The new year’s countdown is already in motion, and parents worldwide are looking for the perfect way to celebrate 2026 with their children.
Celebrate the New Year Together
Hosting a kids’ New Year’s Eve party can turn the night into a memorable family adventure. Laura Linn Knight, author of “Break Free from Reactive Parenting,” tells TODAY.com that “Going into the new year as a family starts families on the path of making family connection a priority.” She adds that New Year’s Eve is an ideal moment for setting collective goals and for children to feel included in traditions. “Although New Year’s Eve may seem unimportant to some or a time to celebrate without the kids, I encourage families to take some time on New Year’s Eve – even if parents go out later – to come together,” she says.
Gratitude Flower Activity
Knight recommends creating a gratitude flower to set a warm tone. In the center of a large paper flower, each family member writes their name. Then everyone takes turns writing or drawing something they appreciated about each other on a petal. When the activity is finished, each person has a flower that showcases the family’s love for the past year. “If you like this activity, make it a family tradition and save your flowers from each year moving forward,” Knight says.
Family Traditions and Child Development
According to Knight, children thrive when they have special time with their family. “Children who have special time with their family, create meaningful traditions and feel valued within the home are more likely to thrive emotionally and socially,” she notes. She reminds parents that even if kids can’t tell time yet, an on-demand countdown program can let the whole family enjoy the moment together.
30 Fun Ways to Ring in 2026
Ready to celebrate? Here are 30 family-friendly ideas to welcome the new year:
- Create a gratitude flower.
- Participate in a Rose, Bud and Thorn activity: write what went well in 2025 (rose), what you’re looking forward to in 2026 (bud), and what you didn’t like in 2025 but learned from (thorn).
- Try out a new recipe for dinner.
- Watch the last sunset of the year.
- Plan a family hike.
- Bake countdown cookies shaped like numbers.
- Make homemade holiday play dough.
- Have everyone share their favorite memory of the year.
- Create a time capsule.
- Have a joke-writing competition.
- Make a list of goals for the new year.
- Set up a DIY ice-cream sundae bar with unlimited toppings.
- Pop a balloon every hour until midnight-or bedtime.
- Bake a clock cake.
- Deliver treat bags to neighbors with New Year’s Eve wishes tucked inside.
- Set personal and family resolutions.
- Plan a trip for the new year.
- Make DIY pizzas for dinner; bonus points if you arrange toppings into a clock shape.
- Create a playlist and host a dance-off.
- Toast to the new year with sparkling cider.
- Build a blanket fort in the living room.
- Go for a family walk and play “I Spy.”
- Prepare good-luck food for New Year’s Day.
- Host a game night with friends and neighbors.
- Make a scavenger hunt around the house.
- Have everyone write new-year wishes on paper and store them in a jar to open next year.
- Read a book together.
- Write out a 2026 family bucket list.
- Spend the whole day watching each family member’s favorite movie.
- Quiz each other with trivia for kids.
- Have a family karaoke party (look up karaoke tracks on YouTube).
- Create a “Year-in-Review” slideshow of memories from the past year.
- Make a shoebox time capsule and add something representative from the past year.
Key Takeaways
- Family-centered traditions, like the gratitude flower, strengthen emotional bonds.
- Children feel valued when they participate in New Year’s Eve celebrations.
- A wide range of activities-from cooking to games-keeps the whole family engaged.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. For more ideas, check out TODAY’s other family-friendly pieces on new year preparations and parenting tips.
