26 Things To Do on New Year’s Day (Family-Friendly Ideas To Welcome 2026)

New Year’s Day for you and your family doesn't need to have a grand plan. You may well be tired from staying up late. But it is lovely to mark the occasion of the first day of the new year.

Think gentle reset vibes, cosy moments at home and a few simple rituals that make the very first day of 2026 feel special, calm and memorable for the whole family.

Your New Year's Day Family Inspiration List

This list gives you 26 (see what we did there?!) low-key activities that work whether you're feeling energetic or need to stay in pyjamas until 3pm. Some take 10 minutes, others fill an afternoon. Pick what suits your family's mood and energy levels today.

You'll find quiet activities for recovery mode, plus a few ideas that get everyone moving if cabin fever strikes.

1. Slow Brunch at Home

Pull together an easy spread of pastries, fruit and warm drinks so everyone can ease into the year without rushing out of their pyjamas.

2. Step Outside for a First-Day Wander

Take a gentle walk around the neighbourhood or a nearby trail to shake off the holiday fog and get some fresh air into everyone’s lungs.

3. Try a One-Sentence Journal for the Year

Start a simple journal where you capture just one sentence about each day – small, doable and so lovely to read back next December.

4. Create a Family ‘Word of the Year’

Choose a single word that reflects how you want the year to feel – joy, kindness, adventure or calm – and let it quietly guide your choices and plans.

5. Start a 2026 Memory Jar

Put an empty jar somewhere everyone can reach and add quick notes whenever something good, funny or memorable happens throughout the year.

6. Play a Few Favourite Games

Bring out easy, low-effort games that all ages can join in with and that naturally get everyone talking, laughing and reconnecting. Take a peak at our printable game bundles for inspiration. 

7. Do a Mini House Reset

Refresh one small area – clean sheets, cleared surfaces or a tidy drawer – to make the house feel instantly calmer without a massive clean.

8. Make a Cosy Warm Drink Together

Choose a comforting drink like hot chocolate, tea or spiced apple and make it together, then actually sit down and enjoy it slowly.

9. Watch a ‘Start-the-Year’ Film Together

Pick one uplifting or nostalgic film the whole family can agree on and curl up to watch it as a soft, simple New Year’s Day ritual.

10. Take a ‘Hello 2026’ Family Photo

Snap an unedited family picture – messy hair, mismatched socks and all – to mark the start of the new year just as you really are.

11. Do a Mini “Year Compass” Reflection

Answer a handful of simple questions about last year and the year ahead to give everyone a sense of closure, clarity and fresh start energy.

12. Do a Family Q&A for the Year Ahead

Ask everyone the same set of fun and thoughtful questions about their hopes for 2026 and keep the answers to look back on next New Year’s Day.

13. Have a Candle-Lighting Moment

Light candles and let each person share one thing they’d like more of this year – a quiet, gentle way to set intentions together.

14. Play “Rose, Thorn, Bud” for the Year Ahead

Each person shares a “rose” (something they’re excited about), a “thorn” (a challenge they want to handle better) and a “bud” (something they want to grow in 2026).

15. Visit a Local Spot You’ve Been Meaning to Try

Use the fresh-start feeling to finally visit a nearby café, park, shop or trail you kept saying you’d go to last year.

Also read: 26 Things for Teens To Do on New Year’s Day 2026

16. Build a Family Playlist for 2026

Ask everyone to add a couple of favourite songs and create a family playlist you can listen back to all year long.

17. Have a Comfort Clothing Day

Let everyone stay in their cosiest clothes, pile up blankets on the sofa and enjoy a no-pressure, nothing-fancy start to the year.

18. Start a 2026 Reading Challenge

Create a simple reading tracker and set fun, realistic reading goals that kids, teens and grown-ups can all join in with.

19. Make Handmade Thank-You Notes

Gather pens, crayons and stickers and make simple, heartfelt cards to say thank you for Christmas gifts and kindnesses.

20. Make a ‘Reset Soup’ or ‘Reset Stew’

Choose a warm, comforting recipe you can stir together with minimal effort and claim it as your traditional New Year’s Day meal.

21. Take a Quiet 10-Minute Walk Alone

Give yourself a short pocket of solitude to breathe, think and reset after the busyness of December.

22. Have a Family Screen-Free Hour

Switch off devices, dim the lights and spend an hour doing something calm like drawing, chatting, reading or working on a puzzle together.

23. Watch a Sunrise or Sunset Together

Wrap up warm and head outside to watch the first sunrise or sunset of the year – it’s a simple, poetic way to mark the day, even if it’s cloudy.

24. Give Everyone a Fresh Notebook Page

Hand out one decorated blank page each and invite everyone to fill it with a hope, dream or intention for the year ahead.

25. Start a 2026 Family Bucket List

Write down small adventures, places to visit and things you want to try so you’ve always got joyful ideas ready for weekends and holidays.

26. End the Day With a Simple ‘Cheers to 2026’

Raise a mug or glass – tea, juice, hot chocolate or something fizzy – and share a quiet toast to the year ahead before bedtime.

Before you go, you might also like... 

• 8 Fun New Year’s Eve Party Games for Kids to Join in the Celebration
• 9 New Year's Eve Games For Teens That Set The Party Vibes Alive
• Ring In The New Year With One Of These Sparkling Brilliant Party Themes
• New Years Eve 2025 Party Theme Ideas To Welcome In 2026

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