Happy almost New Year! And happy VERY FIRST POST for me! I've been wanting to start a blog for quite some time (way over a year), and I'm FINALLY starting one. The New Year seemed to be a perfect time to start my NEW blog.
Like most parents of little children, going out on New Year's Eve isn't always possible. So last year, I decided to make New Year's Eve a fun experience at home.
I made countdown bags for each hour. Each bag had fun but inexpensive items to keep the kids busy.
My girls (ages 2-1/2 years and 5-1/2 years old at the time) LOVED opening a bag each hour, and it seemed to keep the time moving.
New Year's Eve Bag Schedule:
8:00pm - New Year's coloring sheet
that I just printed free from online. Click here for some examples.
9:00pm - (air) blowers...not sure what they're really called.
Those things that are curled up and when you blow they flap out straight.
10:00pm - New Year's eyeglasses with the upcoming year
11:00pm - plastic Hawaiian leis
The reasons I used these were:
1) I wasn't sure if the kids would make it until 11pm, so if they didn't get to this time then they wouldn't miss much.
2) It was extra stuff from the New Year's box I bought, so I wanted to just use them up.
11:30pm - cookies & milk in celebratory glasses.
See my post Milk & Cookies for New Year's Eve.
Right before 12:00am Midnight - LAST bag filled with necklaces and noise makers.
You can truly fill the bags with anything. Each bag had enough per child, so since I have 2 kids, there were 2 of everything. Each girl alternated to open the bags.
Supplies for Countdown Bags:
- 5 paper bags
(More if you want to start earlier. They can be as simple as brown paper lunch bags or get decorative ones)
- colored construction paper (optional)
if you want to mount the clocks to them. Just an added pop of color to make simple bags more pretty.
- clock picture for the face of the bag
You can draw one or print the one below that I used. Then just draw in the time.
Here's a closer look at the bags.
As the year is coming to a close, I hope we all reflect on the many blessings of this past year and look forward to the adventures of the upcoming year.
Have a happy day,
Arlyn
Street Cred Mama
Very creative! Any ideas for boys?
ReplyDeleteYES! Though I'm not a mom of boys, I have taught boys in school, and they tend to be more active...to say the least.
Delete1) Cars (like Hotwheels)
Write the year on them, so they know what year they received them. I saw some the other day at Kmart for just a little over $1.
2) Train set
Ikea has an inexpensive one for $10.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30064359/
3) Legos
Discount stores, like Target, have the smaller packs. They're not as expensive and not as many pieces but can keep them busy until the next bag.
Thank you for being my VERY FIRST COMMENT!!! :-)