NYE Games For The Kids When You Go Out

The presents have been unwrapped, the tinsel unstrung, and the tree put away (maybe), this means that it’s time for New Year’s Eve! Now, if you’re planning on going out and leaving the kids at home, it’s a good idea to have some activities ready! These NYE games are perfect for the kids to play while you’re gone. They will keep them entertained while creating memories that will last a lifetime.

NYE Games For The Kids When You Go Out

NYE Game for Kids 01: Find the Clock

This can be as simple or complicated as you want. The premise is this: you hide a clock with the alarm set and if they can find it before the timer goes off, they win! Kids can take turns hiding the clock to see who can find it the fastest, or you can hide multiple clocks and see if they can find them all! Grab a 4 pack of timers here.

NYE Game for Kids 02: Karaoke

If your kids are the performing type, then this is a must. Grab a machine here, and make a setlist of the year’s most popular (kid-friendly) songs. If your kids are the competing type, grab some whiteboards and dry erase markers and have them score each singer. Then provide prizes for all the kids.

NYE Game for Kids 03: Scavenger Timeline

This is a great game to play as a family! Print off photos from the year, as many as you’d like. Then hide them around the house in various hiding spots. Once the kids have found all of them, the goal is to put the photos in the order that they happened. Have them string the photos up on this darling LED display for everyone to view.

NYE Game for Kids 04: Balloon Countdown Challenge

For this game, you need 12 balloons (or as many as the kids will be alone), 12 strips of paper with challenges written on them, and materials for those challenges. As the balloons are blown up, place a challenge paper inside. Then, every hour, on the hour, until midnight the kids pop a balloon and receive a new challenge. The challenges can be simple or complex. For example:

• Create your 2020 Resolution
• Have a handstand contest and see who can stay up the longest, the winner gets to pop the next balloon
• Cookie eating contest: who can eat the most cookies in 60 seconds?
• Photos: Give the kids a photo challenge they have to complete and send to you on the hour! That way you can be in the know and included.

NYE Game for Kids 05: Minute to Win It

You can find oodles of these games all over the web and for good reason! These games are fun, competitive, and often very funny. This site has some fabulous New Year’s themed games you can try or you can do some of the classics:

• Junk in the Trunk: ping pong balls are placed inside an empty tissue box that is tied around the participant’s waist. The goal is to see who can shake the ping pong balls out first without using their hands!
• Cookie Monster: A cookie is placed on the participant’s forehead. The goal is to wiggle the cookie into their mouths without using their hands. If the cookie falls off, you have to start over.
• Sugar Stack: A popsicle stick is placed in the participant’s mouth, between their teeth. The goal is to stack 6 sugar cubes on the stick, then continue balancing without the cubes falling off. The person who’s first and manages to balance the longest wins!
• Solo Stack: Given a stack of solo cups, the participant must stack them in a pyramid formation using only one hand, and then unstack them using only one hand. The quickest stacker wins!
• Elephant Nose: This game uses a tennis ball that is placed into the toe of a pair of pantyhose. The pantyhose is then placed over the participant’s head (they can still breathe, don’t worry). The goal is for the participant to use the tennis ball to knock over a set amount of half-filled water bottles. They may not use their hands.

However you choose to celebrate, I hope one of these NYE games helps bring the celebration to life! Have a safe and very happy New Year’s!