These New Year's Eve crafts for kids are a fun way to celebrate the countdown to the New Year, especially if you're in bed before the fireworks begin! Here we've gathered 14 New Year craft ideas for kids to enjoy with their friends and family, and help their celebrations go off with a bang!
Make countdown clocks, paper sparklers, noisy party horns and much more with our handy guide. Many of these craft ideas make use of items you'll find around the home, such as old toilet roll tubes, leftover wrapping paper and old CDs. You may also need additional craft materials like glitter, ribbons, pom poms and sequins to add a festive sparkle.
Read on for exciting New Year's Eve crafts for kids and the whole family to enjoy.
Fun New Year’s crafts for kids
1. Fireworks painting
This craft project makes clever use of old toilet roll tubes to make colourful fireworks that contrast beautifully against a black background.
Suitable for all ages, this New Year's Eve craft will keep small hands busy for Bonfire Night and 4th of July celebrations, too!
Make a Fireworks Painting with One Little Project.
2. Paper Sparklers
These paper sparklers are a safe, flameless alternative to traditional sparklers for small hands. And they're fun and easy to make, too!
Kids will love choosing their favourite colours for making the sparklers, which are also ideal for Bonfire Night and 4th of July celebrations.
Make Paper Sparklers with Barley and Birch.
3. Chinese Lanterns
While these lanterns are perfect for Chinese New Year celebrations, they'll bring joy and colour to a New Year's Eve party, too. Children will love using scissors to cut simple shapes; perfect for honing their fine motor skills.
Make several of these lanterns and string them across the room in pretty chains.
Make Chinese Lanterns with Nurture Store.
4. Firework Salt Crafting
Who knew you could craft with table salt?! This simple technique makes impressive fireworks, and works well for making snowflakes, too.
Watercolours work best for colouring the fireworks, or watered-down acrylic paint.
Try this Firework Salt Craft with Crafting News.
5. Fingerprint Silhouette Art
This New Year craft for kids is wonderfully messy fun – and all you need is paint. And your fingers!
Choose a variety of colours to make the 'exploding' background – we love the chic silver, white and gold combination. And of course, you can write different messages for a lovely all-year-round craft.
Make Fingerprint Silhouette Art with Our Kid Things.
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6. Party Poppers
Kids will love the 3D effect and explosion of colours on this Party Popper craft, which can be made into greetings cards or put up on display. It's also perfect for birthdays or any other celebration.
This craft guide from Kids Craft Room has a free printable template.
7. Wishing Wand
For many New Year's Eve celebrations, it's a tradition to make wishes for the year ahead. Kids can do this with their very own Wish Wand – a great way of using scrap paper from previous crafts or old wrapping paper.
Make a Wish Wand with Life Over Cs.
8. Countdown Clocks
These clocks are a wonderful way to help excited children count down to midnight – and practise their time-telling skills! Not only can you use them for New Year; try them for counting down to a birthday, too. This craft is great for using up old CDs.
Make Countdown Clocks with Our Kid Things.
9. Paper Plate Party Hats
Got lots of leftover party plates? Turn them into party hats, which are perfect for any celebration. Kids will love adding personality to their hats with paint, glitter, pom poms, sequins and tassels!
Make Party Hats with Arty Crafty Kids.
10. Noise Makers
Raise the roof and make some noise with these fun Noise Makers – a great New Year's Eve craft for making use of leftover party plates. Kids can get creative with the decorating, adding colour and sparkle or whatever they fancy. Try popcorn, beans or uncooked pasta for the 'noise'.
Make Noise Makers with The Crafting Chicks.
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11. Paper Plate and Yarn New Year Craft
This New Year’s craft for kids is a wonderful introduction to sewing, and involves scissor cutting and punching holes, which are all great for developing fine motor skills. These would make lovely badges or wall decorations.
Make Paper Plate Yarn Craft with Non Toy Gifts.
12. Firework Blower
A great way of using up toilet roll tubes, this craft also doubles as a windsock, which you can hang up as a colourful decoration. Kids will love customising these blowers with their favourite colours and embellishments. Top tip - the thinner you cut the strips, the easier they will be to blow!
Make Firework Blowers with Red Ted Art.
13. Party Horns
We've got to make a bit of noise when cheering in the New Year right? Kids will have fun making the horns their own, using glitter, paint, stickers and ribbon. Making a noise takes a little bit of practise, but once they've mastered it they'll have a blast!
Make Party Horns with Artsy Momma.
14. Glitter Rings
This New Year's craft for kids will make sparkly and glamorous rings for your kids' fingers, as well as sweet little gifts for them to share with their pals. You'll need pipe cleaners for this craft - the sparklier the better!
Make Glitter Rings with Our Kid Things.
Throw a Noon Year's Eve party with these New Year's crafts for kids
If you don't want your little ones to have to stay up til midnight, why not throw a Noon Year's party instead? Invite friends over in the morning and party until noon, keeping them entertained with these fun and easy crafts.
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