(Courtesy of Chron.com)
9 ways to celebrate the end of ’09 with the kids
Distraction and exhaustion are they key to any successful kids’ party. This is especially true if like me, you have a tween daughter.
Put more than three girls this age in a room together and if left to their own devices they will turn on each other faster than you can scream: “Would you stop already? This is not a sorority!”
Keep the kids too busy and too tired to cause mischief and everyone will go home happy. Here’s how:
1. Start early. There are a few great New Year’s Eve parties around town starting with the New Year’s Noon Celebration at the Children’s Museum. The party starts at 10 a.m. and counts down to noon. In the afternoon head over to the Aquarium for a kid’s buffet, dancing and a balloon drop. The party starts at 2 p.m. and lasts until 5 p.m. If the kids haven’t partied till they drop already end the day with ice skating at Discovery Green. It’s a Wonderful Life will be shown at 6:30 p.m. After a day like that the kids should be sufficiently exhausted for a sleep over.
2. Dress up. Have the kids wear their party dresses and finest suits. Get swanky with fancy hats and jewelry or make masks like a real grownup’s New Year’s Eve ball.
3. Decorate the house. Let the kids go crazy with streamers and balloons or build a tent in the living room to not sleep in.
4. Plan the games. Make a list of possible activities such as Twister, a treasure hunt, charades and 20 questions. Be quick to switch to a new game if interest starts to wane.
5. Have the kids write down their goals for the new year. Yes, it’s a cheesy mom thing to do, but it’s also a nice tradition to start.
6. Make a lot of snacks. The kids will eat more than you can possibly imagine. Plan on it.
7. Make fancy drinks. Real champagne for you. Bubbly juice for the kids.
8. Make some noise. Get out pots, pans and lids and have the kids bang them together at midnight. It’s cheap, fun and much safer than shooting guns into the air for the New Year.
9. Watch a movie. After a day like this you need to unwind. Pop in a movie and pray the exhaustion is so complete the children will just drop off to sleep.
