New Year's is traditionally a holiday associated with adult parties and celebrations. But the end of a year and the beginning of a new year can be as exciting for children as it is for adults. If your tween wants to throw a New Year's Party for friends, there's no reason to worry. There are numerous New Year's activities and games that tweens can enjoy, and what better way to begin a great year than with friends?
Below are a few suggestions to help you and your tween plan a great New Year's Party for preteens.
Plan Your Menu
With your tween's guidance, choose a few finger foods that the crowd might like, such as mini egg rolls, buffalo wings, a few dips, and crunchies such as potato chips, peanuts, a veggie tray, and snack mix. You could add a few traditional items to the menu, such as black eyed peas, so the children can get a taste of a New Year's tradition. Punch is always a crowd pleaser, but be sure to offer water as well. Your guests can't partake in a celebratory glass of champagne, but you can offer them a glass of sparkling apple juice at your New Year's party. You can find sparkling apple juice at your local grocery store.
Offer Fun Party Favors
Party favors can make a party, and New Year's Eve decorations are easy to come by and fairly inexpensive. You can find packs of napkins, plastic champagne flutes, banners, noisemakers, derby hats, tinsel tiaras, and paper blowouts at most dollar stores or party stores.
Other decorations and favors could include plastic leis, confetti, balloons, and individual bubble soaps, to blow at midnight.
Play New Year's Party Games
Tweens aren't too old for games, and a New Year's Party offers plenty of opportunities for them to interact and have fun celebrating the end of one year and the beginning of another. Two games that tweens might enjoy are Guess My Resolution and The Year in Review.
The Year in Review
Research several events that happened over the year, and have the tweens guess which month they took place. Include events that took place in your home town, neighborhood or at school. The child with the most right, wins.
Guess My Resolution
Have each guest write down his or her resolution and then place all of them in a hat or a bag. Read each resolution out loud, and have the children write down who they think made that resolution. The child with the most correct, wins.
Teach Them a Traditional Song
It just wouldn't be a New Year's Party without playing the traditional song, Auld Lang Syne. Teach the children that the famous lyrics were written by the author and poet, Robert Burns, and that the song is traditionally sung in English speaking countries at the stroke of midnight. The lyrics are simple, and easy to remember:
Auld Lang Syne Lyrics
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
Drop the Ball
The children can watch the dropping of the Times Square Ball on television, or they can lower their own right at home. You can make your own time ball with a large styrofoam ball, crystal beads and silver spray paint. Just spray the ball with the paint, let it dry, then have your tween decorate it with the crystal or plastic beads, and attach a long string.
At 11:59 p.m., begin lowering the ball from a balcony, an outside deck, or another elevated place, letting it rest at the bottom at exactly 12 midnight. Don't forget the countdown, and offer plenty of sparkling apple juice to the crowd afterwards.
Host a Midnight Breakfast
A midnight feast is a fun way to end your New Year's Party festivities and prepare the children for bed. A buffet of scrambled eggs, danishes, fruit, muffins, jam and orange juice can be prepared in just a few minutes, and thrown on the table for hungry party-goers. Make clean-up easy with paper plates and disposable utensils. Once your tweens have been properly fed, you can tuck them in for the night, and hope that they sleep well into the next morning.