New Year's Activities • KidsCanHaveFun Blog

From Fireworks to Festivities: Magical New Year’s Traditions Kids Love Worldwide

New Year’s celebrations are a time of joy and renewal, and families around the globe have developed unique traditions to mark the occasion. Here are some enchanting customs that captivate children worldwide:

1. Spain: The Twelve Grapes of Luck

As the clock strikes midnight, Spanish families eat twelve grapes, one for each chime, to bring good fortune for the coming year. This tradition, known as “Doce Uvas de la Suerte,” is a fun and slightly challenging activity that kids eagerly anticipate.

2. Greece: Hanging Onions and Smashing Pomegranates

In Greece, onions symbolize growth and rebirth. Families hang them on their doors to invite prosperity. Additionally, children participate in smashing pomegranates on the ground; the more seeds that scatter, the more luck for the household.

3. Brazil: Beach Offerings to Iemanjá

On New Year’s Eve, Brazilian families, often dressed in white, gather on beaches like Copacabana to honor Iemanjá, the goddess of the sea. Children join in sending out small boats filled with flowers and gifts, hoping for blessings in return.

4. Japan: Eating Soba Noodles

Japanese families enjoy “toshikoshi soba” (year-crossing noodles) on New Year’s Eve. The long noodles symbolize a clean break from the old year. It’s a simple yet meaningful tradition that children partake in to usher in good fortune.

5. Scotland: Hogmanay and First-Footing

In Scotland, Hogmanay celebrations include “first-footing,” where the first person to enter a home after midnight brings gifts like coal or shortbread to symbolize warmth and good luck. Children often accompany adults, adding to the festive spirit.

6. Philippines: Round Objects for Prosperity

Filipino families display round fruits and wear polka dots on New Year’s Eve, as circles represent coins and wealth. Children enjoy collecting and arranging fruits, believing it will bring prosperity.

7. Colombia: Suitcase Walks for Travel

In Colombia, it’s customary to carry an empty suitcase around the block at midnight to ensure a travel-filled year. Children delight in this playful tradition, dreaming of adventures ahead.

8. Ireland: Bread Banging

Irish families engage in “bread banging,” where they knock on walls and doors with Christmas bread to ward off bad luck and invite good spirits. Children participate enthusiastically, making noise to chase away negativity.

9. Switzerland: Dropping Cream

In Switzerland, a dollop of cream is dropped on the floor to symbolize the richness of the coming year. Kids find joy in this quirky tradition, anticipating sweet times ahead.

10. United States: Times Square Ball Drop

American families often watch the Times Square ball drop in New York City, either in person or on television. Children are captivated by the dazzling display, marking the start of the New Year with excitement.

Engaging New Year’s Activities for Kids at Home

To bring the global festive spirit into your home, here are some activities at KidsCanHaveFun.com inspired by various traditions:

1. DIY Noisemakers

Encourage children to create their own noisemakers using simple materials like paper plates, cups, and beans. This craft not only keeps them engaged but also adds to the celebratory atmosphere.

2. New Year’s Bingo

Organize a game of New Year’s-themed bingo. Printable bingo cards are available online, offering a fun way for kids to learn about different symbols associated with the holiday.

3. Crafting Party Hats

Set up a crafting station for children to design their own New Year’s party hats. Provide materials like paper, glitter, and stickers to spark creativity.

4. Balloon Countdown

Create a countdown by popping a balloon every hour leading up to midnight. Place a small note or treat inside each balloon to make the activity more exciting for kids.

5. Family Dance Party

Host a dance party with music from around the world. Introduce children to songs from different cultures, reflecting the global nature of New Year’s celebrations.

These activities not only entertain but also educate children about diverse cultural practices, making the New Year’s celebration both fun and enlightening.

Now that you know a little more about New Year’s traditions around the world, celebrate with DIY printables!

Happy New Year!

New Year’s Games for Kids, Bingo, Match Game

New Year’s Games for the Whole Family

Kids and family will enjoy these New Year’s Games. Play games such as classic BINGO where the caller calls out numbers and you see if they are on your BINGO card. Fill any straight row and yell BINGO.

Kids can show off their memory skills with the memory match game where you try to find cute holiday characters that are placed face down. Each player takes a turn by turning over two cards. If they match, the player gets to keep the cards, if they don’t, they place them faced down. Try to remember the cards when it is your turn. The player with the most cards at the end is the Memory champion.

Now here’s a game to get the whole family involved with the Happy New Year Calendar game. Print and cut out the Calendar Game and Number 1 stickies. Tape up the Happy New Year Game on the wall. Write a child’s name on the back of each Number 1 sticky. Children are blindfolded with a mask or scarf and handed a Number 1 sticky with tape on the back. Place the children in a line one behind the other in front of the Game. Taking turns each child tries to place their Number 1 sticky on the Happy New Year Calendar red square. The child that has the closest placement is the winner.

Find these fun New Year’s Games for Kids and more to enjoy with family during the holiday season!

New Years Puzzles for Kids, Word Search, Crossword, Jigsaw

Kids New Years Puzzles to do over the holidays. Print and cut out these holiday jigsaw puzzle pictures and put them back together again. Mix up two jigsaw puzzles and challenge the kids.

Happy New Year Puzzles

Challenge the kids during the holidays with New Years Crossword and Word Search Puzzles. Solve the answers to New Years questions in our holiday crossword puzzle or find the words in our Word Search.

New Years Jigsaw Puzzles

Print and cut along the lines to make fun New Years Jigsaw Puzzles. Choose from a New Year Baby or Bunny to paste together. Mix up the jigsaw puzzle pieces to both puzzles for a great challenge. Paste the puzzle pieces on plain or colored paper.

Fun Holiday Puzzles for the kids to keep them busy and challenged. Print and take them along when traveling by car, air or train. Great to bring along for the kids when dining out at restaurants or dinner parties.

You can find more New Year’s Puzzles for kids and other activities to keep the kids entertained throughout their holiday break.

New Years Noisemakers DIY Crafts for Kids

New Years Noisemakers to Celebrate the New Year

kids can share in the New Years celebrations with these fun New Years Noisemakers. DIY megaphone, paper plate shakers or paper cup shakers. Just add dried beans, popcorn kernels, beads or anything that can make some noise. Fun printouts to place around the cups and paper plates. Kids will have a blast with these simple to make crafty noisemakers!

New Years Paper Cup Shaker Crafts

These New Years paper cup shakers are so easy to make the kids can have these ready in no time. Just print out the paper cup wrappers, attach the wrappers with glue or tape, add dried beans, popcorn kernels or beads inside the cup and seal the top with strong tape and your done! Just hold the cup in one hand and shake. Make one for each hand to create that perfect beat.

New Years Paper Plate Shaker Crafts

Make some noise with these fun New Years Noisemakers that parents won’t mind hearing. Kids can make a paper plate shaker for New Years that looks like a tambourine. Print out the paper plate shaker templates for both sides of the paper plate. Glue the templates on the bottom of the paper plates with pictures facing upwards. Staple or tape the paper plates together leaving space between the plates to add dried beans, popcorn kernels or beads (add all types if available) inside the plates. Staple or tape to close the gap to keep the beans from falling out. Punch holes around the ends of the plates to add streamers, bells and ribbons. Now go ahead and shake to celebrate the New Year!

New Years Megaphone Crafts

Two New Years Megaphones to make for the New Years Celebration. Choose from one that can be colored or one that is in color. Print two templates on heavy card stock for each side of the megaphone. Tape yellow colored paper around a toilet paper roll (or cut a paper towel roll the same size). If you don’t have yellow paper it can be colored with yellow markers or crayons. Glue both megaphone templates on each side of the paper roll. Add 3 buttons or beads to the top of the tube for finger buttons (valves) that can also be played as a trumpet.

This year the kids can join in on the New Years Celebrations with New Years Noisemakers they make themselves.

New Year Celebration, Party Printables, Hats, Masks, Wristbands

Start off the New Year Celebration with party printables for the kids. Choose from a a variety of party stuff to print and put together for New Years. Print party props to wear and party decorations for the home. All of the party props and decorations match for that perfect celebration.

New Year Celebration Party Props

Kids New Years Party Printables with fun party masks, hats, and wristbands for everyone to wear. The kids will love these firecracker half-masks that are easy to make. Wear a matching party hat and wristband. Choose from a variety of colorful wristbands in different sizes to place around the wrist. Kids can put together a money holder to place a special surprise inside for a family member or friend.

New Year Celebration Party Decorations

The kids can help decorate the home with New Years Party Decorations. Put up a Banner, hang a Happy New Year door hanger on the door, and add table decorations to the table. Decorate the table with Treat Toppers, Drink Coasters, Water Bottle Labels, Cupcake Wrappers and even some Candy Bar Wrappers for the guests. Print the decorations on card stock and laminate the coasters to keep them around for a while. The party decorations are great for kids having their own little New Years Celebration! Set the kids up with their own table and chairs and let them decorate. Add streamers to the chairs with balloons. Parents can add a surprise inside the money holder for the kids at the table.

This year the kids can have a New Year Celebration Party with free party printables and props. Add stickers, streamers, bells, ribbon and balloons to complete the whole party celebration!