AINU to think NYE is rubbish with children?

[Youthgonemild]

I’m totally at a loss for fun family ideas for NYE that work with kids who are 6 & 8. I really don’t want another year of us all being woken up by fireworks at midnight and then just turning over and going back to sleep whilst everyone else we know is out having fun.

Does anyone have any idea what we can do that will give us a fun night?

Details:
We’re based in SE and have a budget of £200.
None of our friends have kids and no one we know is having a child friendly party.

I just can’t find anything suitable. Am I missing something or is NYE just a bit rubbish with young kids?

There are so many great ideas across this thread. Really helpful

We're getting a takeaway and all staying up to see the new year in. DS3 is 4 so may not quite make it but DS2 will love it.

I cant bear NYE. Since DH and I have bern together weve attended about 2 things, everyone is outrageously drunk and throwing up, everywhere you go isxridiculously overpriced, it's just nasty. Weve spent the past 16 years at home together, we buy a "picnic" of all types of nice nibble foods and a bottle of something and watch the fireworks in tv if we can be bothered, otherwise just go to bed, it's just another day.
DS is 17, he wants to watch the fireworks on tv so sometimes watches them with us now if he doesnt go out, them we have to stay up🙄😉

@MilkTrayLimeBarrel How am I overindulging the kids? We will all have fun doing the things I’ve chosen and although they’re child friendly they are adult friendly too.

I hate NYE. I'm well impressed your going to that much effort, wish I had the energy. Our children are nearly teenagers so a bit different.
We have party bits in the evening and put on a film together. I might do mocktails though as I'm pregnant so we could all have them. We usually watch the fireworks on TV and then go to bed.
It's a massive anti climax but the kids love staying up until midnight.

None of our friends have kids

We’d made quite a lot of friends through the kids by that age-could you invite some of them over next year for NYE?

@fedup21 My 8 year old’s 2 best friends are away with their families and my 6 year old hasn’t really got a close best friend yet, as they play with everyone so I’ve not made good friends with any of the parents.

One of the good ideas previously suggested was offering to babysit for some of their friends and I do like that idea. I won’t leave it til the last min next year, so it could work.

Sounds fab OP. NYE is only rubbish if you do something rubbish. Ours was great fun last year so we are repeating it. Maybe get to know some of DC's friends parents for next year. Our group is all school mums (in our case all single parents) It really does help to have some friends with kids

Sorry cross post re the friends

NYE is totally overrated. I don’t miss queuing in packed bars for overpriced drinks and shouting into people’s ears to be heard. You’re not really missing out on anything, it’s also freezing cold outside so nicer to be cosy indoors.

Just make your own fun. Put a movie on and order take out pizza or get some nice food in. I really don’t make a massive deal of NYE, it’s just another marketing ploy.

Depends on your idea of fun but I don't think you need to spend £200!

When I was with my exH we used to go for an early dinner at our favourite Chinese buffet. Nowadays we get a rare treat of a takeaway pizza. I get some sparklers for the DC - they usually have some after dinner and then some at midnight. Aside from that we usually play board games and watch the fireworks on tv. They are 12 and 7 and we always enjoy ourselves.

I loved NYE as a child ( north and Scotland) - it was always 'open house'; we would either stay at home and host all those working their way around the houses or go around the houses ourselves. Magical being out so late, in the dark, in our party clothes, buffet food and drinks.
I even had a 'long dress' for the occasion.

I still carry out all of the traditions, 'first foot', 'piece of coal' and singing 'Auld Lang Syne' joining hands with friends and family. It wasn't ' money making' just about a community and making sure the new year was welcomed in, in style.
Very fond memories, just as good as Christmas.

I’m in the NYE is shite full stop camp.
Always a great disappointment.

NYE is appalling

Is there a local cinema with a film on that they might like to watch, probably a screening at about 7pm?

Nothing wrong with avoiding all the overpriced hype- say you are not taking part out of consideration for those who want the Sydney fireworks cancelled if you need an excuse.

NYE is rubbish even without kids. DS is almost 9 and he has stayed up the last 3 or 4 NYE to watch the fireworks on TV. We have party food out on the table and sometimes play a board game together. He loves it. I loved staying up as a kid to see in the New Year.

We do something different every year and as we live west coast USA it generally involves seeing in GMT NYE at our 4pm. This year I really wanted to host a fancy sit down dinner but all our childfree friends are out at parties or staying home in their couples so we’re doing a film marathon of either the 4 toy stories or Miyazaki movies:
Wake up, pjs and breakfast in front of movie 1
11am workout followed by lunch taken away from the Japanese supermarket and movie 2
Family board game, watch GMT fireworks and call U.K. family then movie 3
Another game while we order and wait for pizza to be delivered then eaten in front of movie 4

All collapse in bed before midnight

We never do anything! I'd rather go to bed!

Having kids has improved NYE.

We no longer feel the need or pressure to go out and do something. We let the kids stay up a bit later (they are 7 and 5, plus 2yo who will go to bed a little later than normal), we have music and pizza for them.

We order in something nice for us (we're thinking Turkish Mezze for 2 this year). We have wine and continue the party once the kids are in bed!!