By Eulain Almazar
It is almost the New Year and now is a great time to plan a New Year’s celebration with your family by creating more memories that will last a lifetime.
Below are some fun ideas to prepare for the coming new year:
CREATE A HAPPINESS JAR:
Write down happy thoughts, things that you look forward to accomplishing, words of wisdom, encouraging notes, etc. on little slips of paper on NYE. Each day of the New Year, take out one of the notes to remind you and your child of what is important and what to look forward to in the coming year.
RELIVE MEMORIES from the previous year:
Tell stories and look through pictures to remind you of all the fun you had. Watch videos from your past vacations, recitals, birthdays, etc. to relive those moments! Share special memories you may have of celebrating the new year when you were a child and discuss what things are the same and what things are different today.
HAVE A DANCE PARTY:
Decorate the house, listen to music and have a dance party!
CREATE NYE PROPS: Children loves art and experiments. This is the perfect time to get crafty, make noise makers, or bang pots and pans as you countdown the final seconds of the year.
ENJOY NYE AROUND THE WORLD:
Show pictures or videos of how each country celebrates the New Year. Talk about it and let them ask questions. Then watch the countdown together as fireworks light the sky above landmarks around the world.
FAMILY GAME NIGHT:
From board games to charades, playing lots of games will entertain the whole family and it will be NYE before you know it! The whole family can participate and your house will be full of excitement and laughter.
Lastly, pass on a tradition from your upbringing or begin a new one with your child to help make it even more special and personal.
No matter how you celebrate the New Years, include your children in the preparations. Children like to get involved and it lets them know that they can be great helpers. Any way that you celebrate is a gift to your children because it expands their minds and hearts, showing them to value time spent with loved ones. Let us all make memories and welcome the New Year with LOVE!