15 Best New Year's Crafts to Keep the Family Entertained Before Midnight
These kid-friendly ideas double as décor!
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New Year's is the most jubilant holiday of the year! Ree Drummond has got the whole party thing down pat. In 2021, the Drummond family celebrated New Year's in downtown Pawhuska, where they enjoyed a fun-filled night of singing, dancing, and plenty of eating. There's so much to do and celebrate, even if you're not one to stay up until midnight. These DIY New Year's crafts are as fun, glittery, and festive as the night itself.
Ring in 2023 with crafts and activities that will keep everyone entertained until the ball drops. They're one of the most fun things to do on New Year's Eve! If you're throwing a New Year's Eve party, you can make crafts that double as New Year's décor, like a tablescape, photo backdrop, and snazzy drinkware for that end-of-year toast. Did we mention that these craft ideas are basically all kid-friendly? Yep, you can keep the little ones busy making glitter slime or a ball drop card. Heck, make your own party hat or headband and you've got yourself a New Year's Eve outfit! At the end of the evening, send everyone home with some treat bags and confetti party favors. These New Year's crafts will make sure you end—or start—the year with a bang!
New Year's Party Hat
What's a party without a party hat? After you print and cut out the design, create a family assembly line to roll the paper into cones. It's an easy enough task for even elementary school-age kids!
Get the tutorial at Lovely Indeed.
Holographic Balloon Backdrop
Whether throwing a blow-out bash or celebrating small with family, you'll still take plenty of New Year's Eve or Day photos. So, create a billowing balloon backdrop that captures the excitement of entering a new year!
Get the tutorial at Studio DIY.
Times Square Tablescape
Here's a New Year's tablescape that's as exciting as the holiday itself! This project will take a bit more planning and effort and planning, but it is sure as heck worth it.
Get the tutorial at The House That Lars Built.
New Year's Headbands
Aside from party hats, you have another option: headbands! This blogger shows you how to craft festive headbands in three ways for plenty of variety.
Get the tutorial at Club Crafted.
Jeweled Treat Gift Bags
These treat bags are given a glittery New Year's upgrade when bejeweled! Simply affix the jewels with glue and fill the bags with your favorite candy or New Year's Eve cookies.
Get the tutorial at Sarah Hearts.
Metallic Party Crackers
These party crackers are so festive and pretty that you won't want to pull them apart! The good news is they're quick and easy to make and full of fun goodies for kids!
Get the tutorial at Happiness is Homemade.
New Year's Eve Ball Drop Card
These cards may be for children, but they're pretty darn fun for everyone! They're made specifically for the moment the ball drops—as you count down, you lower your homemade "ball" to commemorate the moment and reveal a new year welcome message.
Get the tutorial at The Soccer Mom Blog.
Confetti Party Favors
Make a festive little party favor everyone will love with confetti-filled test tubes! They can shake em' out at midnight or hold onto the filled tube as a festive take-home.
Get the tutorial at A Pumpkin And A Princess.
Glitter Magnets
Keep the kids entertained with a craft project that updates their plain ol' fridge magnets. Coat the letters in Mod Podge, and evenly sprinkle glitter across the surface. Once it's entirely covered, seal the glitter in with another layer of Mod Podge. While this blogger uses rainbow glitter, you can always use festive silver and gold!
Get the tutorial at Studio DIY.
Tinsel Drink Stirrers
Dress up your drinks the way you dress up the rest of the house this time of year! All you need is tinsel and dowels to make plain drink stirrers look like fireworks.
Get the tutorial at Delia Creates.
Gold Leaf And Resin Coasters
Children will need guidance with this one, but they'll get the hang of it quickly. You can create sparkling gold-leaf coasters in six easy steps to match your other gold and silver décor.
Get the tutorial at Sarah Hearts.
"Spark-less" Sparklers
Grab a few skewers or dowels and iridescent, gold, or silver cellophane (or tissue paper) for homemade sparklers. They're kid-safe since they don't actually spark, and you can use them as cake or cupcake toppers.
Get the tutorial at The House That Lars Built.
Glitter Candle Holders
These glitter-topped votives sparkle and shine against the flickering light of candles. While they're perfect for this holiday, you can continue to use them all year long.
Get the tutorial at Mod Podge Rocks.
Glitter Slime
We don't know why slime is so entertaining, but it will keep the kids busy for hours. A glittery batch only requires three ingredients and is so much fun to mix together.
Get the tutorial at Over The Big Moon.
Festive Popcorn and Treat Boxes
You’ll want some snacks to watch the ball drop, of course! Make some glittery movie theater-style boxes for candy or chocolate and boxes that say "pop into 2023" for, you guessed it, popcorn!
Get the tutorial at Over The Big Moon.
Micaela Bahn is a freelance editorial assistant and recent graduate from Carleton College, where she majored in English literature. She loves running, photography, and cooking the best new recipes.
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