New Year’s can be somewhat of a fuzzy concept for young children. Although they are too young to participate in celebrations reserved for grown-ups, Brookline daycare-aged youngsters can still celebrate the occasion and learn in the process.
These fun, easy activities are great ways for little ones to participate in the celebration and help nurture their understanding of time.
- Countdown – A highlight of virtually every celebration is counting down to the new year. If your child is old enough to attend daycare in Brookline, it’s likely they are not old enough to stay awake until midnight for the actual count, though. Instead, re-enact the event with your child by counting down and releasing balloons or tossing confetti together. Make it really festive by creating and wearing party hats or blowing noise makers.
- Birthday Party for the World – Until the concept of time becomes concrete, young children have difficulty grasping just what a New Year means. A good analogy for them is a birthday celebration – in a sense, the world is marking a birthday each New Year’s Day. Invite your child to help you make a birthday cake or special food to celebrate. You can also make birthday cards to the world together, or decorate as you would for a regular birthday party and invite your child’s friends to join in the fun.
- Make a Calendar – Making and referring back to a calendar during your regular daily activities is a great way to help young children solidify the concept of time. In fact, a monthly or weekly calendar is likely a staple item in your child’s daycare in Brookline. A simple piece of printer or construction paper will work very well. As you label the month and individual days with your child, make a game of it by spelling counting out loud.
