PM, 7 PM, etc.).
- Fill the bags with fun surprises like small puzzles, snacks, or crafts.
- Let kids open a bag each hour leading up to midnight (or an earlier “midnight” for younger kids).
Why It’s Fun:
This activity keeps the excitement alive all evening and makes the countdown interactive and engaging for children.
Conclusion
New Year’s is a time of joy and reflection, and these crafts and activities help kids feel part of the celebration. From creating their own clocks to shaking homemade noisemakers, these projects encourage creativity and fun as they prepare to ring in the new year. Try one—or all—of these ideas, and make this New Year’s Eve one your family will always remember!
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About The Author
Melissa is an Educational Consultant in the UK with over 25 years teaching experience. Through her expertise in creating educational resources for children she opened her Etsy shop, Gin&Gemini, in 2022 and quickly expanded her offering into the party planning niche, offering a range of physical and digital products for children’s parties, family celebrations, holidays and the bachelorette / hen party niche. She lives on a farm with her husband, young daughter and cats.
