1. Mix-up mocktails

Mocktails make for festive drinks to toast in the new year, featured on @JPHowze’s New Years Eve Party Ideas board. We especially love all the different colors, the use of hard candy as a swizzle stick, and the ability for the entire family to toast together.

2. Decorate on a Budget

Preparing for a party should be as much fun as the event itself. We love that these frugal decorating ideas don’t cost much but still make your event festive. Whether it’s using glitter to glam up some bottles or using spray paint to create a centerpiece, these crafty solutions — featured on @JPHowze’s New Years Eve Party Ideas board — let everyone get involved in setting the scene. 

 3. Play family-friendly party games with household objects

The kids will love getting silly and playing games as a family. With these games from Happiness is Homemade, there’s no need to buy special kits or equipment.

These party games use household items like bottles and plastic cups as for unforgettable fun

4. Do New Year’s Eve marshmallow bingo

You can print your own NYE bingo cards in minutes from Campfire Marshmallows and the marshmallow playing pieces make it even more fun. Prizes can be small items, the sillier the better!

5. Make things a fun and funky with kid-friendly twists

These 20 festive and easy party ideas from Stylecaster include kid-friendly touches: try a DIY family photo booth, tack up a piece of paper (or a white board) where grown-ups and kids can write their hopes for 2019, and definitely put out these adorable sprinkle-topped glasses of milk.

6. Decorate cookies as part of the fun

Get the cookies baked, lay out the supplies and prepare for creative fun, with great tips from Delish! You can use buttercream or icing with sprinkles, candy decorations and more. Have some old t-shirts or smocks for artists to use while they create and lay down paper or oilcloth so it’s ok if they go a little Jackson Pollack.

7. Mix up glittery playdough

This make-at-home recipe gives the classic modeling dough a sparkly New Year’s Eve makeover. You could even create a little competition — who can roll the longest snake, who can create the best imaginary animal — with prizes for the best sculptors.
9. Whip up an easy family New Year’s Eve menu

You don’t need to have a big bash to enjoy a fun family New Year’s Eve. We love this simple, fun menu — including a pizza bar! — that Canadian Mom Eh recommends.

8. Celebrate the stroke of midnight with these DIY activities

Create a countdown every hour with a balloon pop (picture at top of article), organize an easy midnight balloon drop, create confetti balloons to pop at 12, put together homemade noisemakers — make the moment magic with tips from One Good Thing’s post. A benefit of celebrating with little ones is that you needn’t wait until midnight to ring in the new year.