New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate with loved ones and reflect on the past year. It can be challenging to find activities that are suitable for the whole family. Fortunately, there are plenty of fun and exciting activities that you can do together to ring in the New Year. In this blog post, we’ll share some ideas for New Year’s Eve activities for families.

  1. Hike at a state or national park
    The National Association of State Parks are sponsoring First Day Hikes in state parks across the country. It’s a great way to spend family time on the First Day Hikes website. National Park Service First Day Hikes information is found here.
  2. Host a family game night
    Order a snack box from Amazon and have a family game night on New Year’s Eve. Set up a game night with your family and friends. When it comes to fun family activities, it doesn’t get better than this. Set up some classic board games like Monopoly or Scrabble or even charades. Game night is a great way to ring in the New Year for families.
  3. Watch the Times Square Ball Drop livestream
    Watching the ball drop in Times Square is a classic New Year’s Eve tradition, and you can experience it from the comfort of your own home. Watch it on YouTube to join in the countdown.
  4. Family Walking Tour:
    Go on a family walking tour of your town. Stop by the visitor center to pick up a brochure of attractions. See how many you can find that you didn’t know were there. Show the kids where the evening festivities would be. Take advantage of daytime activities for any First Night festivals that may be going on.
  5. Create a time capsule:
    MSN has a list of good ideas for making a family time capsule. It’s is a fun way to reflect on the past year and look forward to the future. Ask family members to write down their favorite memories from the past year or their resolutions for the coming year. Add small drawings, family photos or local newspaper. (Print photos professionally or on quality paper to prevent fading). Then, seal it all in a dry 2-liter bottle or other container. Open it next New Year’s Eve or a date even farther in the future. It’s a great way to create a family keepsake that you can revisit for years to come.
  6. Visit a Zoo
    Lots of zoos are having extra activities like the Birmingham Zoo’s Money Drop. A five foot stuffed money will climb down a vine on New Year’s Eve. This is a great opportunity to learn how zoos prepare the animals for winter. Like the Cincinnati Zoo, many zoos have discounted tickets for winter. If not, ask about student or AAA discounts which are usually available all year. Don’t worry about staying out late though. Lots of zoo activities take place at noon or during the afternoon – not midnight.

New Year’s Eve is a time to create special memories with your family. Whether you choose to play games, watch the ball drop, dance the night away, create a time capsule, or make a delicious dessert, there are plenty of fun and festive activities to choose from. So, get ready to ring in the New Year with your loved ones!