As a mom of littles, I know how critical sticking to bedtime is! And while we are all about New Year's celebrations with kids, we love to limit tantrums or meltdowns around here, so we've rounded up some great New Year's Eve countdowns for kids to protect their sleep and your sanity!
Quick facts:
- Use any of the New Year's Eve Countdown videos on this list to “ring in the New Year” at anytime of day, just queue it up and play! (TIP: Change your clocks around the house to coincide with it for older kids!)
- Craft a New Year's Eve Countdown with the ideas below as a fun way to pass the time and teach kids about telling time. Just adjust your clocks to match your countdown throughout the day!
Watch New Year's Eve Countdowns For Kids
Generally speaking, Netflix and PBS kids are the two main New Year's Eve countdowns for kids. Each has a few options so read on!
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PBS Kids
Each year PBS kids drops a ~10 min countdown video here. It's totally free and can be played from any device.
The countdown features different PBS kids shows/characters each year, so it's always a fun surprise to see who shows up!
Additionally, the Sesame Street New Year's countdown for kids is available all of the time and one of my favorites for toddlers or little kids as it's not too overstimulating:
Let's Party
Let's Party Youtube channel drops incredibly simple New Year's countdowns and celebration screensavers set to traditional cheesy music and the perfect classic black + gold color palette for a basic, yet suspenseful and on-theme – countdown.
Click here for this years!
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Netflix
Don't fret if you can't find NYE countdowns on Netflix right now. Netflix typically drops over 10 New Year's Eve countdowns for kids on 12/31 allowing parents to choose whichever based off their child's favorite characters or interests. Here's a preview of featured countdowns:
My kids are partial to the Puffin Rock New Year's Eve countdown.
Additionally, they have the Motown Magic New Year's Eve Countdown available each years:
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Craft New Year's Eve Countdowns For Kids
Choose from tons of options for crafted New Year's countdowns!
- Pop It! You can get this set of confetti filled + numbered New Year's balloons, or just use your own, to blow up and have kids pop them as the day goes by
- Pull It! Get a paper plate, add the numbers like it's a clock, use mini brad fasteners to fix on “clock hands” to the clock face. Punch out holes at each number, then tie a pipe cleaner in each hole. Have kids pull it off as the clock passes the time
- Punch It! Get 12 cups, putting a number 1-12 on each. Inside each cup put a little surprise (light up bracelet, New Year's necklace, wind up toy, candy etc.). Tape a piece of paper or tissue paper over each cup, then at the hour, punch it to reveal the prize!
- Blast Through The Past: Print a picture from each month of the year, and use this picture craft pack to put each picture in and decorate, then string up around the room. As each hour passes for the day put one of the pictures up on the string as you reflect back on the year.
Countdown craft supplies
You can use these *and* still get your kids into bed early but adjusting your clocks to match the next tick of the “clock” for your countdown.
Counting down to a calm + happy New Year!
Here's to creating a New Year's Eve celebration that's uniquely yours with one of these kid-friendly countdowns!
May at least one of them resonate with your family as you build new tradition to encapsulate the love, joy, and laughter celebrated each year!
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