If you have kids, you’re likely not celebrating the New Year at bars and clubs anymore. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have just as much fun, or even more fun, celebrating with your family. From having dinner together to making a fort, the fun ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve are endless. Here are some of our favorite, kid-friendly ways to celebrate.

Decorate Your House

With a quick trip to the party store, you can transform your house into party central. Blow up balloons, get New Year’s top hats, headbands, and party glasses that read 2021! Party crackers and poppers are also a great way to add to the festivities.

Have a Special Dinner

Just like you would on Christmas Day or Thanksgiving, have a special dinner with your family. But instead of ham or turkey, ask your kids what their favorite meal of the year is. Chances are you’ll be making chicken nuggets or mac and cheese, but eating your favorite meal is a great way to cap off the year.

Make Resolutions

A few days before December 31, sit down with your kids and ask them what they want to accomplish next year. This could be anything from reading more to helping out around the house. Throughout the year, check in with them to keep track of their resolution. At the end of the year, whoever made the most progress can get a small reward like extra dessert or staying up late.

Countdown to the New Year Early

If you’re worried your kids can’t make it to midnight or will get too cranky if they stay up late, do the countdown before midnight. If you search “ New Year’s countdown” on YouTube, thousands of videos will pop up. Netflix even offers a countdown with cartoon characters your kids will love.

Watch Fireworks

No New Year’s Eve celebration is complete without fireworks. If your kids can make it to midnight, head outside. There’s sure to be someone in your neighborhood setting off fireworks to celebrate. Sparklers are a fun way to get your kids in on the fun, too. You can also search New Year’s firework displays on YouTube from all over the world. Some of the best come from Sydney, London, and New York City.

Make a Fort

If you think you’re too old to enjoy building a blanket and pillow fort, you’re mistaken. Making one with your kids brings out your inner child—plus you’ll have no issue getting them to sleep that night. They’ll most likely fall asleep in it long before it’s bedtime.

Host a Virtual Party

You’ll most likely be ringing in the new year at home with just your immediate family. You could also host a virtual party on Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime. A virtual party will keep everyone safe, and it still allows you to start the new year with the people you love.

Play Games

Board games are a perfect way to pass the time. Games like Monopoly and Scrabble take hours and are perfect for the whole family to enjoy. Just make sure you’re not having too much fun that you miss the countdown.

Sign Your Kids Up for Frogbridge Day Camp

While you’re ringing in the new year, sign your kids up for a summer day camp in Central NJ at Frogbridge Day Camp. Across our 86 acres, our campers enjoy various outdoor activities like fishing, archery, and swimming. If you’ve never experienced the wonders of Frogbridge Day Camp, we invite you to book a private tour for you and your family to explore our facilities. We would love to host your children at our beautiful camp this summer. To learn more about our facilities, call (609) 208-9050 or register your child for camp online.

There’s nothing more meaningful than a homemade gift, especially when it comes from a kid. The joy and excitement kids feel when they can contribute to holiday gift-giving is heartwarming, and they often don’t realize how sentimental their gifts are to those who receive them. Whether your kids are looking to make gifts for a grandparent, classmate, teacher, friend, or you, there are plenty of inexpensive and creative ways for them to create the perfect gift. What’s great about making gifts at home is that it’s both memorable and a way for kids to stay busy and tap into their artistic abilities. Better yet, gift-giving helps kids instill the true meaning behind the holidays. Get crafty this holiday season with these five kid-friendly gift ideas!

Personalized Calendars

A unique way for kids to show their appreciation is by making a personalized calendar. Custom calendars are a cute and practical gift as the new year approaches. The key is tailoring the calendar to the recipient. For instance, if the calendar is for your kids’ friends, include elements that are representative of their relationship. Best of all, there are countless ways to personalize calendars. Start with the following:

Add photos
Choose a theme
Put stickers on special occasions
Use favorite colors
Attach embellishments

Of course, making a year-round calendar is time-consuming. Consider making a calendar for a couple of months out of the year. To make it easier, you can even print calendar charts online and glue them on a piece of construction paper. From there, you can let your kids dig in and personalize however they’d like.

Refrigerator Magnets

Have your kids upgrade their art into refrigerator magnets. Magnets are a small token of gratitude that can truly touch someone’s heart all year long. They’re relatively simple to make and will add some awesome decor to someone’s refrigerator. What’s more, you can repurpose unused items around your house. All you need is magnetic strips and a powerful adhesive like hot glue or gorilla glue. Try bottle caps, arrow clips, buttons, and photos. Whoever receives this gift will love this outside-the-box idea.

Reindeer Chow

Put down the arts and crafts and head to the kitchen to make some delicious reindeer chow with your kids. Reindeer chow will surely satisfy someone’s sweet touch. On top of that, you can spend quality time with your kids’. Grab a jar, pick out your favorite snacks, mix them together, and pour melted chocolate all over. Most people prefer to use pretzels, Chex Mix, M&M’s, and cereal. It’s so delicious, you may just have to make some for yourself!

Custom Cookie Tins

Cookie tins are a great way to share goodies during the holidays. Start with a blank cookie tin, which you can find at any crafts or container store for 5 to 10 dollars. Fill the tin with pre-made or freshly baked cookies, brownies, or candy. Then, get to decorating. Your kids can directly draw on the container, or they can draw on a sheet of paper and transfer it to the tin. Perhaps you’re looking for something even simpler—print out a picture or type out a message. Seal the tin with a clear coating spray and wrap it up! It’s that easy.

Mason Jar Snow Globes

Here’s a new variation to the traditional snow globe: have your kids create mason jar snow globes filled with ornaments. Here’s what you’ll need:

Holiday ornaments
Clear glue
Glitter
Water
Mason jar (or old sauce jar)
Hot glue

The first step is to glue the bottom of the ornament to the underneath of the lid. Pour a couple of ounces of glue into the jar, add warm water, and stir it all together. Add the glitter and put the lid back on tightly. Shake it and admire your spectacular snow globe.

Join Frogbridge Day Camp for Endless Summer Fun

As the holiday season wraps up, many of us are looking forward to a fresh new year start. You know what that means—the countdown to summer time officially begins! All of us here at Frogbridge Day Camp are ecstatic to get out of our winter boots and into our wet suits for a fun-filled summer. If you don’t know who we are, here’s a quick rundown. Frogbridge Day Camp is located on 86 acres of pure bliss in the stomping grounds of Millstone Township, New Jersey. Since 1999, we’ve helped campers learn, grow, and experience the world in an inclusive and warm environment. One visit to our camp and you’ll realize that we’re the ideal match for your little one. We have countless programs and activities, both indoor and outdoor, that kids ages 3–15 can participate in. Don’t wait for a second longer to join us at Frogbridge Day Camp. Call (609) 208-9050 or complete a contact form today!

Camp News

Month: December 2020

Fun Ways to Celebrate the New Year with Your Kids