As the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, families across the nation will be ready to bid farewell to the year that has passed and welcome 2024. When it comes to New Year’s Eve plans, there’s no shortage of places to raise a glass of champagne among adult friends but finding family-friendly activities to see in the New Year with younger company can be a challenge.
For parents and nannies looking to make the transition into the New Year memorable for the little ones, we've curated a list of heartwarming activities that extend beyond the bustling city centre. From cosy at-home celebrations to local events, these ideas will create lasting memories for families without the need to venture too far from NW postcodes!
1. Ice Disco at Alexandra Palace
Over the Christmas and New Year period, Alexandra Palace Ice Rink is hosting a series of Ice Discos and what better way to celebrate the New Year than to don your skates and immerse yourselves in a wonderland of dazzling lights as snowflakes gracefully around you? Whether you’re the next Jane Torvil or the skater who’s glued to their support penguin throughout, this is a fun activity that can be enjoyed by all.
2. Host a Homemade Pizza Party
Lay out a variety of toppings for children to customise homemade pizzas with and turn your kitchen into a pizzeria for the night. Whether it’s just your family or you’ve extended an invitation to friends too, this is a fun and delicious way to celebrate together and flexibility with toppings encourages children to be more experimental with the foods they try.
3. Neighbourhood Firework Displays
Your family may be au fait with at-home firework displays which is definitely a memorable way to ring in the New Year but as a lower-maintenance alternative, we’d suggest heading over to Alexandra Palace Park where you'll find a fantastic vantage point for the firework displays across London.
Head over with a flask of hot chocolate (or prosecco for the grown ups) and some blankets or warm layers and take in these spectacular views and firework displays without any of the stress and hassle of busy central London crowds or pricey tickets!
4. Family Game Night
Dust off the board games and card decks for a lively family game night. Whether it's classics like Monopoly, family fun games like Cranium, musical bingo or new favourites received at Christmas, it's a fantastic way for family and friends to bond and have fun on New Year’s Eve.
You could even take your children shopping for the game night beforehand, encouraging them to pick out snacks, drinks or even games of choice for the evening. In doing so, children will experience a greater sense of pride for something they have helped plan and host.
5. Create a Time Capsule
Craft a time capsule with the children, filling it with handwritten notes, drawings and small mementos from the year. This playful activity encourages children to reflect on the year that has passed and what they’ve most enjoyed, fostering a sense of gratitude.
Once you’ve collected the capsule items, either bury it in the garden or store it away to be opened next New Year's Eve.
6. Create your own New Year’s Decorations
Ahead of the New Year’s Eve countdown, set up a crafting station and let the kids decorate their own New Year's party hats, bunting, table decor or cookies. Pastimes like these help develop a child’s creativity and imagination and seeing their finished work take pride of place on New Year will certainly be a memorable experience for them.
7. Craft Your Resolutions
Sit down as a family and come up with New Year's resolutions together. These could be anything from planning to eat more broccoli to learning to swim to tidying up after oneself. No matter how big or small, coming up with resolutions together can strengthen family bonds but also teaches children valuable life skills like reflection, planning and organisation.
You can also use colourful paper, pens, glitter or stickers to make the experience more creative and engaging for younger kids.
8. ‘Open Air’ Movie
It’s perhaps a little too fresh (and rainy) outside for outdoor movies to be hot on anyone’s to-do list but you can still bring the novelty of this into your homes this New Year’s. Get your
children to help set up a fort as big as their imagination allows and bring in mattresses or an inflatable bed to create a campsite of sorts in your living room. Coupled with snacks, cosy blankets, a selection of family favourite movies and each other’s company, this is such a simple way to enjoy an ‘open air’ movie experience from the warmth and comfort of your own home.
9. Nature Scavenger Hunt in Golders Hill Park
Golders Hill Park offers a picturesque setting for a pre-New Year’s Eve or New Year's Day nature scavenger hunt. Bundle up with coats and scarves and explore the park with a list of items to find.
As everyone prepares to welcome the New Year, families can embrace the magic of the season with these heartwarming ideas. Whether you're staying in for a cosy night (and doing your countdown at 7pm) or venturing out for an evening of activities, we wish you a magical New Year with your families.