Five Fun Ways to Celebrate New Year's Eve with Kids

Another New Year's Eve is almost here, and I'm hoping to celebrate with my kids in a way that works out better than last year's epic fail - spoiler alert: if you give sugary mocktails and noisemakers to eight toddlers, no amount of champagne will make your night turn out OK.

This year instead of relying on my own craft fail-esque ideas, I've consulted the experts on Pinterest.

Here are five ideas for fun ways to celebrate New Year's Eve with kids:

• Have an awesome New Year's Toast. There are so many truly inspired ideas, a few of my favorites are to serve rainbow drinks, cotton candy Shirley Temples, or milk and cookies in a champagne flute.

Pinterest via Anna Sandler via Sara Coys

• Take fabulous photos. Kids can wear their favorite formal wear, or you can provide fun dress-up options like hats, boas, sunglasses or these fantastic mustache props for photo ops.

Via Pinterest

• Make the countdown count. Count down the hours with numbered balloons which when popped reveal a note with a fun activity, or make countdown bags filled with fun stuff. You could also create a gigantic balloon drop to mark the arrival of 2013.

• Write a few memories. There are lots of free printables to choose from, including ones for younger kids to record their memories or older ones to write their 2013 goals. You could also decorate a jar to be filled with memories made throughout the coming year. Read them all on next New Year's Eve 2013. 

• Let them stay up until midnight. Yeah, real midnight. Not some fake midnight at noon or some "8pm is the new midnight" bullshit. Just let the kids stay up till midnight. Honestly, how many New Year's Eves will there be when the kids will be content to watch TV and hang out with their parents? Enjoy these few years when a late bedtime is enough for it to be the Best. New. Year's. Ever.

For lots more ideas, visit New Year's Fun for Kids on Pinterest. And if you have ideas for amusing the children on New Year's Eve, please share them below!

Happy New Year!