Page 2 Theme Ideas Making ConfettiProvide all the paper scraps you can and make it a day long project! have the children tear, rip and cut to their hearts content. After you "ring in the new year" (we do it about 3pm), wrap masking tape sticky side out around each child's hand. Have a sticky pick up blitz to collect up the confetti! (it really works! the kiddos love the clean up!)
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
New Year's Bulletin Board Idea
For christmas I had all parents give me their handprint. Not only did I make them a placemat with their hand print and their child's but I did a bulletin board of all their hands in a wreath form with the words "It takes a lot of hands to raise a child". With a new year coming I took the hands and attached them to coiled up pipecleaners and stuck them back on the bullitin board with the words "Bye, Bye 2001 ...."Hello 2002". Every time the air moves or the door opens the hands wave. The kids like to make the air move to see the hands wave (a little science to boot).
~Submitted by Laurie from MA
Old and New
At circle time provide example of new and old:
-shiny and tarnished pennies
-worn and new clothing
-an empty bottle of pop and a full one
-a broken toy and a new toy
(you get the picture)After discussing old and new, have each child choose one item and have them explain whether it is old or new. What are we able to do with the old items (recycle, give away, cherish.....)
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Make a Calendar
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Out with the old, In with the New
Discuss older generations and babies. Take a field trip to the baby room and see the babies. What are some other things that go out with the old and in with the new? Discuss opposites (old/new, loud/quiet)
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
New Years Resolutions
Make a Class Resolution Book. Encourage children to make a resolution for things to do around the house (ex: clean their room, help with dinner, etc). Have each child illustrate a page.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Time Capsules
Have the children draw a self-portrait on a piece of paper. Ask them their favorites (movie, food, candy, pet, etc.). List it on another paper. Add whatever else the children or teachers wish...maybe a photo of the child. Roll papers together and insert into a paper towel tube. Children can paint and decorate tubes ahead of time. Wrap with packing tape and write on the outside "Do Not Open Until 2001 (or whatever date you wish).
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Math Activity
Discuss the number 2001, 201, 21, 2 or 1. Collect 2001 of something (pennies, pieces of candy, counters, etc). You can also discuss the number 12 (for 12 midnight). What's a dozen?
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Global Talk
Using the globe as a discussion tool, inform the children that the New Year comes in at all different times for every section of the world. We celebrate ours at 12:00 midnight.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Football Games
Play football (real footballs or nerf style softies) Decorate football cutouts from construction paper Discuss that the 50-yard line is right in the middle of the playing field. Talk about safety that football players use in wearing helmets, protective gear, etc. How much is a yard?
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Ball Dropping (Times Square)
Decorate a Rubber Ball with 2001 Count backwards from 10 and drop the ball.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Chinese Good Luck Letters
Invite the children to write good luck letters to each other using square red paper. Fold in the four corners to the center of the paper to make it an "envelope" for itself. Have the child write their friends name on the outside.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Chinese New Year Dragons
Have the children make dragons out of lunch size paper bags and decorations like googly eyes, and paper scraps. Have a New Year's Parade and walk through the school and have the children place the dragons on their hands and wave them up and down.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Bell Balancing
3+ Supply the children with bells and a balance. Show the children how to make the balance even. Count the bells on each side.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Bell Ringing
3+ Supply the children with many different bells. What different sounds do they make. How are the sounds different.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Bell Ringing 2
3+ Supply the children with pairs of bells. Mix them up. See if they can find their matches by the sound.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
What Is A Year
Discuss with the children what a year is. Have one child stand in one place. They will be the sun. You can even give them a yellow plate with the word sun on it. Ask another child to be the earth. They can have a blue or green plate. Make the floor with masking tape where the child will start and stop. Have the earth child walk around the sun while spinning. Have them stop on the masking tape. Tell the children it takes 365 days for the earth to go all the way around the sun. Let other children have a chance to be the sun and earth. You can explain a day by having the sun child hold a flashlight. Turn out the lights, and have the earth child turn around in the same spot.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
New Years Resolutions
4+ Discuss with your children about the tradition of making resolutions on New Years. Ask each child what New Year's Resolution they would like to make. Write them down on a big piece of paper to post in the class. Or for older children have them write them down themselves.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Countdown to the New Year
Supply the children with party hats and noise makers. Pretend to countdown to the new year. Did you know a lot of noise is made to scare the old year away and welcome the new year?
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
In The Kitchen New Years Punch
6c. fruit juice
1 can frozen lemonade
2 cans of water
2c of frozen sherbet ballsUse a melon baller and have the children help make the sherbet balls. Place on cookie sheet and set in freezer. Mix juices and water, add sherbet balls. Enjoy!
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
A New Year Toast 1 loaf square white sandwich bread
1 pint milk
Food coloringPour milk into several cups and tint with food coloring. Using clean paint brushes (or q-tips), paint the slices with the milk solution. Place on cookie sheet and toast lightly in oven. Serve with cream cheese or butter for snack.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Vasilopita Greek New Year's Cake
A coin is baked in the cake and the person who finds the coin in their slice is has good luck for the year.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon white sugar
5 eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seedsDirections:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, blend together the butter and sugar. Separate 3 of the eggs; add the yolks and the 2 remaining whole eggs to the butter mixture. Stir in the vanilla and water. In another bowl, sift together the baking powder and flour. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Whip the egg whites until they are foamy. Add 1 tablespoon sugar. Continue to whip the whites until they are stiff, but not dry. Pour the batter into a greased 10 x 4 inch tube pan. Wrap a large coin in foil, and place the coin in the batter. Press the coin down; it should be completely hidden. Sprinkle the nuts and seeds on top of the batter. Bake the cake for about 70 minutes, or until done. Cool on a wire rack.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Games Bells on Shoes
Younger children will enjoy this activity. You can thread a craft bell onto the shoelaces of your children. Then have your children walk around, dance, or stomp.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Bell Ring Game
Instructions on how to make bell rings in art section. Played like Doggie Doggie Where's your Bone? With a twist. Older children will have a hard time keeping the bells quiet, and it will give younger children the advantage of hearing the bells. This is how the game is played. The teacher picks one child to sit in the middle and be the Doggie. Then the other children sit in a circle around the Doggie. The teacher picks one child to hold the bells (bone) behind their back, and all the children sit with their hands behind their back. Say the Chant:
Doggie, Doggie, Where's your bone?
Somebody took it from it's home,
Upstairs, downstairs, by the telephone,
Wake up doggie, Find your bone.The Doggie picks up to three people that he/she believes has the bells. One at a time, as picked, the children show their hands. If they pick the right child they "win". Regardless the child with the "bone" become the next Doggie, and the old Doggie pick who will get the bells next.
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Another Bell Game Bell relay race. Have a relay race where the first player had a bell ring on each wrist and ankle (four total). They run to the next person, and they have to take off all the bells and put them on the next person. (variation: only one person of the two may touch the bells).
~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Links!
My New Year's Day - abcTeach.com
New Year's Crafts - About.com
Ringing in the New Year - The Activity Idea Place
Annie's New Year's Page
Happy New Year - Billy Bear
Happy New Year - Black Dog
New Year's Activities - Childfun.com
New Year's Crafts for Kids - Danielle's Place
New Year's Activities - DLTK
Times Square Cam - EarthCam.com
New Year's Crafts - Enchanted Learning
Party Ideas - The Holiday Spot
New Year's - Hummingbird Educational Resources
New Year's Hat - KinderArt
Happy New Year - Mrs. Fischer's Kindergarten
New Year's Day - Perpetual Preschool
New Years's Arts & Crafts - Preschool Education
New Year's Games - Preschool Education
New Year's Songs - Preschool Education
New Year's Snacks - Preschool Education
Happy New Year - Preschool Express
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