8 Fun New Year’s Eve Party Games for Kids to Join in the Celebration

There is so much buzz and hype around seeing in the New Year, but it can be a bit of a damp squib for kids unless you plan in some fun party games just for them.

Younger kids often won’t make it to midnight (or rather their parents want them tucked up in bed so they can focus on seeing in the New Year) and older kids who desperately want to stay up until midnight can find themselves flagging if there isn’t something fun for them to do.

So, if you are having a New Year’s Eve party this year and kids are invited, it pays to have a few fun games prepped and ready for them to play, so they feel just as much part of the celebrations as the grown-ups.

To help you plan in some fun, I’ve put together a list of games that work super well for NYE.

8 Fun and Festive New Year’s Eve Party Games for Kids

1. New Year’s Eve Scavenger Hunt

Send the kids on a thrilling New Year’s Eve Scavenger Hunt around your home. Hide items like party hats, noisemakers, or confetti poppers around the house or party area, and let the kids race to find everything before the countdown begins. Then they can use them all to their hearts' content during the party!

What You Need:
New Year’s Eve-themed items to hide (hats, noisemakers, confetti, etc.)
A list of the hidden items or clues

How to Play: Before the party, hide the New Year’s Eve items around the house. Give the kids a list of what to find, and let them race to see who can collect the most items in a set amount of time.

2. New Year’s Resolution Guessing Game

Make New Year’s resolutions fun with this guessing game! Have the kids write down funny or serious New Year’s resolutions, then take turns guessing who wrote what.

It’s a great way to get them thinking about the year ahead while keeping the game lighthearted. It's also a great game to play as a family. 

What You Need:
Slips of paper
Pens

How to Play: Each child writes down a New Year’s resolution, folds the slip of paper, and puts it into a bowl. Draw out a slip, read it aloud, and let the group guess who wrote it. It’s a fun way to reflect on the year while adding a bit of mystery!

3. Freeze Dance – Countdown Celebration

Get ready to party with a New Year’s version of Freeze Dance! Play upbeat music, and when the music stops, the kids freeze in place—just like they’re pausing the celebration for the countdown. This game keeps them active and entertained as the big moment approaches.

What You Need:
New Year’s-themed music
Space to dance
Optional: A small prize for the winner

How to Play: Play music and let the kids dance. When the music stops, they must freeze in place. Anyone who moves is out. Keep going until one winner remains!

4. New Year’s Eve Bingo

Perfect for a quieter moment at the party, New Year’s Eve Bingo gives the kids a chance to sit down and relax while keeping them in the spirit of the evening.

Use New Year’s-themed images or words like “fireworks,” “confetti,” or “midnight” to tie in the holiday’s themes.

What You Need:
Bingo cards with New Year’s Eve-themed items
Markers or stickers to cover the boxes
Optional: A prize for the winner

How to Play: Hand out Bingo cards and call out New Year’s Eve-related words. The kids mark off their cards, and the first to get five in a row shouts “Bingo!” and wins a small prize.

5. New Year’s Eve Balloon Pop

Add some excitement to the New Year’s Eve countdown with this balloon-popping game!

Each child gets a balloon filled with a surprise, and at the stroke of midnight (or earlier for younger ones), they pop their balloon to reveal a treat. It’s a fun way to let them join in the countdown festivities.

What You Need:
Balloons (one per child)
Small prizes or confetti to hide inside the balloons
Pins or something safe to pop the balloons

How to Play: Before the party, fill each balloon with a small prize or confetti. When the countdown ends, the kids all pop their balloons at once, revealing their surprises! This game adds excitement and joy to the celebration.

6. Pin the Hat on the Party Guest

Take the classic Pin the Tail on the Donkey and give it a New Year’s Eve makeover!

Kids get to pin a party hat on a New Year’s Eve character, like a giant photo of one of the party-goers or a clock about to strike midnight. 

What You Need:
A large DIY poster (e.g., a person or New Year’s Eve-themed character)
Paper party hats with sticky tape
Blindfold

How to Play: Blindfold each child, spin them around, and have them try to pin the paper party hat on the poster. The closest one to the right spot wins!

7. Ring Toss – New Year’s Rings!

A simple yet exciting game, Ring Toss gets a festive twist by using rings to symbolise the New Year’s Eve countdown.

Let the kids try to toss rings onto a party hat or a bottle decorated for the occasion. Whoever lands the most rings wins!

What You Need:
A party hat or decorated bottle
Rings (you can use glow stick bracelets or plastic rings)

How to Play: Set up the hat or bottle and have the kids take turns tossing rings to try and land them on the target. The child who lands the most rings by the end of the game wins a prize!

8. Countdown Memory Game

In this Countdown Memory Game, test the kids’ memories as they prepare for the New Year!

Display several New Year’s Eve items like noisemakers, hats, or confetti for a short time, then cover them up. See who can remember the most items as the clock ticks down.

What You Need:
A collection of New Year’s-related objects
A cloth to cover the items

How to Play: Place New Year’s Eve-related items on a table. Give the kids one minute to memorise them, then cover the objects. The kids take turns listing as many items as they can remember. The player with the best memory wins!