New Year’s Eve Party Activities and Games

Do kids really need a New Year’s Eve party? Yes! Everybody appreciates a “do over.” Repentance and forgiveness are foundational in our Christian. In our culture, New Year’s Eve is the time when many people decide to start over in their attempt to reach a specific goal. Encourage your kids to search their hearts and get a fresh start for the New Year with these party activities and games. They make the perfect accompaniment for a lesson.
New Year’s Eve Party Activities—Erase 2013!
Before class, write 2013 in large print, all over a dry erase or chalk board. You need one set of numbers for each child. Talk to the kids about what they’ve accomplished this year and what they didn’t get quite right. Lead them in a prayer and talk about how God gives us all a “do over,” through His son, Jesus. After the lesson, invite each child to come up to the board and erase a 2013.
Bible Verse Balloon Pop
Go to any New Year’s Eve and you’ll see balloons! Use colorful balloons for this kids’ ministry activity. Type or write verses with a “New Year’s” theme on small pieces of paper. Some good examples are 1 Peter 1:3, Jeremiah 29:11 and 2 Corinthians 5:17. Roll up one slip of paper and slide it into a balloon. Blow it up and tie the balloon off. You’ll need one balloon for each child. When you blow the whistle, the kids pop the balloon, find the Bible verse and look it up in the Bible. The child who finds theirs first is the winner!
New Year’s Eve Party Games—Gumball Shaker
For this game, you’ll need four clean, empty 2-liter bottles and a box of gum balls that are small enough to fit into the bottle. Pour half the gum balls in two of the four empty bottles. You’re going to tape two 2-liters together at the tops, using packing tape to make an hourglass shape. Do this for both sets. The object of the game is to shake the gum balls from one side to the other the fastest.
Follow the Hat Leader
What’s a New Year’s Eve party without the hats? Distribute hats to everyone who attends your children’s ministry event. Inexpensive paper hats are easy to find or make. You can even use newspaper! Tell kids that when they see you wear your hat, they have to wear theirs. When you take your hat off, they have to take off theirs. During the course of the party, remove and replace your hat several times. If a child spots another child not wearing their hat at the right time, they can trade hats.
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