3…2…1! The countdown to the new year is on and parents around the world may be wondering — what is the best way to ring in 2026 with kids? Celebrating a brand new year can be fun for the whole family when you host a kids’ New Year’s Eve party. “Going into the new year as a family s tarts families on the path of making family connection a priority,” Laura Linn Knight, author of “Break Free from Reactive Parenting“ tells TODAY.com Knight shares that New Year’s Eve is a great time for setting goals as a family. Knight tells TODAY.com that children benefit “every time we make space for them to be involved in traditions and celebrations.” “Although New Year’s Eve may seem unimportant to some or a time to celebrate without the kids, I encourage families to take some time on New Year’s Eve — even if parents go out later — to come together,” she says. To set the mood to ring in the New Year, Knight suggests making a gratitude flower with everyone in the home. In the center of the flower, each person will write their name. Then, take turns writing or drawing something that you appreciated about each person in the last year in one of the petals. At the end of the activity, each person will have their own flower to show their family’s love for them this past year.  “If you like this activity, make it a family tradition and save your flowers from each year moving forward,” Knight says. No matter what activity your family chooses to ring in the new year, Knight encourages doing it together. “Children who have special time with their family, create meaningful traditions and feel valued within the home are more likely to thrive emotionally and socially,” she says. And just remember — if your kids can’t tell time yet, you can make the new year happen whenever you want with on-demand countdown programming. 30 Ways To Celebrate New Year’s Eve With Kids Ready to celebrate New Year’s Eve? Enjoy these 30 family-friendly activities to ring in 2026: Create a gratitude flower. Participate in a Rose, Bud and Thorn activity for what went well in 2025 (rose), what you are looking forward to in 2026 (bud), and what you didn’t like that happened in 2025 but learned from or were able to feel better about later (thorn).  Try out a new recipe for dinner. Watch the last sunset of the year. Plan a family hike. Bake countdown cookies in the shape of numbers. Make homemade holiday play dough. Have everyone share their favorite memory of the year. Create a time capsule. Have a joke-writing competition. Make a list of goals for the new year. Have a DIY ice cream sundae bar with unlimited toppings. Pop a balloon every hour until midnight — or bedtime. Bake a clock cake. Deliver treat bags to neighbors with New Year’s Eve wishes tucked inside. Set personal and family resolutions. Plan a trip for the new year. Make DIY pizzas for dinner. Bonus points if you make it into a clock using toppings! Create a playlist and host a dance-off. Toast to the new year with sparkling cider. Make a blanket fort in the living room. Go for a family walk (and incorporate a game of ‘I Spy.’) Prepare good luck food for New Year’s Day. Host a game night with friends and neighbors. Make a scavenger hunt around the house. Have everyone write new year wishes on a piece of paper and store them in a jar. Open them up next year! Read a book together. Write out a 2026 family bucket list. Spend the whole day watching each family member’s favorite movie. Quiz each other with trivia for kids. Have a family karaoke party. (Go to YouTube to find karoke tracks of the kid’s favorite songs.) Create a “Year-in-Review” slideshow of memories from the past year. Make a shoebox time capsule and have everyone in the family add something representative from the past year. This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY: Need a New Look for the New Year? Tell Us Why You’re Ready for a Makeover in 2026 How Much Sleep Do Kids Need? An Expert Shares the Amount for Every Age 10 Names We Hate, According to 2 Baby Name Consultants ...read more read less