I’m a parenting coach – fun ways to entertain the kids at home this New Year’s Eve and they cost a dime

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and what better way to bring in 2022 a fun night at home with the kids.

Unlike restaurants and a night out on the town that will cost you arms and legs, there are some super affordable ways to keep the kids entertained in the comfort of your own home.

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In many cases, the kids struggled to stay up so late that the clock struck 12.

If this is you, Anita Cleare, parenting expert and author of The Work/Parent Switch, has a nifty little trick.

“Let’s put the clock forward and celebrate New Year’s Eve a little early,” she told Fabulous.

“If you’re feeling particularly upset, you can even watch the old New Year’s countdown timer on demand to convince the kids that it’s actually midnight already.”

Then, once the kids have gone to bed, you can calm down with a little simmer to spend some quiet time with the adults.

However, she warns, this will only work with young children who don’t have access to phones or digital devices.

Here, Anita shares with Fabulous some fun ways to keep kids entertained

Movie night

Keep it simple and have a movie night, but you can still make it special with a few small changes.

“You can set up your seating in the living room cinema-style, burn some homemade popcorn and serve drinks out of a straw,” says Anita. Then, gather for a family movie night. “.

“If we’re really lucky, the kids will fall asleep!”

Play some party games

According to Anita, if you want a party atmosphere that is not noisy or expensive, then party games are the ideal choice.

“Musical figurines are great for little kids or ‘Who am I?’ for older kids,” she suggests.

“For teens, you can even install your family-friendly version of Taskmaster – asking teens to do tasks using objects around the house.”

Physical party games (like musical chairs or the Keepy Uppy) can also tire kids out, meaning they’ll fall asleep before you know it.

Mocktails

Let’s face it, it’s hard for us adults to celebrate without a glass or two of wine.

But you can still raise a glass at midnight with a creative mocktail and get the kids involved and whip up some delicious food.

It’s especially helpful if you’ve got a fizzy drink left over from Christmas – and you can even pretend that sparkling lemonade is a fancy champagne (not for the kids, of course).

Walking in the dark

If your little ones have to stay up late to watch the fireworks, why not wrap up warm and go outside for a walk in the dark.

Anita says: “Get some torches or glow sticks and let the kids draw pictures on the ground with their lights.

“Or use torches to make shadow puppets and dramatic faces. Sparkling options.”

Challenge night

What’s more fun than a little friendly competition between family members? Probably not, we are her you say.

So consider a quiz night on New Year’s Eve where each family member prepares a round of questions – this doesn’t require much preparation.

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Anita explains: “The kids can prepare a mystery photo session where they take 10 pictures somewhere in your house and the others have to guess where they took the picture.

“Don’t forget to include a mysterious tasting round to cover up the refreshment!”

Karaoke

A celebration wouldn’t be complete without some musicians, so if you’re a music lover, why not have a karaoke night?

“Put on your party dresses and believe you’re on the Top Of The Pops,” suggests Anita.

More: “However, you might want to ban teens from recording it all on their phones, or you might accidentally find yourself on Tik Tok.”

Zoom Twister

Admit it, no home unit is complete without an occasional challenging game of Twister.

But even if you don’t have a boardgame on hand, you can still get the teh family involved in a fun game or two.

Anita says you can easily do makeup using a piece of paper and a dice with colors on it.

And if you’re missing family far away, you can play a combo game that rotates through zoom – so no one misses.

Anita warns: “Be prepared for some bad shots of grandma’s backside.”

Make a camp

Kids love to be creative, so why not set up a makeshift blanket tent and camp in the living room overnight?

Simply grab a pillow and blanket and sip on hot chocolate for extra realism.

Then you can cuddle up with a story by the torch – and once the little ones are down, chances are they’ll fall asleep.

Playing card

A deck of cards is one of the cheapest and most versatile methods of home entertainment – and. leyt face it, it never gets old.

Even really young people can get in on the Snap! or Go Fish! Or beg my neighbors!

While old favorites like Whist and Rummy are great for all ages.

We also shared how Your child’s old toys can be worth THOUSANDS of dollars… From Lego to Barbie & Hot Wheels cars.

Plus, ‘I’m a child and child expertHis is what happens if you buy too many Christmas presents for your kids.

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