31 Simple Activities to Do Before the New Year!

With all the special events and high hopes for the future, both kids and adults get excited for New Year’s Eve. My kids and I loved hanging a sparkly backdrop on the wall and wearing party hats for photos before a special dinner and dance party last year. We even spent some time talking about what we looked forward to the next year. Still, the big night seemed like it ended much too soon!

This year, we hope to try something a little different to stretch out the celebration. You can make the joyful mood last all month, too, by starting your own countdown to the new year on December 1! Have your child pick one new thing to do each day throughout the month. Create your own list or use our ideas below. For extra fun, write each activity on a slip of paper and create a paper chain. Then, tear off each activity as you complete it.

Here are 31 activity ideas to do with the whole family before the new year starts!

1. Read a new book.
2. Make a garland to hang in your home
3. Go on a scavenger hunt.
4. Mix up snow paint.
5. Listen to a kid-friendly podcast.
6. Craft a winter wonderland terrarium.
7. Make holiday lights art.
8. Mail someone a letter, hand deliver a thank you card or play pretend post office.
9. Check out holiday books from your local library and have family story time.
10. Bake cookies.
11. Stargaze from home or visit a planetarium.
12. Call or video chat (don’t forget to customize your background) with a friend or extended family member.
13. Put on a short show while wearing snowflake headbands.
14. Color the letter D to celebrate December.
15. You’re halfway through the month! Relax with a mindfulness jar.
16. Make an ice sculpture.
17. Build a gingerbread village out of boxes.
18. Compete in your own olympics at home.
19. Make a gift for a family member or friend.
20. Go on a shape hunt.
21. Learn some new jokes or read a funny book.
22. Make a spending jar, a saving jar, and a sharing jar and talk about the value of money.
23. Shake things up with a DIY snow globe.
24. Play freeze dance with Peterrific.
25. Create a self-portrait or draw one of someone else.
26. Watch a read-along together.
27. Build a fort from blankets and sheets. Decorate it with garland or lights for a fun family hideaway.
28. Create a wreath in your favorite holiday colors.
29. Take a walk through your neighborhood or local park. Record what you see in a nature journal.
30. Host a family puppet show.
31. Help each other make new year’s resolutions. Then pick a way to ring in the new year at home.

Looking for even more New Year’s activities? Check out these fun math ideas from PBS SoCal, recipes from PBS Food, or watch and learn about New Year’s Day from PBS Learning Media.