​Do your own “NOON” Year’s Eve Party!

Tracy Bittle, Leonardo’s Exec. Director

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NOON Year’s Eve is one of Leonardo’s favorite events, but it cannot be adapted to be safe for our families with the pandemic.  What we will do for you is--  help you do the party yourselves at home—until we can resume this event at your children’s museum!
As with any of our events, please remember that the primary goal is SAFE, healthy fun as a family.  With Noon Year’s Eve the adults get to have a special celebration of the new year with their children at a more appropriate time and place.  Then---later—the adult celebrations can take place. 
So, remember—your party might not be just like ours---but the purpose is a safe, family friendly celebration that makes a memory!  
Plan your day.  Make a TENTATIVE or ‘suggested’ schedule but remain flexible.  Go with whatever the children embrace.  Allow them to frolic and select their primary activities.  Remember that this is their celebration.
Select a couple of hours, as an example 10am to Noon.  This allows a countdown to a specified time.  Then you can drop balloons and have a dance party celebration of 2021.

10AM – Plan a craft or game…  (Have many things planned.)

• Have age appropriate snacks—maybe the kids can ‘make’ their snack.  For example, put fruits and veggies together to make animals, or people or something cool!
• Make a homemade ‘noisemakers’ to use after the countdown.  You can take bubble wrap for much younger children and let them ‘pop’ them.  Use ‘your friend’ Google or Pinterest for some great ideas for homemade noisemakers.  
• Try some games as a group, but also have some available that a child an enjoy by themselves.  All of us are different—so have some choices available.
• Make some ‘crown’ or party hats.  The children could use these all day or use them for make-believe games later.  
• Look up how other countries celebrate the coming of a new year.  Do you have family or friends in another part of the world?  Learn together how they will be celebrating.  Depending on the age of the children involved—it is sometimes fun to study about the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and WHEN other parts of the world welcome the new year—especially compared to when we do.  
• If you have pets or animal friends---how can they be incorporated into the celebration?  Can the children make something that the pet can wear?  How about a special treat for the family’s furry friends? 
• Find a fun way to make and document New Year’s Resolutions.  IS there a cool home decoration that can serve as a reminder in February?  
• Does your family or culture have special traditions such as eating black eyed peas for luck?  Share these with your children and make something with black eyes peas together.  (For my family we just danced to “Black Eyed Peas” since no one will eat them.)
• 11:50AM--- You may want to set an alarm, so you don’t miss the countdown!  Then get your music ready!  Dance around waiting for the countdown.  Plan your dance party and make a playlist of the songs that really get your children excited.  Search around on ITunes or other sites—some awesome playlists are available.  There are also TONS of good songs that are MADE for children such as “Kids Bop.”
• NOON:  Pack some balloons in large plastic bags.  Even if they don’t fall from the ceiling---they can still be on the ‘dance floor’ and make for lots of fun.  

And last but not least---Parent---put your phone away and turn off the TV.  YOU must be totally active with your children for your “Party Time!”  THIS means the most to your children.  Remember we are all different—that is what make this world go around.  Embrace it and make your party special for your family!  It really doesn’t take a lot of time or money.  It takes focus and a little bit of planning.  Let’s start 2021 out right---Happy New Years Leonardo’s FANS!  See you soon!

​View some great Noon Years Eve ideas here!