New Year’s Eve is a super fun holiday that every kid enjoys. Not only is it fun to stay up way past their bedtime and watch the ball drop, but it’s also fun to take a look back on the year and reflect on all the good, the bad, the lessons learned, the fun, and the hilarious. That’s why we chose a DIY Time Capsule as the last blog of 2019 for your kids to work on while anxiously awaiting midnight!
Here is a little history on the time capsule from History:
The world’s first planned time capsule debuted in 1876, when New York magazine publisher Anna Deihm assembled a “Century Safe” at the U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The iron box was stuffed with 19th century relics including a gold pen and inkstand, a book on temperance, a collection of Americans’ signatures, and snapshots of President Ulysses S. Grant and other politicians taken by photographer Mathew Brady.
After being sealed in 1879, the purple velvet-lined safe was taken to the U.S. Capitol and eventually left to languish under the East Portico. Though nearly forgotten, it was later rediscovered, restored and unlocked on schedule in July 1976 during the nation’s bicentennial festivities. At a ceremony attended by President Gerald Ford, Senator Mike Mansfield said the opening had honored “the wish of a lady who sought to speak to us from the other side of a 100-year gulf.”
Tree House Hide-Away
Take the treehouse indoors or outdoors! With sturdy wood poles, this Tree House Hide-Away is the perfect escape for any kid and the perfect place to assemble a DIY Time Capsule. It is spacious and has adorable graphics that encourage your child to use their imagination.
There is no floor attached, so your child may place their favorite blanket beneath it. There are mesh windows for added air ventilation as well as a roll-up door. Grab a sleeping bag and your child can even make the treehouse their own place to read, draw, sleep, or for the clock to strike 12 on New Year’s Eve!!
DIY Time Capsule
This activity is perfect for your kids to work on while they are wasting time waiting for midnight. They’re going to love it even more next New Year’s Eve when they’re able to open it up and see how different things are! It might even become a wonderful family tradition to continue year after year.
What You Need
- Cardboard Box
- Black Chalkboard Paint
- Chalkboard Markers
- Paintbrush
- Stencil Printable
- Questionnaire Printable
How You Make It
- Paint the box and let dry. TIP: We left it for a couple of hours until it’s completely dry to make it easier to paint on top of it.
- Once the box is dry, use the stencil to paint in the shapes and/ or draw something yourself. Customize it the way you want!
- Fill the box with toys or anything they would want to hold in there for the upcoming year, and include the questionnaire so that in a year’s time they will see how much they’ve changed.
- Put the box away for safekeeping for the next year!
More Ways to Celebrate New Year’s Eve with Kids
Still looking for more ways to celebrate the end of 2019 with your little ones? We’ve gathered up some of our favorite ideas from Mommy Dearest. Check them out below:
Try a new type of food for dinner
Be adventurous for the special occasion. Fondue is a great meal for kids and adults to enjoy together—who doesn’t love melted cheese? There’s even a fun tradition with a fondue meal: if you lose your piece of bread in the pot, tradition says you have to kiss the person on your left, kiss everyone at the table, or pay a forfeit decided by others at the table. You can even have chocolate fondue for dessert, which will pair perfectly with a champagne toast for the adults!
Countdown to 2020 with Netflix
Ring in the new year with some of your favorite TV and movie characters! Netflix’s annual New Year’s Eve Countdown allows all Netflix subscribers to countdown to the new year (at midnight, noon or whenever you’d like) with characters from programs like Pinky Malinky, Super Monsters, Boss Baby and Motown Magic. Simply search the Countdowns tab on your Netflix account to get started (and if it’s not available quite yet, check back later!).
Celebrate another country’s New Year
Are your kids too young to make it to midnight? Pick a country whose midnight is easier for little ones to stay awake for and celebrate at that time. Set your clocks for the revised countdown. You can even make themed decorations and cook food from that country. Some countries have great New Year’s traditions to add to your own. It’s a Greek custom to serve Vasilopita (New Year’s Cake) at midnight. This special cake is baked with a coin or charm hidden inside. The head of the household cuts the cake exactly at midnight and whoever receives the piece with the coin will have good fortune throughout the year.
Let Us Know!
Are you making the DIY Time Capsule this year? How does your family celebrate New Year’s Eve? Let us know in the comments, or reach out to us on social media. See you in 2020!