It’s 2015! This post is late, but will be a good reminder of what went down for next year. This was a super fun event!
We started at 11:15 with the room set up with 3 sort of stations and space for a short storytime. As the kids arrived they decorated and wrote their names on a party hat. Once everyone was mostly settled we sang Hello Bubbles and Hands Are Clapping and I shared Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin. We talked a little about how different countries and cultures and even households celebrate the New Year in different ways and for different reasons. A few of the older kids were really interested in the idea that Chinese New Year happens at a different time than our New Year. After all questions were answered we did some egg shaking and I explained the stations.
OMG learn how to take a non-blurry picture!
Station #1: bubble wrap popping. Self explanatory. Most loved activity.
Station #2: scratch art glasses. Because you need bling to ring in the new year.
There were a ton of these glasses in the closet at my new job. This seemed like the perfect time to use some of them. And kids love scratch art! Honestly, if you are going to get scratch art, I don’t recommend getting them from Oriental Trading-these glasses left a lot of residue and were a little too easy to scratch, I think. I’ve used things from Discount School Supply with success in the past.
Station #3: pipecleaner firework rings and 2015 pipecleaner tiaras and/or glasses. Because see above.
Got the idea for this from this site and this site via Pinterest, thanks to Elizabeth (@libraryeliza -she claims to not care about kids stuff but then somehow always finds the best ideas…)
They had about 20 minutes to explore the stations and there were shakers, scarves and dancing ribbons in the center of the room and music going for those who preferred a dance party to the activities on the tables.
As we approached noon I passed out blowers to everyone in the room. Then, as we counted down I put down some more bubble wrap and got ready to pull open the bags of balloons for a BALLoon drop.
Then it was total chaos as everyone shook shakers, blew on noisemakers, popped bubble wrap (and balloons) and played with balloons and their bling. There were 85 people in the room. So yeah.
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